Our team at
Collingwood Court

I joined Collingwood Court after working as a trainer for BT because I wanted to put my talents and passions to use in a different setting.

In this role, you need to be resilient, patient, compassionate and outgoing. Understanding the importance of person-centred care is the most important part of my job. I always enjoy chatting with the residents and love when I learn something about their past that surprises me.

One of my favourite moments of my career was getting the community to rally around and send a resident 217 cards for her 100th birthday!

I’m a Dementia Coach and provide Namaste care training, and I feel proud when I see the training I’ve given to colleagues being put into action. I also feel fulfilled in my role when I see residents achieving things they think they can’t do.

When I’m not working, I love visiting English Heritage sites, camping and outdoor swimming.

I’ve spent all my working life in catering, and the past several years in the care sector. Care UK is a great care provider to work for, with good benefits and a fantastic reputation.

As Head Chef, you need to have a positive, can-do attitude, a friendly and approachable demeanor and the drive to always be improving the dining experience for residents.

I love getting feedback – both positive and ‘constructive’ – from residents. It helps me learn what they enjoy and any changes they would like to see. The most important part of my role is making sure the food we serve is not only tasty but also visually appealing and most importantly safe to eat.

Knowing that I’m serving high-quality, delicious food to residents and creating enriching mealtimes makes me proud of what I do. I’m also proud to have won Care-UK-wide competitions, like our own Bake Off and MasterChef-style events.

I’m a bit of a hobbyist outside of work and enjoy doing things from scratch (the hard way!), from cooking and baking to brewing, fishing, gardening, leathercrafting, metalwork and more.

I was keen to join Collingwood Court because I knew Care UK was a good care provider to work for and I was familiar with the home. Before becoming the Business Administrator here, I was working as a Deputy Manager, and reaching this position was a proud moment in my career.

A Business Administrator role is all about juggling important tasks. You need to have good communication and listening skills, patience and the ability to multitask to do this role well. I always end up working longer hours than I’m contracted, but I enjoy completing tasks and feel proud whenever I can tick something off my list.

When I’m not working, I enjoy socialising with friends and spending time with my grandchildren.

Collingwood Court is a lovely home. As Head Housekeeper, I ensure the home is clean, fresh and safe for residents. In this role, you need to have good leadership skills, compassion and attention to detail.

I love meeting residents and their families and making people smile. Seeing the difference I make on a daily basis makes me proud of what I do.

Outside of work, I enjoy going to the cinema and taking walks.