August 2026
Issue No: 2
making every day matter
Inspiring stories from NCF’s not-for-profit members
editor’s welcome I’m Tamia Nelson and I’m the Marketing & Communications Assistant at NCF. I’d like to welcome you to the second issue of Making Every Day Matter, our new members’ magazine. Thank you to our wonderful members for submitting your stories, we’ve truly enjoyed highlighting the incredible moments happening across our membership each and every day! In each issue we will feature your amazing stories and achievements and amplify the work of the fantastic care teams, managers and volunteers delivering the highest quality not-for-profit care and support across the NCF membership. In these pages NCF will shine a light on the wonderful ways that adult social care and support is making every day matter for the people you support and how members are raising awareness for the vital role not-for-profit care plays throughout our communities. I love receiving your wonderful stories and vibrant images and bringing them to life in this new magazine. Please share this far and wide across your care and support teams and don’t forget to register to our exciting new Managers Network designed to support the wonderful existing and aspiring managers across our membership. Sit back, relax and enjoy the inspiring stories across our membership this month!
Tamia
In this month’s issue:
Daniel Carmel-Brown, Jewish Care’s CEO, reflects on Prime Minister’s visit Celebrating Kevin’s first year of employment with New Outlook Making Space secures funding to help build financial resilience for unpaid carers
Daniel Carmel-Brown, Jewish Care’s CEO, reflects on Prime Minister’s visit Jewish Care were honoured to welcome the newly appointed Prime Minister, Andy Burnham to their Otto Schiff care home in Golders Green, London. During his visit, the Prime Minister addressed an audience of stakeholders, set out his vision for the future of adult social care and took time to visit residents and staff. Daniel Carmel-Brown, Chief Executive Officer at Jewish Care, has reflected on the “Few issues are more important to the wellbeing significance of the visit and said: of our society than ensuring that older people and those who need care can live with dignity, security and support. Yet for many years social care has remained one of the great unresolved challenges facing our country. Successive governments have recognised the need for reform and many have pledged to address it, but meaningful and lasting change has proved elusive. Social care has suffered for too long from being everybody’s priority in principle, but nobody’s priority in practice.” “The Prime Minister spoke powerfully about the contribution of care workers and the vital role they play in supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Greater recognition of the social care workforce must be central to any successful programme of reform. Their skill, compassion and dedication are the Read more here or scan the foundation upon which the entire care QR code. system rests.”
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Harry and Nick’s Mencap journey Harry who is 62 has a learning disability and lives independently in Mencap supported living where he is supported by three support workers, including Nick (pictured here with Harry), who has been alongside him for 13 years. Together, they have worked through significant life challenges, and celebrated remarkable achievements, including Harry losing more than five stone and becoming far more active and confident. Read more here or scan the QR code.
“I just feel great about my health, thanks to Nick and everybody else – they’ve been like a rock to me, especially Nick because he has been motivating me.” Harry, Mencap supported living resident
“The most rewarding thing about being a support worker is seeing Harry thrive.” Nick, Mencap support worker
Sanctuary Supported Living achieves Investors in People Platinum accredition Sanctuary Supported Living, a national provider of housing, support and care services, has achieved Investors in People (IIP) Platinum accreditation, the highest level awarded by the internationally recognised people management standard.
“The report recognised that we’re an organisation where colleagues feel empowered to contribute, encouraged to continuously improve and supported to reach their potential. In a sector that relies on people making a difference every day, that’s something we’re incredibly proud of.”
Dave Shaw, Director
Read more here or scan the QR code.
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Achieved by just 7% of accredited organisations worldwide, the Platinum accreditation reflects the progress Sanctuary Supported Living has made in building a high-performing, values-led culture. The assessment found that 95% of colleagues said their role enables them to work well with others, 91% reported having opportunities to learn at work and 84% described Sanctuary Supported Living as a great place to work. In its report, Investors in People said the organisation “truly enables people to perform at their best”.
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Glorious garden party marks completion of flood protection works at care home Pilgrims’ Friend Society’s Bridgemead care home in Bath has celebrated the completion of a £1.4 million flood protection project designed to safeguard residents and staff from future flooding.
We took on Bridgemead knowing investment was needed to keep those who live and work there safe. I’m delighted that the works are now complete and the future of the home is secure Stephen Hammersley CEO, Pilgrims’ Friend Society
The works, which began in April 2025, included a new wrap-around glass screen and an extended flood defence wall. To mark the project's completion and the reopening of the home's garden, residents, staff and guests gathered for a garden party at the home.
Read more here or scan the QR code.
