Welcome to our latest round-up of what’s been happening over the past few months here at Continued Care. If you have any questions, need support or would like to discuss something with us, please call our office on 01423 871 003 for Harrogate and Knaresborough, or 01765 699 086 for Ripon and Thirsk.
Great British Care Awards
We begin our newsletter by saying how proud we are of reviewing officer Kristina Carr and care assessor Nichola Noble who represented Continued Care at the national finals of the Great British Care Awards in March.
They had gone through to the UK finals after winning their categories at regional level, Kristina for the Dignity in Care Award and Nichola for the Care Assessor / Planner Award. A huge well done to both of them for reaching the national finals, and congratulations to Nichola who came in second and was highly commended.
Welcome
We are delighted to welcome some new carers to our wonderful team. Pictured from top left are Eugenia, Sarah, Christine and Uloma, who have joined the Harrogate staff team, and Allgar and Ade, who are the newest Ripon care staff members.
We would also like to warmly welcome Donna, who has returned to Continued Care, and Tinashe and Charles, who are currently in their shadowing stages.
Charity of the Year
At Continued Care we are committed to supporting local charities and organisations, including our Charity of the Year, Alzheimer’s Society. We also encourage our staff to take part in fundraising efforts and get involved in activities that benefit others.
This year, some of our team members are going above and beyond to raise funds for various causes. Among them are:
Assistant director Mike Herrington is aiming to reach an ambitious goal of completing one million steps in 2025 through a series of walks in aid of various charities. These include Ben Nevis in May, the Yorkshire Three Peaks on July 12th, the Tough Mudder on July 29th and the Help for Heroes walk in Sedbergh on August 2nd. He has also planned two fishing matches, on June 5th and around October.
Care services manager and wellbeing facilitator Mónica Tavares will be taking on two major 26-mile challenges, the Mighty Hike for Cancer Research UK on June 28th and the Trek26 Challenge for Alzheimer’s Society on July 12th.
Reviewing officer Kristina Carr will participate in the Great North Run, a 13-mile event on September 7th that spans from Newcastle to South Shields. She’s fundraising for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.
And care assistant Danielle Thompson will be walking the Trek26 Northumberland Coast Challenge on May 24th and also taking on the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge on July 12th, both in aid of Alzheimer’s Society.
If you would like to make a donation to support any of our staff members with their fundraising, please get in touch on 01423 871 003.
Carers of the Month
Our Carers of the Month for 2025 so far are (pictured from left):
January – Naveen; February – Anne; March – Maria.
Congratulations to Naveen, Anne and Maria, and thank you to every member of our team for their hard work and dedication to supporting people in our community with kindness and compassion every day.
If you would like to nominate someone as Carer of the Month, please call Monica on 01423 871 003.
Fantastic reviews on Home Care website
We’re thrilled to have a fantastic review score of 9.7 out of 10 on the Home Care website! This was calculated from 43 reviews and we are grateful to everyone who has left such lovely feedback.
If you would like to leave a review of our service, please visit the Home Care website and search for ‘Continued Care from Oakville Ltd’.
You can also read some of lovely comments from people who use our services and their families on our testimonials page.
Social Day Clubs
Join us for a chat and meet new people within a safe and friendly environment at our social day clubs!
Activities include arts and crafts, gardening, baking, quizzes and gentle exercises. We can also offer a hair wash and cut as part of the service, as Michelle who helps run the club is a trained hairdresser. The clubs also include a hot lunch and packed tea to take home.
The clubs are at our Harrogate office on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10am to 3pm. They are open to all adults, including family / friend carers. Transport there and back can be arranged free of charge. Funding towards regular attendance may be available. If you, or someone you know, would like a free taster session, please call us on 01423 871 003.
Birdie app
If you haven’t downloaded the Birdie app yet, what are you waiting for! It is a great way for you and your approved family and friends to view information about the care you are receiving, and to stay up to date with your visits and how you are being cared for. Why not give it a go?
You can read more about the Birdie app in our blog about how it helps give families peace of mind about their loved one’s care.
Congratulations Helen
Congratulations to our associate director, Helen Walker, who was named 2025 ladies’ president of the Yorkshire Bowling Association. Helen was nominated by Thirsk Bowling Club and said it was a great honour to be president and it was something she had always wanted to do.
Helen has been playing bowls for 50 years and has competed at both county and national level. She has been an English selector and has mentored many young bowlers who have gone on to represent their country.
Helen also volunteers with Learning Disabilities Indoor Bowls and was their England flag bearer at last year’s International Series which you can read about here.
Care Friends app
Did you know there is an app that you can use to give recognition and reward to members of our team who have been particularly kind or supportive to you?
Care Friends gives carers points for undertaking and completing training, good performance, positive feedback from service users, and success in their qualifications. The points are then turned into a cash bonus every month.
Please let us know if there is anyone you would like to recognise in this way for their amazing work. You can also nominate a Carer of the Month through the app.
