Meet the Sutton Valence Care Home Team

My name is Nisha, I am the Deputy Manager at Sutton Valence, and have been employed here for over 15 yrs.

I started as a nurse, clinical lead and my main duties now are to support the Home Manager and the entire team in order to provide excellent care for our residents. I also enjoy acting up as Manager whilst the Manager supports other homes.

I am a qualified nurse with over 20 years of experience. I hold the qualifications of Bachelor’s Degree in nursing, Level 5 in palliative care management, Diploma in leadership and management. At Sutton Valence we have strong leadership that makes the working environment a place I love to be able to call and value as my workplace, we have a fantastic team of nurses and carers to deliver pro-active and outstanding care to our residents.

Hi, my name is Jo and I have been one of the Registered Nurses at Sutton Valence since 2019.  I am extremely passionate about my role and like to form relationships with the residents and I am dedicated to giving good holistic care to each resident.  Since being at Sutton Valence through the support of the management team and encouragement of training through Barchester, I have been able develop my skills and have since become a unit manager.  The team at Sutton Valence has a family feel and we all work incredibly well together.

My career in carer started when I became a community carer and then I started working as a clinical support worker at Medway Hospital.  The hospital then sponsored me for my training in Nursing where I qualified in 2014.  During my nursing at the hospital, I worked in the surgical department and ICU.

My Name is Catherine. I am a fully qualified clinical nurse with 19 years overseas nursing experience supporting the team at Sutton Valence Care Home, originally from Zimbabwe and based in the UK from 2001.

Catherine is lead wound management champion and supports the nursing team with all aspects of treatment, dressings and care planning to aid the recovery of wounds at the home, often acquired prior to admission to the home. Catherine is a highly skilled individual with much value at the home.

My Name is Linfin Jose I am a qualified nurse with strong experience in delivering quality care to patients and residents. Professionally I have more than 15 years of practice in different areas like Cardiac theatre, Cardiac Intensive care Units and General wards.

Working as a Unit In charge at Sutton Valence care Home since April 2021. I am a Caring and reliable person with a reputation for building a great rapport between medical providers and residents. Committed to making resident having a more informed and comfortable life whilst in my care.

I am supported in my development in the home through mentorship and progressive training within Barchester.

My name is Ligi Nippy, I am a fully qualified nurse with strong experience in delivering quality care to patients and residents  and have been employed here for 4 years. Professionally I have more than 27 years of practice in different areas like operation theatre and General wards. I hold the qualifications of Diploma in General Nursing and Midwifery.

I am working as a night unit in charge, with strong ability to lead the team, also is known for giving attention to detail and dedication to getting work done. I value the importance of patient centred care and I enjoys working with my team to ensure our residents are receiving the best care as possible.

I have been supported by the management in my development in the home through mentor ship and progressive training within Barchester.

My name is Lisa I am administrator at Sutton valence care home my role is to provide support to the Home Senior Manager, employees, relatives and residents supporting the whole home aspect and ensuring that both back office and front of house run efficiently.

My main duties are supporting HR, Payroll, and both the homes and residents accounts, the role involves more than admin delivery encompassing care and compassion to residents engaging in meaningful activity with residents, art, singing supporting with nutrition if required and fulfilling the whole home approach to care. Employed at Sutton Valence for over 10 years coming from an NHS medical secretary background utilising skills and relationships learned across the years.

My name is Gemma I am an Activities coordinator at Sutton Valence care home. I have been working here for nine years and love it. I grew up in Sutton valence village and attended the local Primary school.

I have always been passionate about the care of others and enjoy enriching the lives of our Residents. I have a Diploma in Health and social care and have worked in private health care for over 14 years. I have always loved performing arts and studied this at school. I am a very proud Mother to Amaya and Jacob.

Hi, my name is Amy and I am one of the Activities Coordinator at Sutton Valence and have been working here since February 2023.  Getting to know the residents and making them happy is an honour along with learning new skills.

Before starting at Sutton Valence I worked in retail, with animals and in a nursery with young children.

When I am not at work, I enjoy spending my time with my 3 children, friends and family.

The job description of Activities Coordinator fitted me perfectly and brought me out of retirement; I did miss the social aspect of working life... Enriching resident’s lives through art & crafts coupled with a vibrant caring nature is me to at T. I have a passion to give our residents access to their own self-esteem and confidence. Re-gain, explore or enhance their quality of Winter Life. Share the tools to make each moment the best it can be and if, it's, not then let's explore why? My team buddy laughs with me when I recall or mention Golden/Platinum moments I've been blessed with.  I witness them every day. Finding a way to give purpose to a day is a mission of mine and I do my very best for our resident family to gain that.

In my life before Sutton Valence, Law was always my passion. Firstly, my profession was an Associate Legal Executive and then a Freelance Litigator and a Barrister's Clerk. From there I became a Women Police Constable serving in 3 divisions within Kent.  I have also been the Manager for Cordon Blue and Argos Retailers. 

As soon as my daughter started school I wished to have a job that worked alongside her school day and term times but also encompassing my love of learning and need for challenge.

The local Secondary School was looking for a Learning Support Assistant. I worked within the education system for 19 years retiring as a Higher Learning Teaching Assistant.

When I retired, I set up two small bespoke businesses which I still run with a fantastic Client base and supported my husband's own business. 

