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Allegra Care Chef Workshop at Foodworks Cookery School

Allegra Care’s head chefs, home managers and support team came together for a chef’s workshop at the Foodworks Cookery School.

The workshop was led by St Georges head chef Richard, who has brought his experience in the hospitality sector into the homes. Richard is a champion for Allegra Care’s Household Model and innovator for those on a modified diet.  The focus for the workshop was the IDSSI-Framework, which is the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative. The day was about working together to create safe, tasty and well-presented meals for residents on a modified diet.

The homes’ chefs led teams, and it certainly wasn’t a case of “too many cooks” with a real buzz in this purpose-built training kitchen. It was a day to enhance knowledge with some fun along the way.  This will be just the beginning of these away days which will give the teams the opportunity to enhance their knowledge.

Food is vital for health and wellbeing, and for many, food is one of the greatest joys in life. From memories of birthday cakes as a child, to meals shared with friends and family, food is something that everyone should continue to look forward to throughout life.

Julie Pannell
Portfolio Support Manager

Julie brings over 18 years of experience in the care sector and a calm, capable presence that teams instantly trust. With a strong background in care management, she works comfortably at every level, supporting services to improve, adapt and thrive — even when things feel complex. Julie has a real knack for managing change and untangling multi-layered challenges.

She combines strategic thinking with a practical, hands-on approach, making sure plans don’t just look good on paper but actually work in real life. From project management to mentoring and developing teams, Julie is passionate about helping people grow and services succeed.

She works closely with local authorities and a wide range of stakeholders, building positive, productive relationships along the way. Known for her attention to detail and collaborative style, Julie’s supportive team approach has made her a favourite with both clients and commissioning authorities.

When she’s not supporting homes across the portfolio, Julie can usually be found outdoors enjoying the countryside. She’s a keen walker, an enthusiastic bird watcher, and a proud member of the National Trust — happiest with fresh air, good views and a pair of comfy walking boots.

Catherine
Sales Manager

Catherine has worked in sales and marketing her whole career, after graduating with a degree in Textile Management she worked in Corporate Workwear for many years. Catherine’s first role in the care sector was working with a disability charity that ran nursing homes and enablement projects for young adults.

Catherine

While her two children were younger, she joined her husband in his estate agency, but was delighted to return to the care sector in 2020 and now cannot imagine doing anything else.

Catherine’s role with Allegra is to support residents and their families as they explore care options. Working with the teams in the individual homes she ensures that during every stage from initial enquiry through to moving in with us every question is answered, and we offer the reassurance needed for the next chapter in our resident’s life. It is important for our residents to remain part of the community in which will have lived for years, often all their lives, so the other part of this role is connecting with local community groups, charities and organisations.

Catherine has said that working for Allegra with their groundbreaking household model means we are offering a home with compassion and care whilst ensuring residents are retaining their independence and quality of life.

Out of work Catherine enjoys baking and gardening The children are older now, but still keep her busy!

She combines strategic thinking with a practical, hands-on approach, making sure plans don’t just look good on paper but actually work in real life. From project management to mentoring and developing teams, Julie is passionate about helping people grow and services succeed.

She works closely with local authorities and a wide range of stakeholders, building positive, productive relationships along the way. Known for her attention to detail and collaborative style, Julie’s supportive team approach has made her a favourite with both clients and commissioning authorities.

When she’s not supporting homes across the portfolio, Julie can usually be found outdoors enjoying the countryside. She’s a keen walker, an enthusiastic bird watcher, and a proud member of the National Trust — happiest with fresh air, good views and a pair of comfy walking boots.

Paul Thomas
Regional Manager - Western Region

Paul has joined Allegra Care with 28 years’ experience in the health and social care sector including working in senior leadership roles for the last 18 years; covering operations, business management and quality assurance. Paul has a real passion for person centred care and how that is delivered at the highest level.

Allegra Team Paul Thomas

Paul has worked across a diverse sector over his time in health and social care and brings a wealth of experience to his new role as Regional Manager. Paul believes in integrating real and meaningful values and culture into a service and in doing so, delivering the outcomes for the people we support. Paul goes by the theory of values with no meaning, have no value.

Outside of work, Paul is the father of three boys and a 2nd degree black belt who teaches Judo.