Our team at
Winchcombe Place

I was working for a community pharmacy providing a medication service to Care UK care homes. I wanted to see the other side, work in a place of value and care.

To be a successful in this role you must be caring, compassionate and promote, wellbeing, dignity, and autonomy. My favourite part of the day is seeing the residents attending the activities and living a meaningful life.

I look forward to learning lots here at Winchcombe Place care home, meeting new people and learning all new areas and histories.

I love being part of a team that’s making a difference to people’s lives.

I joined Winchcombe Place in June 2019, and I’m enjoying getting to know the team and the residents themselves. I used to work in recruitment and events, so I love working with different people. I’ve also worked in domiciliary care, so I knew I wanted to continue working in the care sector. 

In my spare time I enjoy socialising with my friends and family, and doing some travelling. I also enjoy watching motorbike racing.  

Before joining the organisation I was an Operations Manager for a national catering company. This is very different, but I love the rewarding nature of my job – being able to have a positive impact on a person’s day. When I bring a smile to a person’s face or I make them laugh it’s a fantastic feeling.

Quite a few of the residents at Winchcombe Place are living with dementia and are at different stages of their dementia journey. I work hard to see the person behind the dementia. Every person we care for is an individual, with different needs. One of the key things I’ve learnt in this role is to be alert to a person’s body language when you’re doing an activity with them, particularly if their verbal communication has been affected by dementia. Their body language can give you important insights into how they’re feeling.

One of the biggest highlights of this role was when I took a resident on a barge trip. This particular person hadn’t left the home, and hadn’t spoken, for nearly two years. At the end of the trip they smiled at me and said, “Thank you. That was lovely”.

My biggest professional challenge so far has been to run a 280-seat restaurant with a team of 16 chefs in Edinburgh. My highlight was catering the opening of the Dolphin Adventure Centre in Pangbourne and meeting Prince Edward, who was opening the centre.

My role requires you to be good at listening to what the residents want and what their expectations are. It is also very important to have a good team and get them to contribute their ideas into work practices and menus.

Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my partner and kids, as well as the occasional game of golf.

I wanted to join the Winchcombe Place team because I felt I had valuable skills and experience to bring which would benefit older people.

Moving my career to Care UK has been such a great move for me – challenging me and enabling me to develop. I think it’s important to be professional and caring in this role, and it’s vital that everything you do is done with understanding, and a smile.

Every resident at Winchcombe Place, and at all other Care UK homes, is ‘resident of the day’ at least once a month. This is a chance to ensure that their care and lifestyle and all aspects of their daily life are meeting their needs and wishes. As part of this initiative I check the resident’s bedroom to ensure it’s safe and everything is working properly. I get to have a chat with them too, which is very rewarding, and gives me a chance to get to know them better.

I came to work with her one day and didn’t want to leave, so we made the decision that I should work here on a permanent basis as part of the team.

My job is to put smiles on faces and to share the love. I visit all floors within the home and I can even come to your room if you wish. I have so much love to give that I just to share it with anyone I meet. I love a stroke and cuddle, but if I sit longer enough will I get an extra biscuit or three?

I am here to be your furry best friend, you can even take me for a walk – perhaps to the shop to share a fresh pack of digestives?