St Teresa's Hospice, Darlington is seeking a cook to join the Catering team, providing catering services to our inpatients, employees and visitors. This post is a fixed-term role to cover absence.
The successful candidate will possess a passion and enthusiasm for food with a highly flexible approach to preparing and serving meals to our patients in our inpatient unit ensuring that their dietary needs and preferences are catered for wherever possible.
Location: St Teresa's Hospice, The Woodlands, Woodland Road, Darlington, DL3 7UA
Hours: 21.5 per week
Shift pattern: Friday 1:30pm to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 6pm.
Fixed Term Contract Duration: 6 months
St Teresa's Hospice Band 3: WTE £24,049.00 per annum (pro rata to hours contracted). Actual Salary £13,788.09
Important application info: Successful applicants are required to provide a standard disclosure. Disclosure expense will be met by St Teresa's Hospice. All posts are subject to a six-month probationary period.
The closing date for this job is: 19 September 2025 or as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Please apply as soon as possible to be considered for this role.
Please be aware that we do not have a sponsor license and are therefore only able to appoint candidates who are eligible to work in the UK.
Main duties of the job:
We are a forward thinking, inclusive registered Charity with Inpatient, Outpatient and Hospice at Home services, providing care and support to palliative patients and their families in their own homes and at St Teresa's Hospice.
The Cook will work as an integrated member of the Hospice Establishment Team to provide high quality meals to guests, visitors and staff. Aspects of this work will include the preparation of meals from fresh ingredients, the management of stock, and working to a cleaning checklist.
Essential and desirable qualifications, skills and experience include:
Essential:
* Basic/Level 1 Food Hygiene Certificate
* Knowledge of Health & Safety standards in a kitchen environment
* Professional experience in a busy environment, preparing and cooking meals from fresh ingredients; preferably in a catering environment
* Ability to Listen to instructions and to information being passed on by personnel or service users
Desirable:
* Level 2 or higher qualification in catering or a relevant subject
* Intermediate/Level 2 or higher Food Hygiene Certificate
* Experience of catering within healthcare setting
* Understanding of special dietary requirements
For further details, please see the job description and person specification which is available from our website at
An induction and ongoing training will be provided.
About Us:
Join an organisation where we all work together for a shared charitable goal, based in beautiful grounds, with a community feel and an inclusive culture.
Benefits of working for St T's include:
* Training and development opportunities
* Generous company annual leave, sick pay, and maternity/paternity/adoption pay entitlements
* Continuation of existing NHS pension scheme at Band 5+, and other pension schemes available
* Opportunities to attend and participate in fun and exciting fundraising and awareness events
* Workforce events, including long service awards
* Employee Assistance Programme including free counselling/CBT
* Discounted complementary therapies including acupuncture & massage
* Onsite Bistro
* Free eye tests for computer users
* Hospice-based staff are eligible for free annual flu jabs
* Free will-writing service via Octopus Legacy
* Discounted local leisure centre membership and eligibility for Blue Light discount card
Please contact HR for further details.
St Teresa's Hospice complies with GDPR during the recruitment and selection process. For information on how we process your data, please see the NHS Jobs Privacy Notice and St Teresa's Hospice Recruitment Privacy Notice.
St Teresa's Hospice is a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to employing and retaining disabled people, and we encourage applications from all sectors of the community.
To apply:
You can download the application form at:
Please submit your completed application form via post or by hand to HR Dept, St Teresa's Hospice, The Woodlands, Woodland Road, Darlington, DL3 7UA,or by email to
For more information about the role, please contact the HR Office on
Job Types: Part-time, Fixed term contract
Pay: £13,788.09 per year
Benefits:
* Bereavement leave
* Canteen
* Company events
* Company pension
* Enhanced maternity leave
* Enhanced paternity leave
* Free parking
* Health & wellbeing programme
* On-site parking
* Sick pay
Work Location: In person