Barchester Peony Court Care Home

Hello! My name is Sandra Roche and I'm the general manager here at Peony Court. Welcome to our website!

I am a social worker by profession and passionate about upholding the rights of older people. I have 30 years of experience in social care across a wide variety of settings. I first became a registered manager in 2001 and led a demolition and rebuild project for a not-for-profit provider whilst achieving the top rating of Excellent at that time. I returned to statutory social work leadership in 2010 and progressed up the ranks to Acting Assistant Director of Adult Social Care responsible for all adults in the borough and a budget of over £40 million. After nearly 2 years in that role I realized I was losing contact with older people and their families, the reason why I came into social care in the first place and made the decision to return to the front line.

Since joining Barchester to open Peony Court I have relished making a daily difference in the lives of our residents and their families and building a high-performing team from the get-go. We are thrilled to have won a CHUK Top 20 In London Award 2 years in succession. Our ambition here at Peony Court is to be Outstanding and we do this by placing our residents at the heart of everything we do, and by empowering them to lead their own lives, individually and as a community. We are a small home which makes for a genuine family atmosphere; I know all my residents, their children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, neighbours, friends and family pets, as do all the team. We care for our families as much as our residents and value them as partners in care.

Whether you are looking for respite care or a more permanent home from home for your loved one you are assured of the warmest of welcomes, a luxury city boutique hotel environment and bespoke, personalised, loving care from the highly motivated and friendly team at Peony Court.

My journey in healthcare began as a dentist in India, where I developed a strong foundation in patient care and a passion for making a difference in people’s lives. Driven by my interest in leadership and management, I moved to the UK to pursue a Master’s degree in Healthcare Management at the University of Kent. During my studies, I worked as a part-time care staff member and later as a senior care staff member, where I discovered the profound impact I could make in improving the quality of life for residents.

The relationships I built and the positive changes I witnessed inspired me to continue growing within the care sector. In 2023, I began my professional journey as a Deputy Manager, combining my clinical background, academic training, and hands-on experience to deliver compassionate, person-centred care and effective team leadership. I am deeply committed to continuous progression and dedicated to creating an environment where residents feel valued, safe, and supported—while also empowering staff to achieve excellence in care.

Hi! I'm Paul, the Activities Co-Ordinator at Peony Court.
Before I joined the care sector I worked for many years in the hotel industry, managing housekeeping, hospitality and customer experience. Several members of my family have a history of working in care and I thought, maybe that could be me as well. I'm a natural entertainer with a flare for bringing smiles to people's faces and this was absolutely the right move for me. Here at Peony Court, I make a point of getting to know each and every resident and their families. I tailor the activities program to suit individuals, no one is the same and everyone has different interests. It's my aim to be empathetic, enthusiastic and engaging with all of my residents. We have incredible activities and events here guided by exactly what our residents want, from pampering sessions to singing and dancing, chair exercises to arts and crafts, and diversity is absolutely key! I can't wait to welcome more residents and guests to Peony Court!

Hi! I'm Jill, your friendly admin assistant. I'm the first person you'll be greeted by at Peony Court and I'll even make you a cup of tea! You might even catch me singing along to the radio. I worked in the city as a legal assistant for over 25 years before we were hit by the pandemic and was then made redundant. My own mum had been unwell for a while and I thought, what better way to 'give back' than to look at the care industry here I am. This career move has been a massive awakening for me, it's a completely different environment in a sector that really matters! The team here at Peony Court are great and works as a team, we never say it's not my job, everyone supports each other, and it's a fab place to work!

Hi! I'm Chris, the head chef here at Peony Court.

I've worked in the catering business for well over 40 years and love what I do. Cooking isn't just a job for me it's my passion, I cook at work, at home, wherever and whenever I can! My favourite thing to cook with is Chicken, boring I know but it's so incredibly versatile, with the exception of puddings you can make pretty much anything with a chicken! I decided to move into the care industry because I find it so much more rewarding than restaurants, theatres and such. I get to engage with the residents, find out what they want and work to make it happen. I am so happy to be a member of the Peony Court Team, I've been made to feel welcome and supported, it's more like family than a workplace, something I've never experienced in my 40-plus-year career!

Hello! I'm Nick, Head of Maintenance here at Peony Court.

Before joining the care sector I qualified and worked many years as an architect, designing and planning the building of houses, retail establishments, office blocks and some of the biggest purpose-built care homes and retired living complexes in Europe!

