STAFF and residents at Austen House care home in Lower Earley, Reading are celebrating.
Their managing director, Natasha Lazovic, from Barchester’s South Division, has stepped completely out of her comfort zone to compete in the Barchester Charitable Foundation Cook Off 2024.
Natasha went head to head with the managing directors from Barchester’s four other divisions and cooked up a storm to help raise £24,595 for Barchester’s Charitable Foundation.
The organisation helps connect vulnerable people and those living with a disability to community groups in their local area by providing grants to improve mobility and quality of life.
Each year the Foundation distributes thousands of pounds to individuals, small community groups and charities across England, Scotland and Wales.
In 2023 the Foundation achieved a donation milestone of £225,000 which enabled them to support 160 small groups and charities, and 87 individuals in one year alone.
Natasha’s Cook Off dishes were; roast chicken breast with smoked bacon mash and a wild mushroom veloute sauce, and sticky date and ginger sponge with caramel sauce.
Both were very well received by the judging panel – members of Barchester’s executive team.
She was pipped at the post but highly commended by the judges and her division raised the most amount of money for the foundation, £11,595.
General manager of Austen House care home, Arturas Repkovas, said: “We are all so proud of Natasha for taking part in this challenge, she really is amazing.
“Is there nothing she can’t do?
“Her dishes looked absolutely fantastic and she raised so much for the foundation – we think she is an absolute super star.”
For information, visit: www.barchester.com
