“At first, there were lots of new things to learn. Because of my disability, it can take me longer to process things. Practising something lots of times really helps – that’s how I’ve got to grips with the coffee machine and all the different coffee types. Visual step-by-step guides help me too. Money is something I find hard and so sometimes I’ll ask a colleague to double check I’ve got it right. I also have a weakness down my left-hand side that I have to allow for. Being able to let Ana, the Coffee Shop Manager, know that I need a five-minute breather makes a lot of difference. As a team, we always look out for each other.

“A big part of my role is about making people feel welcome. We greet people warmly and engage them in light conversation. It’s nice because we have our regulars and I get to know their orders. It’s also nice when ‘family members’ [those who live with us] come in with their relatives, or with a carer or Hummingbird. It’s a very welcoming place.”

“Being a kitchen assistant is a busy job. When it’s lunchtime, I’ll help deliver the hot food to the households in trolleys. Then, when everything comes back, I spray it down before it goes through the steriliser. It can get hectic if all the trolleys come back at once so we’ve put in place a system where we bring back one trolley at a time – it’s much more manageable.

“I have lots of little jobs to do around the kitchen, like changing the chemical sprays each week so they stay fresh and emptying the drip trays from the fridge. I’m also responsible for ensuring all the fridges and cupboards in the households’ kitchens are kept stocked up with milk, cereals and bread etc. I have a visual chart I follow to make sure I don’t miss anything.

“I really like chatting to the family members when I’m in the households. There’s a lady called Lina who always makes me laugh and another lady called Judy who is very friendly. Sometimes I’ll help the family members with little things like making them a cup of tea or topping up the milk for their cereal.

“I’ve definitely gained more confidence since coming to work at Middlefields House and I feel more independent too. I live in a village called Staverton and get a taxi to work through the government’s Access to Work scheme – you have to pay £3.25 towards the cost and the government pays the rest.

“I don’t talk about my autism/ learning disabilities too much. I just like to get on with things and have a positive attitude. The team at Middlefields House have been very supportive and have helped me make adjustments where needed. I work three days a week – Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. Tuesdays are much busier and I was finding it hard to get everything done in the time. We had a chat about it and decided I would work half an hour less on Saturday and Sunday and then use the extra hour on Tuesday instead. This has helped to take the pressure off and made a big difference.”