Catering Assistant – Ashford

Why work for us?

Do you want to develop your catering skills and be part of a pro-active professional team?

Do you have a passion for working collaboratively in an environment thriving on positive change?

Do you want to experience a sense of achievement by knowing that every day you contribute to the provision of person-centred care?

If so, then the role of Catering Assistant at Pilgrims may be just the job for you!

We are seeking well-motivated and forward-thinking professionals to join our team, in supporting the development and growth of our hospices across east Kent.

Main duties of the job

• Preparation and serving of meals for patients, staff and visitors.
• Preparation of ingredients.
• Producing salads, sandwiches and other meals not requiring the expertise of a cook.
• Ensuring all cutlery, crockery, flatware and equipment are cleaned to appropriate standards, either by hand or through use of a dishwasher.
• Ensuring the required standards of cleanliness and hygiene are maintained at all times within the department.
• Maintaining records as instructed by the catering manager.

The successful candidate will be required to work early and/or late shifts, between the hours of 6:30AM – 20:00PM. 

This is a fixed term contract for the duration of 7 months. 

For more information about this role, please refer to the job description. 

About us

As an award-winning employer, Pilgrims provides end-of-life care services to patients and their families across east Kent.

Our commitment is to provide open, compassionate care and expertise for patients and their families – both in the community and in-patient units.

Our Vision

“Of a community where people with a terminal illness and their family and friends are supported and empowered to live well in mind and body until the very last moment of their life”.

We recognise that our workforce is integral to the delivery of our Vision and our charitable aims. Pilgrims Hospices continues to create a highly skilled, motivated, engaged and healthy workforce by providing an environment where staff and volunteers feel highly motivated to perform their roles to a consistently high standard, and actively role model our charitable behaviours and values.

To achieve our Vision, we have a shared set of values and behaviours that enable us to be the people and the charity that patients and their loved ones need us to be. They form our CODE, which guides us in our daily working and decision making:

Compassionate We treat everyone with compassion and care

Open We communicate openly, honestly and effectively

Dynamic We are dynamic, improving and developing our service

Empowered We empower people to achieve their outcomes

Other benefits

As an Employer of Choice, our commitment to supporting our employees and volunteers is a key priority.

Our Health and Wellbeing Strategy is an important step in ensuring the sustainability of our workforce, and clearly outlines our strategic intentions to improve employee capability, resilience, and engagement, to adapt to and embrace change as the health sector continues to develop.

Our hospices offer:

• Modern, friendly and highly professional working environments
• Opportunities for professional development through a range of extensive learning
• Alignment with NHS pay rates and continuity in membership of the NHS pension scheme
• A sense of achievement in supporting a worthwhile cause
• A sense of wellbeing
• A good work-life balance
• Locations across well-populated areas of east Kent – all providing very good road and rail links
• NHS and financial discounts i.e. Blue Light Card
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Free hospice parking

We invest in our employees, which is one of the key things that makes us an award-winning employer of choice.

If you think this is your ideal role and want to join us and contribute to providing high quality patient care and support to those at the end of their life, please apply now.