Hello. I am Francesca.

I completed my nurse training ten years ago and I joined Barchester when I first qualified as a nurse. I have worked for other care providers since then but I felt drawn back to Barchester as I am supported to develop personally and professionally.

I really enjoy working at Ashby House and, as Deputy Manager, I am committed to supporting all our team members to achieve their full potential.

I always aim to carry out my role in collaboration with residents, their families and team members, to ensure residents live enriched and fulfilling lives, in a safe and happy environment. I strive to create a wondrous atmosphere and am truly grateful to residents’ families who constantly show their appreciation for our care of their loved ones.

Hi. I'm Emma Jane. I qualified as a nurse in 1998 and have a background of working in hospitals. I enjoy working in a care setting as I can engage with residents and do my best to meet all their needs. People say I am always happy and smiley. In my spare time I like to read, play tennis and spend time outdoors with family and friends.

Hello. I am Liza and I have many years' experience in general nursing. I like to focus on the individual health needs of residents, making sure everyone receives good care and timely treatment. I like to listen to their stories and concerns to make sure I really understand how I can best help people. I also ensure other team members are aware of the care plan and changing needs of each individual.

Hello. I am Desi and I joined the Ashby House team in 2019 as carer. I have now been promoted to Senior Carer. My training and experience is working as a Nurse in a hospital in Bulgaria for 10 years and then as a Senior Nurse for a further 13 years. In my spare time I enjoy reading, listening to music and doing puzzles.

Hello. I'm Fiona and I have  worked at Ashby House since 2017, first as a Healthcare Assistant and then switching in November 2019 to the role of Activities Coordinator. I have a passion for working in the care sector and have gained experience of working in an activities role with a previous employer. I have always enjoyed being creative. The best thing about my work is that I can put a smile on people's faces and help them enjoy a variety of interests, old and new. When I’m not at work I love to read, listen to music, and do anything to do with history, especially visiting places of interest. I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle through exercise and healthy eating.

Hi. My name is Briony and I am an Activities Coordinator at Ashby House.

I ensure that residents have opportunities to socialise, learn, craft, stay active and have fun. With the support of my activities colleagues, we plan a range of daily activities here at Ashby House as well as outings and lunches out when we are able to. We also like to bring the outside in and welcome visitors to entertain us or bring in animals for us to meet. We try to offer a range of activities that enrich residents’ lives, prevent feelings of isolation and look after the mind, body and soul. We are always happy for family members to join in our activities with their loved ones.

At the moment, due to Covid-19 social distancing restrictions, some of our external activities are not able to take place but we still have indoor activities planned every day and we use the gardens when the weather is good.  There are two of us in the Activities Team and between us we plan activities for seven days a week.

I enjoy spending time with residents and hearing their stories or just having a chat and a cuppa with them.

Hello. I am Jay, the Head Chef at Ashby House where I joined the team in 2020.

I have 27 years’ experience in the hospitality industry covering all roles from kitchen porter to wine waiter to restaurant manager. My passion is for cooking and I trained to be a Chef at Watford Cassio College. For most of my career I have been a Chef Manager, running business and industry contracts which I enjoyed for the variety of the work and getting to know customers and corporate clients.

I joined Ashby House during the Covid lockdown and it is one of the most enjoyable roles I have ever had. I enjoy the satisfaction of making tasty meals and treats for residents every day – from a traditional Sunday roast to a summer BBQ in the garden, making sure everything is as good as it can be, including music for atmosphere. I also love making treats like birthday cakes and party food for special occasions.

An important part of my role is getting to know residents and their individual food preferences and nutritional needs. This includes knowing people’s allergies and making sure I provide meals in a variety of appetising textures and consistencies for residents who have difficulty swallowing.

In my spare time I enjoy keeping fit, and I have three children so there isn’t much time for relaxing on my days off.

Sue has worked for Barchester since January 2004 and she has been at Ashby House since June 2010. Her role involves looking after the day to day running of the finances from sales to payroll, supporting the General Manager with the day to day running of Ashby House and supporting staff and relatives/residents within the home.

Hello. I'm Carol and I joined the Ashby House team in 2004. It is really important that I keep the home clean to keep it looking nice and minimise infection risks. It is also important that Ashby House is tidy, attractive and well organised so residents feel comfortable and relaxed. I get to know every resident, to understand how they like their room, their clothes and their personal belongings to be arranged. I enjoy my morning chats, getting to know residents as I clean their rooms.

My name is Lukasz and I joined Ashby House in 2018 as Head of Maintenance. I have previously worked for a health & wellbeing club as Maintenance Manager and have 15 years of experience in this type of role. I am a dedicated individual who takes pride in the work I complete. I am a confident person, able to manage preventative maintenance schedules and reactive tasks to ensure that issues are resolved in a timely manner and to a high standard.  I solve issue quickly to minimise any impact on residents. My goal is to make sure Ashby House is always a safe, comfortable, efficient place to enjoy life.

Hello. I am Jeff and I keep the gardens tidy, safe and looking lovely for residents and their visitors to enjoy. I trained at Shuttleworth College and have experience of gardening at a holiday park and for Age Concern. I love being outdoors and working in this friendly environment. In my spare time I still like to be outdoors and I do lots of walking and cycling.