Oakland Care is celebrating a momentous milestone in the career of its longest serving team member.

Kitchen team leader at Woodland Grove in Loughton, Essex, Seri Muharem has become the first person at Oakland Care’s 10 care homes to serve for a decade.

Muharrem said: “I am immensely proud of my accomplishments and growth since joining Oakland Care. I began my journey as a care assistant, an experience that enriched me with lasting memories of the residents, their families and my colleagues. I am delighted to now be driving forward quality care and support through my role as kitchen team leader. This journey of navigating a successful and varied career path while being a young mother has been a testament to my determination and hard work, with the invaluable support of the rest of the team at Woodland Grove.

“Building on the success of the last decade, I look forward to continuing my career development at Oakland Care, including taking on more managerial responsibilities. With Oakland Care’s recognition as an ‘Investor in People’ and the supportive team environment, I am delighted to be surrounded by colleagues who will help me achieve this continued progression.”

Joanne Balmer, chief executive of Oakland Care, said: “Seri is a true professional and credit to the team both at the care home and Oakland Care as a whole. She always displays a can-do attitude and is committed to going above and beyond to ensure our residents receive the highest level of service and support every single day. I would like to thank her for her unwavering dedication and decade of service to Woodland Grove.

“This is a huge milestone and reflective of our efforts to maintain an industry-leading approach as an employer that is committed to internal growth and support. It has been a pleasure to be able to give wonderful people like Seri the opportunity to thrive in their career here at Oakland Care.”