I made the move into the care sector because I wanted to work directly with the people, I get a buzz every single day knowing I can make a real difference to my team and my residents. It's incredibly rewarding and makes the hard work absolutely worthwhile.

Hello! I'm Donna, a Senior Care Assistant here at Peony Court.

This is my 10th year working in care, I've worked in various areas of the care industry including mental health, learning difficulties and the elderly. I chose care because it is rewarding on so many different levels, you can make a real difference in someone's life with even a simple positive action and I get to do that every day. In my role as a Senior Carer, I try to be open and I listen to our resident's individual needs and wishes to ensure they get the utmost in person-centred care, something we absolutely strive for here at Peony Court. I'm also our Well Being Champion, which means I help colleagues tap into the range of employee support services that Barchester offer.

Peony Court is not like any other home, the team is more like family than work colleagues and if someone is having a bad day we lift each other up!

Hi! I'm Lee, Senior Care Assistant at Peony Court
I spent nearly 15 years defending personal injury claims for insurers across Europe before being made redundant in 2019. I'd worked in care before starting my insurance career and at a time of great need it seemed the perfect opportunity to return to the sector and ‘give back’. I joined Peony Court when it opened, working as a senior carer, a position I am hugely proud of. I have, from the beginning played an active role in ensuring the smooth running of Peony Court, working as a senior carer, acting as 2nd chef in the kitchen, supporting the activities team with events and helping with Sales and Marketing. I also bake most of the birthday cakes here at home and drive the minibus. In fact, there's not a lot I won't have a go at. My goal, together with my team is to ensure that Peony Court is a highly sought-after care home, where the reputation speaks for itself - Second to none care, an undisputable life enrichment program, a valued team and residents who can call Peony Court home.

I gained my BTEC Level 2 and 3 in Health and Social care at College, and have worked in a variety of care settings prior to the birth of my daughter. I joined Peony Court as a member of the Housekeeping team and was excited to be promoted to Senior Care in April 2023. I'm also the Home's Speak Up Champion, which means staff can come to me for support and advice about any niggles they have in the workplace. My great pleasure is time spent talking with our residents, getting to know them as people, and the families as well. It's not just about the physical side of caring, it's the relationships we make that are so rewarding.

Hi!
I'm Shabz, and I've been with the team since we opened the home in 2021. My role as a night senior carer is very rewarding, I've previously worked in hospitals as a health care assistant, but working in a care home allows you to build long-term genuine relationships with the residents.

Once I've completed the medication round I like nothing better than having a cup of tea and a chat with whoever is up. If people have nightmares or just want a glass of water or a hug, it's great to be there for them. I'm a carer 'in real life' as well, for my Mum, and I pride myself on making all the residents feel as loved as my own Mum.

I'm Katie and I've been with the team since the home opened in September 2021. I hadn't worked in a care home before but had been a private home carer for a lady living with dementia. When she went into a care home I needed a job and applied to Peony Court. I got into care after needing care myself, when I suffered a stroke. I understand how the residents feel and the frustration they can experience when their bodies don't do what they tell them to! I'm one of the Dementia champions here, while we don't have a 'Memory Lane' wing here at Peony we do have some residents with age-related memory difficulties and it's our job to make sure their specific needs and preferences are understood by the whole team. I also liaise with families to make sure we have a rich life history of their relative which helps to truly personalise the care and activities of the individual.

Hello! I'm Missy the house cat.
I was born in 2012 and was rescued from Battersea Dogs & Cats home by a wonderful lady, I had many happy years with her before she sadly passed away so I was on the hunt for a new family and was lucky enough to stumble on Peony Court! I moved in here in 2021 and I'm so happy! I like nothing better than curling up on a chair in the warm and cosy lounge and no one needs to worry about mice, there'll be no pests in my house! I love my hoooman family at Peony Court, they are puurrrfect!

My journey in healthcare began as a dentist in India, where I developed a strong foundation in patient care and a passion for making a difference in people’s lives. Driven by my interest in leadership and management, I moved to the UK to pursue a Master’s degree in Healthcare Management at the University of Kent. During my studies, I worked as a part-time care staff member and later as a senior care staff member, where I discovered the profound impact I could make in improving the quality of life for residents.

The relationships I built and the positive changes I witnessed inspired me to continue growing within the care sector. In 2023, I began my professional journey as a Deputy Manager, combining my clinical background, academic training, and hands-on experience to deliver compassionate, person-centred care and effective team leadership. I am deeply committed to continuous progression and dedicated to creating an environment where residents feel valued, safe, and supported—while also empowering staff to achieve excellence in care.