In Your Shoes: ‘Beyond the food’ in ExtraCare’s Longbridge Retirement Village

Midday arrives and the residents are queuing up almost immediately. I take my place behind the food, spoon in hand, ready to help Carol and Alison – and Pat, another amazing pair of volunteering hands – with serving lunch. I’m not sure whether it was my want to chat to the residents, or the fact that I was innocently piling the plates full of food but Karen said the day was even busier than usual. What I found most incredible though, was the fact that everyone found their job and simply got on with it. With Alison on the till, taking the money, Carol and I served the food, while Pat and Craig did the clearing up and essential jobs, like replenishing the chips, or re-stocking the knives and forks. No questions asked, no murmurs, no dispute, they all just took a role and ran with it.

It’s ‘stay-and-play’ on Thursdays, so those of all ages, from toddlers, parents, to residents and visitors – including a group of dinner ladies from a local school who pop by for a daily coffee and catchup – were tucking into the treats off the menu.

By 2pm, the queue has just about whittled down, with the odd resident, or visitor popping in for what’s left of the food. It goes without saying that my trifles flew off the shelf, of course.

With everyone telling me just how delicious the Longbridge lamb-shanks are, I felt it was only polite to try them for myself. As I’m tucking in to my lunch – which, by the way, did not disappoint – Karen comes out to check on me. It’s the first time I’ve seen her sit down all day and within seconds, a resident has spotted her and is making their way over. “I’m coming tomorrow night to the Valentine’s Day meal and I was wondering, can you put me and my friends together?” She says. “And can we sit in the middle, not near the window?” “Oh, and please can we have a big table, not one of the small ones.” Karen, who is clearly so used to having such conversations, smiles and writes down the requests in her ‘Valentine’s Day folder’.

Before she leaves, the resident says, “That Karen, she never gets five minutes to herself.”

Despite their frequent requests, it goes without saying that these residents have nothing but the upmost respect for Karen. Her approachable nature, her unmissable desire to please everyone and the mutual respect she has for anyone she speaks to, is a credit to her character. Of course, all of this means that whenever she is at Longbridge, her day becomes a cocktail of conversations, planning, admin and of course making sure the food leaves the kitchen on time and to a good quality.

On a normal day, The Metro Bar closes at 4.30pm, with Karen spending a final hour clearing up before heading home. With regular events taking place during the evenings, Karen rarely sticks to just a five-day week. From coming in specially to cater for entertainment nights, or preparing afternoon teas for baby showers, Karen’s passion and commitment to the work she does goes way beyond her usual working hours.

It was safe to say that after just a day in Karen’s shoes, I was ready for a well-earned sleep. I loved my day in the kitchen but for now, I think I’ll stick to eating the food, rather than making it.