Barchester Hickathrift House

Hello, my name is Paula and I am proud to be General Manager at Hickathrift House. I joined Barchester in 2015 and my background is actually in Nursing.

As an experienced home manager, I fully understand how difficult the transition into new surroundings can be. My highly qualified team and I are committed to fully supporting you and your family throughout this journey and always.

I am passionate about our residents being safe, making them happy and enabling them to lead fully enriched lives whilst constantly receiving the highest quality of care.

One thing that I feel is really important is offering residents a lot of personal choices and as Hickathrift House is their home they have the right to choose what goes on here!

I am hands-on in my role, I like to spend as much time as possible with the people that we care for and I also really enjoy getting to know our residents' families and providing them with support when they need it.

Our team here at Hickathrift House are dedicated to guaranteeing that all of our residents are treated with dignity, respect and attention - thus in turn enabling them to celebrate life in their new Barchester home which I feel exceptionally privileged to be a part of.

I look forward to welcoming you to Hickathrift House very soon!

Hello, my name is Sarah, and I am Deputy Manager at Hickathrift House.

I started my role at Hickathrift as a night carer in 2011, and have worked my way up through the roles since this time, such as senior carer, Night Manager and now Deputy Manager at the end of November 2022.

I am very passionate about my job and love to know that every day I come into work, I try my best to positively impact the residents' well-being. Knowing that even the smallest of things, such as a quick hello or a smile, can improve their day greatly, as well as mine. I am enjoying getting to know the families and friends which working 11 years on nights you can miss.

I am extremely dedicated to ensuring the best for all of our residents in all aspects of their care, and with the excellent support from all of the staff here at Hickathrift, it doesn’t feel like a job at all.

Hello, my name is Tracey Hills and I have been part of the Administration team here at Hickathrift House for 12 years. I enjoy helping people and advising them where I can.

I have been part of the team at Hickathrift House for 26 years covering different job roles including Deputy Manager. I would like to think that I am a friendly and approachable person and look forward to meeting you when you visit our home very soon!

Hello, my name is Kanita Oakey-Kierman and I have been part of the Administration Team here at Hickathrift House for the past 12 years.

I have worked at Hickathrift for over 27 years. During this time, I have been a Care Assistant and Senior Care Assistant - once I had my children, I changed to the Administration role which I really do enjoy.

I am here to ensure that our residents and their families are fully supported and it is a real pleasure to meet and greet all of the visitors and guests to our lovely home.

Having been at Hickathrift House for such a long time, I feel very attached to it and all of the home's community friends that have been made over the years too!

Hello, my name is Kat and I am the Activities Lead at Hickathrift House.

Since 2017, I have been working in the field of well-being and I am passionate and enthusiastic about enriching all of our residents' quality of life.

As the Activities Lead at Hickathrift House, my focus is learning about each of our resident's likes and dislikes and supporting them to remain receptive and active in addition to supporting them to engage with our local community friends.

I organise activities to stimulate the mind, body and soul in an enjoyable, comfortable way. My aim is to diversify and increase activities ensuring that there is something for everyone - from Wine and Cheese events, excursions on our home Mini Bus as well as individual bespoke person-centred activities.

Charley has been a much-valued member of the Hickathrift family since joining the home in 2024.

She loves to make our residents smile and takes so much enjoyment in helping them to share and enjoy new experiences.

Away from home, Charley loves to spend time with her friends and family and play Sudoku.

Millie started her volunteering role with us through college while completing her work experience hours. She's been an incredibly valuable addition to our activities team.

Millie will speak to everyone, sharing her amazing personality and bringing joy and laughter to all. She has developed beautiful relationships with each resident and staff member.

Millie loves being a part of the team just as much as we've loved having her.

Hello, my name is Gerry and I joined the team here at Hickathrift House in 2012.

I started as the Gardener and have always assisted with maintaining the home - becoming the Head of Maintenance here in 2022.

I am responsible for all aspects of our home maintenance and Health and Safety at Hickathrift House whilst ensuring our residents' home is just how they want them.

Kelly has been a part of the Hickathrift community since 2023 and is proud to be our homes' Head of Unit on Memory Lane.

She speaks warmly about how much she loves to make a difference to those living with dementia and their loved ones, how much she adores her role and how the home is like a family.

When Kelly is away from home, she loves to explore the great outdoors, going travelling, making precious memories with her family and watching horror films.

Hello, my name is Kerry Ann and I am I the Head of our Residential Community here at Hickathrift House.

I joined Hickathrift House in 2018 as a Senior Care Assistant and then became the Head of the community in 2020.

During my career, I have gained my NVQ 2 and 3 in Health and Social care for adults and firmly believe the care I give to our residents should be the same as if they were my own family.

I like to make myself approachable to all our staff, residents, and their families. There really is no place I would rather be and I love working alongside the team here at Hickathrift House.

Susan has been part of the Hickathrift family since 2022 and is part of our home's brilliant team of Care Assistants.

She speaks about the great team spirit in the home and how Hickathrift feels like a family.

Away from home, Susan loves to go on long coastal walks with her pet dog and catch up with her daughter, who lives in Australia.

Julie is a long-standing and much-valued member of the team, having been a part of the Hickathrift family since 2014.

She is incredibly passionate about making a positive difference in our residents' lives and often volunteers to join trips out.

Away from home, Julie loves to knit; this is a hobby and a passion she has transferred into the home, often joining in with the knitting activities taking place.

Lindsey joined the Hickathrift family in Spring 2026 as a Care Assistant. She considers it a privilege to work with seniors and believes that care is her true calling.

For Lindsey, making a difference means engaging in meaningful conversations and providing support to those who need it most. When she isn't at work, she cherishes spending precious time with her family.

Hello, my name is Barrie, I moved into Hickathrift House in 2021 and have a great relationship with the staff and residents here. I became the resident advocate for Hickathrift House in March 2022.

I like to help residents express their views and be a friendly ear when they need it. Should there be any areas of our life here that anyone would like to discuss or suggest, such as nutrition, activities or cleanliness, please contact me and I shall bring it to your attention at the next Residents' Meeting?

Hello, my name is Ann and I am the home Hairdresser here at Hickathrift House.

I am a fully qualified local hairdresser with years of experience in salon and mobile hairdressing.

I fully understand the varied needs of individual residents and know the importance of how the trip to the salon can make someone feel. Whether it is a Trim, Perm or Blow-Dry, I am in the home salon every Thursday and look very much forward to meeting you!