My name is Suraj I’m the head chef at Sutton valence. I have always had a passion for cooking and creating new recipes. I studied hotel management in London and have worked in restaurants in Mayfair and Chelsea. I have recently completed Barchesters chef academy which has helped me to further develop my skills. I love sports and spending time with my family.

My name is Andrew Shovlar

I joined Barchester as head of maintenance in April 2021. 

As head off maintenance it is my responsibility to insure all records are kept up to date and all certificates are compliant with Barchester regulations and health & safety in mind. 

To repair any problem that arise and report any issues that I cannot fix or put right to an external contractor who arrange to have the appropriate contractor to visit site to fix the problem.

I am supportive of resident inclusion and support the wider teams with DIY tasks, games boards, backdrops etc. for fetes, celebrations and other activities to support the whole home ethic of the manager.

My name is Barbara Rodzen-Indyk.

I am head housekeeper at Sutton Valence Care Home.

I reside in Maidstone where I have lived for 10 years with my husband, but I am originally from Poland. I came to the UK in 2013.

I joined Barchester in 2015 as a domestic and have worked my way up to the role of Head Houskeeper.

My role is to provide a safe, clean environment whilst ensuring that infection control and high standards are maintained at all times in life with EHO and Barchester policy.

My name is Chris Wheeler, I have been working as a Receptionist at Sutton Valence since March 2020. I am from Medway Towns and have previously worked in a busy call centre for 8 years. Before this I had worked for Royal Bank of Scotland for 2 years after I finished university where I studied Policing Studies. My parents were both teachers (now retired) and I have an older brother who is a Doctor. I decided to apply for the position as I wanted to change my role and try my hand at something different. I have greatly enjoyed and am still enjoying my role for the past 3 years and it has helped me greatly within my personal life, mainly due to the supportive team members we have here and the welcoming environment at the home.

My name is Hermmas Alex, I joined as Administrative Assistant at Sutton Valence Care Home in January 2023. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel Management and have been working within the hotel industry for last 12 years most recently as a Restaurant Manager. I have put this customer service experience to good use as the first face that people see when they come to the care home. I am really enjoying my new role. I am being supported to develop and enhance my career by the home manager and now enrolled on administration level 3 NVQ.

I am also the Speak Up Champion at Sutton Valence.

Hello I am Robert iain Malcolm, one of the senior carers at Sutton Valence Care Home. I have been working here for 7years with my wife who is also working at the home as a care assistant. 

Currently I am the Dementia Champion in the home, supporting, mentoring staff to make the lives of our residents living with dementia a purposeful and proactive life whilst in our care. 

I am also supported by the home manager to develop and progress my career and currently I am undertaking a care practitioner course to develop my skills further.

I’m Sue Wood, I was born in Surrey in 1959 and lived there till 1986 when I got married and moved to Headcorn in Kent. I have 2 children and now a Grandma to two.

My first job was with NatWest in the City of London. I was there for 14 years and left when I had my daughter in 1989. 

I had a break for 4 years and then started as a Night Carer at Sutton Valence Care Home in March 1993 and have stayed here ever since.

I have been supported through the years have achieved qualifications in NVQ levels 2 and 3 and certificates in Dementia and Palliative care.

I have enjoyed my job role working as part of a team and supporting my colleagues to meet the best needs of the residents we care fro at the home.

My name is Lorraine and I am a Senior Carer at Sutton Valence. 

I first started working as a carer at Sutton Valence in 1993 at just 20 years old.  I left a couple of times to have my children until 2003.  Since then I have become a Senior Carer and find caring for the elderly thoroughly rewarding. 

Working at Sutton Valence is like having another family.  My colleagues are lovely and friendly, we all look after one another and work great as at team.

When I’m not at Sutton Valence I enjoy looking after my grandchildren and spending time with the family.

Hello, my name is Bijulal Thomas,

I have been working as a carer since at Sutton Valence for 2 yrs.

I am really delighted to have a wonderful working environment and supportive staff and management at the home that have trained and mentored me to care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honours in my life.

My Name is Ricky Goodhew I have worked at Sutton Valence for 4 years. For 3 of those years, I was employed as an activities coordinator. I really enjoy my work and I find the role very rewarding. I hold a diploma in health and social care to which I have now utilised to change career paths and I am now working as a carer since being supported to follow my career path and direction I wish to take my career into the future.

My name is Emma and I joined the Sutton Valence Team as a house keeper in January 2023.

I have lived in Maidstone for 4 years and grew up in Surrey.

I have a diploma in public services and have worked in domestics and hospitality prior.

My social life involves I fitness and sports and going out socialising.

I was born hearing impaired and grew up with all challenges and most importantly understanding the disability, which helps me with understanding the resident’s needs in daily life

I have a photography degree from Canterbury Christ church university and studied dance and art A level in Maidstone grammar school for girls

I have the passion to keep the care home environment clean and support infection control, keeping the residents happy and comfortable feeling like they’re home. Resident’s well-being is very important to me, it melts my heart to see their smile when the newspaper being delivered or I provide some other little task with a smile every day.

Hello, my name is Peter, and I am the Gardener here at Sutton Valence. 

I was born in Farnborough, Kent and I have a 13 year old son.

I enjoy all the different aspects of the role jobs including being hands on activities based around gardening and plants for the residents, the fire and health and safety champions respectively, as well as the Home’s gardener and maintenance assistant.

The team here are fantastic and very professional to work with.