We have all experienced the mystery of the missing socks but thanks to the ingenuity of Dawn Windle, that’s not something residents at Linson Court have anything to worry about.
Dawn’s work as a Laundry Assistant brings her up close and personal to socks, other clothes, bedding and pretty much anything else which can be put into the industrial washing machines and dryers in the home.
With so much laundry to get through, there’s always the possibility of something going AWOL, especially the smaller items like socks, but not on Dawn’s watch.
She explains: “I always make sure I introduce myself to residents and families when they first come to the home and ask them to mark their clothing with their names so it’s easier to return once everything has been washed and dried.
“Socks are often one item which don’t get marked so I take them home with me and sew a tiny colour into them which I can match to the colour I have allocated to each resident in the laundry room.
“This means we very rarely lose anything, although we still do find items like glasses and false teeth which end up in the washing. These items are generally easier to reunite with their owners though!”
Dawn came to Linson Court in 2011, making her one of our longest serving members of staff.
She started on the domestic team before switching to laundry.
Her working day starts at 6am and ends at 2pm and during that time it’s non-stop.
Dawn adds: “We have separate baskets for clothing, sheets & towels and then anything which requires an extremely hot wash as part of infection control.
“This means the washing machines are on the go 24-7 and we then dry, iron or press everything so it can be returned the same day,
“It’s never-ending but I love working here and I particularly enjoy the interaction with the residents.”
Outside of work, mum-of-two Dawn enjoys spending time with her husband and four grandchildren and going on holiday.
