Rotherwood Healthcare’s Dorset House has been busy preparing for Christmas. But one present came early this year when Marion Jenkins, Head Chef at Dorset House Nursing Home, was nominated as a finalist for a Great British Care Award (GBCA) in the Care Home Chef category. Marion has been Head Chef at Dorset House for 17 years and has worked closely with Rotherwood to create a fantastic dining service at the home. A thorough interview was conducted over a video call in early December to aid judges in announcing the category winner. We spoke to Marion about her reaction to being nominated.

“I feel very proud every day since learning that I’ve made it to the finals. I am very passionate about what I do, I love it, I love who it is for and why we do it. I’m very honoured to have been recognised for the award but I am very grateful for the team around me that make my job very easy. I don’t have parents or grandparents myself, so I treat our residents as if they were my own grandparents and family.”

Evesham Journal:

Marion is committed to giving individual person-centred menu choices to each resident making sure their food is nutritious, pleasing to the eye, fortified with the appropriate calories and delicious! A fantastic example of this individual approach is Marion’s ‘Resident of the Day’ idea, where residents can ask for Marion to make them anything they want on that day. She also makes a birthday cake for every resident, making sure the flavour and decoration are perfectly tailored to the taste and personality of the recipient.

With the interview over Marion and the healthcare team have been getting festive all through December by decorating the Christmas trees, baking festive treats, and watching local entertainers perform in the gardens. Winners of the Great British Care Awards will be announced in Spring 2021 and we wish Marion the best of luck!