Care home worker cooks up 45 years' service at the same place

Chris Fair started as an assistant cook in Market Drayton at Woodcroft’s predecessor home in 1978, a month before his 18th birthday, and moved with the rest of the staff to the new purpose-built facility when it opened in 1989.

There, Chris progressed from assistant cook to catering manager, a role he filled for over 30 years. He is now responsible for maintenance at the home – a job which has some benefits, he said.

The 63-year-old said: “I find it better because I have more to do with the residents now, and I like that. My wife likes it better as well because I do most of the cooking at home now! She is a cook as well but because I’m not cooking during the day anymore, I tend to do it at home.

“Woodcroft is a lovely care home and because I live local, I don’t have to travel too far to work.

“I am finding now that residents are coming in who I grew up with. They are older than I am but they are people that I knew, which is nice but it can also be hard if they have dementia or something similar.”

Chris’s role now involves doing odd jobs which don’t require specialist contractors.

He added: “I do all the jobs in the rooms – if residents want pictures hanging or want something doing, I do it for them. I do whatever anyone wants that I can and I find it very rewarding.”

Chief executive Debbie Price said: “We pride ourselves on supporting and training people for a career in care and as a result, the dedication and loyalty of our staff is one of our biggest strengths.

“Chris is a perfect example of someone who has committed his entire working life to providing for and looking after elderly residents in the local community and for that, we would like to say a huge thank you to him.

“Our catering and maintenance teams are a vital element of the brilliant care provided in our homes and people like Chris, are the reason why we are able to consistently deliver to a high standard.”