Job Role: Residential Cook - 1 Year Experience Location : Penketh, Warrington, UK Hours : 32 Hours per week. Salary: £12.21 per hour About Heathside and The Mews At Heathside and The Mews, we specialize in providing high-quality care to older people and those living with dementia, in a homely, supportive environment. Heathside is our 37-bedroom residential home, offering a cozy, homely feel, while The Mews is our 25-bedroom home with a light and modern atmosphere. These two homes sit side-by-side, sharing many activities and outings but each offering a unique experience. You can find out more about each home on our website. What both homes have in common is the exceptional level of care we provide. Our approach is person-centered, meaning we take the time to truly understand the individuals we support. We build personalized care plans for each resident, ensuring that their routines and preferences are met. A key part of creating this nurturing environment is the food we provide, and as a Cook, you'll play an essential role in creating meals that not only meet dietary needs but are also a source of comfort and joy for our residents. A Day in the Life of a Residential Cook As a Residential Cook, your role will be to prepare meals with care, create well-balanced, nutritious meals using fresh ingredients ensuring that every meal is a delightful experience for our residents. You'll also be responsible for maintaining a clean and safe kitchen environment by following all health and safety guidelines. You'll be an integral part of the day-to-day life of the homes, knowing that the meals you prepare bring comfort and nourishment to the individuals we support. Employee Benefits As a charity, we do what we can to show our teams that we value them and the life-changing work they do, so we offer the following: Welcome bonus - you'll receive £500 as a warm welcome to the team Access to training and development, both in house and accredited courses, where we will pay for your qualification and on completion of level 2 or above we will reward you with £150 bonus (as well as £50 for passing care certificate) Access to wecare, MyStrength & Toothfairy; offering health and wellbeing support including 24/7 access to GP, Mental Health support and dentists. Blue Light Card - we'll cover the cost of your card Access to discount schemes; including discounted childcare, shopping and access to a range of online training courses Night Enhancement - all hours worked between 8pm and 8am will carry an additional £1 per hour enhancement. This will be applied whether it is regular contracted hours, bank hours or overtime. Free Meals - available to all staff who are working 12-hour shifts, to help you keep your energy levels up and provide a hot or cold meal should you want it. Refer a Friend £200 - if you refer a friend to come and work for WCL and they are successful, you will receive a £200 bonus. Christmas Enhancement (Double Time) - allocated Christmas hours worked will be rewarded with double-time pay. Ongoing investment in new technology - including care plan and rota apps, with full training provided Shifts available across a range of services; made available through our online rota system. This could be same day shifts or in the future. Book shifts that fit with your availability, days, nights, weekdays, weeknights, weekends. A range of shifts available, from 3 hour shifts up to 12 hours and sleep in shifts. Get Paid As You Earn - With FlexEarn, you don't have to wait for payday. WCL gives you access to a portion of your earnings as soon as you've worked the hours. It's a great way to stay on top of your finances, cover unexpected costs, or just have a bit more flexibility with your money. Who we're looking for People who share and support our vision and values: Supporting rights, needs, choices & dreams. Seeing the possibility to make a difference in all that we do. Being financially responsible and economically sustainable. Embracing new technology and innovation. Appreciating every colleague's contribution. Role Requirements Suitable cook experience 1 year Relevant qualification (See below), It may help to have a relevant qualification such as a Professional Chef Diploma, BTEC National Certificate in Hospitality Supervision or an Advanced Chef Diploma. However you could do these qualifications with We Change Lives Ready to Change Lives? Apply Now If you're passionate about food and making a real difference to the lives of others, we'd love to hear from you Once you've applied, a friendly member of our team will be in touch to guide you through the next steps. More About We Change Lives We Change Lives (WCL) is a remarkable charity in Northwest England, dedicated to empowering individuals with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, older people, dementia, and mental health challenges. Our mission is to help people lead purposeful, healthy, and fulfilling lives, providing support through residential homes, supported living, and community-based services.