Finn Frank Oakley

While my employment career only spans over 4 years from my mid teens, I have always maintained a stoic attitude to work, sport and any kind of community participation. I was involved in scouting from the earliest opportunity and committed 9 years gaining almost all accolades available to me. This has taught me to be a practical person awarded the opportunity to attend 5 day residentials, cooking for a crowd and working as a team. An invaluable experience. In tandem, I represented my county in Squash after years of training - a solitary game but one of focus and commitment. I still play as an adult for Lymm squash club and enjoy the different generations of players.

My first job as paper boy for the whole area turned into the status of Key Worker during covid and became far more than just delivering the news to peoples homes. I was sometimes the only person an elderly person would talk to that day. The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme has been the most rewarding and while cut short due to Covid, I was taken completely by surprise when I was lucky enough to volunteer at a Residential Care Home as part of my 3 month qualifying module. I learnt very quickly to take on the atmosphere of effectively working in somebody's home. It wasn't enough to just provide hot drinks and clear away, you needed to understand each and every resident, their needs and their routines. I would read, listen and even sort out their phones and ipads. But mainly I hoped I provided a distraction without judgement. The second module involved cooking for the family every week for 3 months. I was turning out some good meals, shopping for ingredients and battling with an Aga!

Working at the Church Green just before my exams was quite an eye opener and staying calm in a stressful and fast moving environment was key. I learnt to take instructions from Head and Commi Chef and was lucky enough to be involved in food prep from de-bearding mussels to plating up desserts.

I recently gained my own work experience with the Environment Agency in Warrington, a large organisation with a busy schedule. I was lucky enough to assist one of the officers in their daily routine of inspecting food processing plants and monitoring essential flood defences. It was a good insight into customer/client communication and what that involves in quite often, tricky situations.

It may appear that my natural route would be one of leave home, attend 3 years of university and then join the workforce. I do not want to do that. I am a people person. I am not driven by money but by opportunity closer to home in a community setting.

I would be most grateful if you would consider me for the job of Hospitality Assistant at the new Statham Manor in my home village of Lymm.