Carers set up base in Wooler

Posted by Jenny Pollock on Oct 17, 11 11:18 AM in Bloggers

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Five carers with more than 80 years experience between them have launched their own company so they can continue to look after elderly people in their own community.

"When the county council decided to outsource home care to private companies, we were told we'd no longer be guaranteed work in the same areas but we wanted to continue looking after our elderly clients," says Marie Purvis who, like the other women, trained under and worked for the local authority.

So the five carers pictured above, Carol Nesbit, Ishbel Little, Shirley Lockhart, Marie Purvis and Judith Stanwix, decided to set up their own company working in the Wooler and Glendale area.

"This way we can stay with the people who know us and we can offer a lot more services that we could under the council system," says Marie. "As well as the personal care - helping people get dressed and washed - we do housework, laundry, shopping, preparing meals and also taking people out for appointments or visits."

Their company, Cheviot Care, has been set up as a social enterprise which means the women take their salaries but any profits go back into developing the business and improving the service.

"Setting up a company was hard at first but we've had lots of people helping us. We were given grants from the county council's Social and Business Enterprise Hub and Wooler councillor Anthony Murray's community chest. The Glendale Gateway Trust have also been very supportive," says Marie.

"Because we're a social enterprise company our rates are very competitive - we can offer an hour's housework for £8 for example. Also we're all trained to NVQ levels two and three and have experience and training looking after people with disabilities and mental health problems as well as looking after the elderly and young people."

So far business has been good since the company started and they hope that eventually they will be able to recruit more local workers as the business grows.

Anyone who would like to find out more can contact Cheviot Care on 07979885807.

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