Second ‘outstanding’ rating for St Monica Trust’s care home Charterhouse Care Home in Keynsham, which is run by St Monica Trust was rated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as ‘outstanding’ following an unannounced inspection in April this year. This is the second St Monica Trust care home to be rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC. In awarding their ‘outstanding’ rating, CQC inspectors observed that residents and relatives spoke highly “of the caring culture and responsiveness of staff,” and that relatives highlighted the “strong communication and support from management, especially during transitions into care, which helped ease what could be a distressing experience.”
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Read more here or scan the QR code.
Celebrating Kevin’s First Year in Employment with New Outlook A year ago, New Outlook launched a new initiative aimed at creating meaningful paid employment opportunities for the people they support. They had a simple idea: if they truly believe in inclusion, independence and opportunity, they should actively create pathways for people with disabilities to become part of their workforce. July marked an important milestone for New Outlook colleague Kevin, as he celebrated one year of paid employment with the organisation. Through recognising the barriers faced in the traditional recruitment process, New Outlook introduced accessible job applications, supportive interviews and adjustments. One year on, Kevin has shown what is possible when the right opportunity and support is given.
Read more here or scan the QR code.
Making Space secures funding to help build financial resilience for unpaid carers National social care charity Making Space has secured more than £10,000 to help unpaid carers facing financial hardship, as funding increasingly shifts from responding to immediate cost-of-living pressures towards building longerterm financial resilience. The funding will provide vital practical assistance to carers struggling with essential household costs, while also helping Read more here or scan the them access advice and support that could reduce the QR code. likelihood of reaching financial crisis in the future.
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Brandon Trust signs lease with South Gloucestershire council to run Grimsbury farm Brandon Trust has signed a lease agreement with South Gloucestershire Council for the Trust to take on the running of Grimsbury Farm from August 2026, securing the future of this much-valued community asset. Grimsbury Farm remains an important open space, supporting community wellbeing and education and providing a welcoming place for people to enjoy and connect with nature. The agreement, which will see the facility continue to operate as a farm, follows a thorough process to explore sustainable options for the farm’s longterm future.
Read more here or scan the QR code.
“Grimsbury Farm is a much-loved part of the local community, and we are proud that South Gloucestershire Council has entrusted Brandon Trust with its future. We know how much this special place means to local people, and our commitment is to protect what makes the farm so valued while creating even more opportunities for people to enjoy it. Helen England CEO, Brandon Trust
Brendoncare’s Knightwood home named in Lottie’s Top 100 Care Homes for 2026 BrendonCare Knightwood care home in Chandler’s Ford has been named a winner in the Lottie Awards 2026, recognising its commitment to delivering outstanding care for its residents. This prestigious achievement places Brendoncare Knightwood among the 100 highest-performing care homes across England, Scotland and Wales, following a rigorous assessment process conducted by Lottie, one of the UK’s leading care-finding platforms. This award recognises the BrendonCare Knightwood team’s hard work, compassion and professionalism.
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Read more here or scan the QR code.
Sanctuary Care nurse Faith receives national nursing accolade A proud nurse from a Sanctuary Care home in Colne is over the moon after receiving a prestigious national nursing accolade. Faith Adetula, who has been a nurse at Peel Gardens Residential and Nursing Home for five years, was delighted to receive the Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care Silver Award, for her achievements in professional development. Supported by Sanctuary Care, earlier this year Faith became the not-for-profit provider’s first registered nursing home nurse to become a Non-Medical Prescriber.
Read more here or scan the QR code.
BrunelCare’s Glastonbury home achieves TwoStar Gold Accreditation for dementia care BrunelCare’s Glastonbury care home is celebrating a major milestone after achieving Two Star Gold Accreditation with the National Dementia Care Accreditation Scheme (NaDCAS). The home achieved an impressive overall score of 85% and recognising the team’s continued commitment to providing high-quality, personcentred dementia care. The home achieved an outstanding 96% for its Enabling Read more here or Environment, demonstrating the team’s success in creating scan the a welcoming, accessible and dementia-friendly QR code. environment and scored 90% for Information About the Person demonstrating the team’s success in creating a welcoming, accessible and dementia-friendly environment.
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Thank you for reading this issue of Making Every Day Matter. We hope that you’ve enjoyed the inspiring stories from our not-for-profit members as much as we enjoyed bringing them together. If you have a story that you’d like to feature in a future issue, please get in touch with tamia.nelson@nationalcareforum.org.uk. Please share this far and wide across your teams and tag us in your social media platforms - @NationalCareForum. And finally, thank you for all you do to make every day matter!
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