Catering Counter Assistant
The Watercress Line is a living museum. Its visitors gain many opportunities to experience and learn about the role played by railways and steam power in the development of the communities, industry and commerce in the Alresford to Alton area of the Hampshire countryside while also enjoying a range of heritage, family and enthusiast events throughout the year … while also enjoying the ultimate family day out! The Watercress Line’s volunteers are its backbone.
They work alongside a small number of specialist employed staff to:
1. manage and operate the railway, and to develop these professional skills
2. deliver all the commercial activities and visitor events including education and museum
3. restore and preserve the heritage rolling stock, structures, equipment, archives and artefacts.
Role Title: | Catering Counter Assistant |
|---|---|
Location: | Catering outlets (various at WCL stations and on-board WCL trains):
viz. “West Country Buffet” at Alresford, “T-Junction” at Ropley, “RMB” buffet counters on trains and “Mid-Week Catering” services on-trains |
Time Agreed: | 10.30-17.00, on all the days that train services run (weekdays and weekends incl BankHols)
Volunteers please attend regularly: we expect at least twice a month. |
Purpose and Business Objective: | To be a positive face of the Railway and promote secondary spending. |
Tasks to include: | • Serving customers – at the counter, taking and preparing orders
• ‘Running food’: delivering/presenting food orders to table, clearing/cleaning tables, and washing up
• Making hot drinks
• Taking payments: contactless, cards and cash, and cashing-up
• Performing food handling best practice
• Replenishing stock & performing stock date rotation
• Assisting with customer enquiries/questions
• Feeding back customer comments/feedback to line manager
• Wearing uniform/clothing as set out by department leader
• Attend and pass any training that may be appropriate |
Training Opportunities:
– competences to gain
(FOC to volunteer) | Previous or current catering/retail experience is welcome but not required.
The following training courses are provided:
• Level 2 Food Hygiene Course for Catering
• Level 2 Food Allergy Awareness Training
• Customer Service & Hosting skills
• Induction to Catering Counter Work (Cash Handling & Use of EPOS Tills) (parts of this course may also be same as Retailing team’s “WCL EPOS” modules)
• Manual Handling in the Workplace
• Emergency First-Aid At Work
ALL TRAINING as above to be delivered to ALL new volunteers by end Dec’2025. |
Reporting to: | Catering Manager (Kelly Ford, at March 2025) or relevant Catering Supervisor |
A volunteer in this role cannot: | • Go trackside
• Cook without training & appropriate certification |
A volunteer in this role should avoid: | • Performing outside tasks (unrelated to WCL) while on duty i.e. distractions
• Lifting heavy boxes without assistance |
A volunteer in this role ideally:
(is/has/can …) | • People focused
• Content and willing to work with food – fresh ingredients, cooked & scrap
• Comfortable with lone working
• Trustworthy
• Confident with money handling
• Willing to learn computer till system (EPOS) |
Please note:
- All volunteers must sign in at the start of and sign-out at the end of their role’s rostered periods.
- Volunteers must read and abide by the conduct guidance set out in the WCL Volunteer Handbook.
- Where specific departmental health and safety rules apply it is the volunteer’s responsibility to maintain awareness and to operate by those rules at all times when on site.
- Certifications and Qualifications required in specific roles must be current and complete.
