Julie was recently given The Way We Care Champion Award for her exceptional hard work and contributions to the dining experience at Evington Home, Leicester
Julie’s career history paints a picture of hard work and dedication. For 30 years, she owned a delicatessen and bakery with her mother. It was a labour of love, a venture that brought them even closer together. Sadly, Julie’s mother passed away four years ago, a loss that still deeply affects her. “It really knocked me for six,” she confides, sharing how her mother’s passing prompted her to seek a new sense of purpose in life. Encouraged by her sister's husband, who works as a maintenance officer at Evington Home, she decided to apply for the kitchen assistant role.
Her role allows her to support the cooking staff and serve meals. Although she doesn’t do the main cooking, she assists with preparations and serves a variety of meals, including sandwiches and hearty soups to ‘family members’ (those that live with us). "I like to offer choices to them," she says.
Meeting Lisa, the catering manager, became a turning point for Julie. "We hit it off really well," she recalls, noting how her new role helped her cope with her grief and foster new relationships. At Evington Home, she has discovered her love for talking to people. "I didn’t realise how much I like to engage with people," she shares. The interactions she enjoys with family members brighten her day, and she takes pride in making each person feel valued. "Even if I’m just making them a cup of tea, I like to say hello and see their faces light up," she adds.
"Even if I’m just making them a cup of tea, I like to say hello and see their faces light up."
Outside of work, Julie lives with her husband Ian, and their beloved dog. Together, they enjoy reading and writing, which are some of her favourite hobbies. She also has a love for riding motorcycles, a passion maintained since her youth.
Working at Pilgrims’ Friend Society has not only provided Julie with companionship but has also helped her grow as an individual. "I think it’s helped me cope with my mother’s loss," she explains.
Evington is a 30-bed residential care home in Evington, Leicester.
We offer residential care for older people and can provide respite care to those who need it and we are able to offer care at the end of life.
At Evington all rooms have en-suite toilets and wash basins, with other assisted bathrooms and a walk-in shower. All rooms are fully furnished, with aerial and satellite TV and telephone access points. We believe it is important that residents enjoy a feeling of homeliness, so each resident is encouraged to personalise their room with their own belongings.
The dining room and main lounge room are both located on the ground floor. There are a further two, smaller lounges on the first floor, accessible by the passenger lifts. Families often enjoy hosting special occasions for their relative privately in these lounges.
The secure, wheelchair friendly, landscaped garden, which has both paved and grassed areas, raised flower beds, relaxing water wall and pond, is accessed from the main lounge.