Celebration as care firm moves offices

THE official opening of the new offices of Caremark by the Mayor Councillor Shadab Qumer pictured with directors Stephanie Doherty (front, second left) and Helan Graham (front, fifth left)

AN award-winning care firm celebrated its move to bigger offices with an official opening by the Mayor of Oldham and the chief executive of a national franchise.

Caremark Oldham has moved to County End Business Centre in Lees from its previous site on nearby Stamford Street.

The business provides care and companionship services to adults and children, and currently has 50 employees.

It is a franchise and was established in 2011 by Stephanie Doherty and Helan Graham, who had previously worked together and pooled their redundancy money to help found their new business.

They welcomed the Mayor of Oldham, Councillor Shadab Qumer, and Kevin Lewis, national chief executive of Caremark, to the new premises, where they met staff and enjoyed a barbecue.

Mrs Doherty said: "We needed to find bigger premises to accommodate our increasing numbers of staff and visitors, and to allow for future growth.

"The new office at County End Business Centre is a nice environment and facilities include a training room that can also be used for community meetings. We also have car parking spaces outside the office, which is another benefit for staff and visitors."

Caremark Oldham operates a range of care, support and companionship services, ranging from domiciliary and elderly care, and helping with social or shopping trips, and supporting youngsters.

It has also has been highlighting issues including dementia, memory loss and Alzheimer's Disease. It recently held an open house for people with these conditions along with carers, family and friends to find out more about support services.

The franchise has won two Oldham Business Awards and has a number of accreditations for its services and for being a good employer. It also supports the Get Oldham Working campaign.

Caremark Oldham recruits men and women, young and old, who typically work in patches near their home. It offers full and part-time opportunities, which it says suit partly retired people, or younger people with children and family commitments.

However is has also highlighted challenges faced by the care industry in recruiting staff.

Earlier this year, Mrs Doherty and Mrs Graham said recruitment was being hampered by factors including the public's lack of awareness about the range of careers in the care sector.