Fontwell care home general manager celebrates 20 year anniversary

Paul had a huge surprise when Regional Director, Mark Bird, threw a party for all the staff and residents and all the other General Managers from his region came to see him receive his long service award and celebrate this fantastic milestone with him.

Originally from London, Paul initially went into banking after he left school however, he soon realised that wasn’t the right sector for him and went to work for the NHS. After finance roles in two different hospitals, he went to work for a private healthcare provider on the South Coast in their Operations Team. Then in 2004, Paul joined Barchester in a new role as a Home Services Advisor at Winchester House in Rochester before transferring to Westergate House in 2005 where he moved into a managerial role.

Paul’s first General Manager position was at Barchester’s Wimborne care home in Hayling Island in 2007, he came back to Westergate House 15 years ago when he took up the reins as General Manager there and has never looked back. Paul loves the camaraderie of the home and its family feel, the way everyone pulls together to provide the best possible care for their residents. He is exceptionally proud of the stable, committed team he has built at the home.

Managing Director for Barchester’s South Division, Natasha Lazovic, presented Paul with his award and gave a speech thanking him for his incredible 20 years of dedicated service. A surprise guest at the party was Sharon McNamara, now Sharon Allen, who was General Manager back in 2007 when Paul first came to Westergate House as Acting GM. Sharon came to congratulate Paul and he showed her the memo she had sent to staff announcing his appointment that he kept all these years!

Commenting on his 20 years with the business, Paul said: “The last twenty years have been tremendous, and, naturally, the time has flown, a testament to how happy I have been in this role; I can honestly say I have loved every minute. We have a fabulous team here at Westergate House, and it is a privilege to support our wonderful residents and ensure their everyday experience is fulfilling and enjoyable. It is an absolute pleasure to come to work every day and I consider myself extremely lucky to work in such a lovely home. I want to thank absolutely everyone at Westergate House for their immeasurable help and support.”

Regional Director, Mark Bird, added: “I am incredibly proud of Paul’s achievements and his dedication to the business, he has had an amazing career so far and is always a shining example to all of his team. Congratulations on 20 years’ service Paul, here’s to many more!”