A cafe at a west London hospital has undergone a name change to honor its dedicated manager, who has significantly contributed to creating a welcoming environment for patients, staff, and visitors over the past three decades.
Joe’s Café at Royal Brompton Hospital now recognizes Jose Paculan, affectionately known as Joe, who has been a part of the establishment for 31 years.
Nuno Matias, the catering services manager, stated that the renaming serves as „our way of saying thank you to Joe, and the whole cafe team.“ He emphasized, „They support our community and brighten the days of people who walk through our doors.“
Paculan expressed his feelings of being „privileged“ to have his name associated with the cafe and shared his pride in the team he leads.
„Our role is to ensure that patients and visitors have a comfortable and easy stay,“ he told BBC London. „The hardest part is seeing them cry. We let them get on with it and then we take it from there.“
Yolande Smuts-Gardener, the deputy catering manager, praised Paculan’s commitment, calling him „the heart and soul“ of the department. She remarked, „He embodies what it means to work for the NHS, and you can see he really cares.“
Originally from the Philippines, Paculan moved to the UK as a teenager. His journey in the NHS began at St Charles Hospital in Ladbroke Grove before he transitioned to Royal Brompton Hospital to manage the cafe.
„It’s not just a coffee shop. It’s a place where you can come and meet people, and maybe that will help you get through the problem,“ he explained. „It’s good; we’re a little family.“
He added, „Whatever you do in life, take pride in it. You do it with all your heart, and you’re happy to go home knowing you’ve earned it.“ Paculan expressed his desire to continue his work at the cafe for many more years.
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Bildquelle: Bildquelle: Ingo Doerrie auf Unsplash
