Volunteer role description
Fabulous food is fundamental to what we do at Skanda Vale Hospice, and we are looking for a Volunteer Catering Lead who can oversee and inspire our catering team to ever greater heights.
We need someone capable of creating awesome menus that cater to all types and tastes while meeting the nutritional or specific dietary needs of our patients.
Our Volunteer Catering Lead will be the driving force behind an efficient and cost-effective service producing delicious meals that leave patients and team members always asking for more.
During monthly respite weeks, that means planning and providing for breakfast, lunch, and supper. For our weekly day hospice service, the focus is on lunch only.
Our passion for serving up great food means our catering team are the most popular people in the building and we need an enthusiastic Volunteer Catering Lead to be the icing on the cake.
Our Volunteer Catering Lead will:
- Lead, support and inspire our team of cooks and catering assistants to produce great meals morning, noon and night
- Guide patients with meal selections, including those with specific dietary requirements, where necessary
- Take ownership of the catering budget and stock control
- Organise and manage team rotas
- Provide role-specific induction and training as and when needed
- Work alongside the Care Delivery Team to ensure allergy and nutritional needs records are up to date
- Ensure Food Standard Agency requirements are met and lead audits, as governance requires
Our Volunteer Catering Lead needs:
- An understanding of food hygiene procedures
- A Food Hygiene Certificate Level 3 (training can be provided if required)
- Catering experience, including food preparation and cooking
- An understanding of nutrition / special nutritional needs and food allergies or willingness to learn
- Effective time management and organisational skills
- To follow Health & Safety and Infection Control procedures
- To carry out some manual handling tasks and other reasonable duties as required
- To maintain positive working relations with the Hospice team, patients, guests, carers, relatives and visitors
Personal qualities we value are:
- A passion for food
- Compassion and an empathic attitude
- Great listening skills
- Enthusiasm and a conscientious approach to volunteering
- Approachability, a person-centred manner and a sense of humour
- The ability to remain calm, diplomatic and professional in sometimes challenging situations
We ask all our volunteers to:
- Attend a Welcome (Back) Day, Induction and ongoing training
- Participate in our annual development process
- Follow our organisational policies and procedures
- Play an active part in the hospice risk management process to safeguard patients, visitors and colleagues and take responsibility for reporting and managing risks as appropriate
- Follow good infection control practice at all times
- Agree to a criminal records check
- Be aware of confidentiality requirements regarding patients, carers, friends and relatives
Supported by: Head of Operations
Base: Skanda Vale Hospice, Saron
Hours: 8 to 12 hours per week (12 hours when we have 24/7 services running). The role can be split 50/50 split between on-site and remote working. We do ask that you commit 15 hours in your first month to training. This will reduce to approximately six hours per month in your second and third month – thereafter a maximum of one to two hours a month.
Apply now
Before you start, make sure you have the names, numbers and email addresses of two referees (non-family members) who you’ve known for two or more years.