Meet the Team - Donna, Area Catering Manager

This week we spoke to Donna, one of our Area Catering Managers for Schools - talking about the impact of the pandemic and how their role has changed as a result. Donna plays a vital role in ensuring our services keep running, delivering 'Food For Life' nutritious hot meals for school children across Southampton.

How has your role changed during the Covid pandemic?

My role hasn’t changed too much, but there have been a lot of new challenges to navigate. Our teams are obviously dealing with many different things in their jobs, as well as in their day to day lives –as we all are. Due to Covid, we have been less able to get out and about to teams to give face-to-face support – which has been quite different, as we would normally be seeing the teams regularly.

One of the biggest challenges has been juggling the impact of self-isolation due to Covid, when teams or their families have had to stay at home following Government guidelines. We still have to make sure pupils remain properly fed.

What’s the most fulfilling thing about your role, and the hardest part?

Fulfilling; The fact that we still make sure each child is fed. That’s always our priority. And helping to keep the kitchen team’s morale up, through what has been a really challenging year at times. As Area Managers, we are there to support them all, from Catering Assistant to Head of Kitchen. As with any role, we don’t always know the right answers immediately, particularly when guidelines have changed last minute, but we work hard to make sure people feel confident and comfortable with the changes and the environment. We are mentors for our teams and have a duty of care to make sure they are okay.

When I can and it’s safe to do so, I spend as much time as possible in the kitchens, so our people know that we are on the frontlines of it all, with them.

Why should people support us?

I’m proud of us as a Charity; despite the pandemic, we are still providing our service and no matter what has happened, we have continued serving. The schools have appreciated how efficient we have been and have given us a lot of positive feedback, which really makes our day! For example, following the recent challenges of the Free School Meal boxes in the news, our schools had so much praise for what we provide to families - I think that’s what keeps us going when customers are there to say that we are doing a great job.

What has it been like working for City Catering this year?

No matter what pressures we have been under we still pull through together and I know I can pick up the phone to any of my colleagues, whether that is HR or one of the other Area Managers - I can pick up the phone, have a chat and we are all very supportive of each other. Rachel, our CEO, has been amazing and offered support and has kept in contact throughout.