Residents, relatives and friends joined Black Swan’s founding directors at Nightingale Lodge in Hunstanton, West Norfolk for an afternoon tea party to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the purchase of the home.
Thirty years ago, three friends and business colleagues fulfilled a dream. On Saturday 22nd June 1994, Black Swan Care Group purchased its first care home – Nightingale Lodge on Austin Street in Hunstanton, West Norfolk, just a few miles from the Royal Estate in Sandringham.
Since then, the Group has grown across East Anglia, now managing an estate of 22 care homes. There are 10 care homes in Norfolk, 7 in Essex, 3 in South Cambridgeshire, 1 in Suffolk and 1 in Lincolnshire.
18 of the care homes support older people including homes specifically for people living with a dementia. Four homes support adults with physical or learning disabilities, including autism. In total, over 700 people are supported in the homes.
3 of Black Swan’s 22 care homes are rated as Outstanding with the Care Quality Commission, with the other 19 rated as Good, many with outstanding elements in their overall rating.
History of the Group
Black Swan Care Group itself was founded in 1991. The company started as a Business Consultancy for the care sector, primarily instructed to give advice to UK Banks. The first care home purchase was made on 22nd June 1994. In the intervening years, it has acquired 21 more care homes across East Anglia. Most recently the Group purchased Thomas Tawell House in Norwich and Beccles care home in North Suffolk.
The company has earned a strong reputation for its turnaround service – taking on poorly performing care homes and turning them into thriving businesses at the heart of local communities. The company’s dedicated specialist team, including ex-CQC inspectors, brings together a multitude of experience, expertise and contacts who are deployed to deliver good outcomes.
Dedicated and high-quality staff
Black Swan Care Group employs over 900 dedicated staff in a wide variety of roles from care teams, maintenance teams, catering and activities teams and domestic teams – all of whom are supported by a valuable, rewarding employment package. The Group supports the Real Living Wage of £12 per hour for all employees, with over 55% of staff being paid in excess of this amount.
As well as this commitment, staff have an excellent employment package including paid breaks a, a fully paid induction and training programme, ongoing mandatory and specialised training, internal promotion opportunities and excellent apprenticeship schemes.
Additional benefits include paid DBS checks, access to the Blue Light Card discount scheme, a Refer a Friend scheme, access to wages throughout the month via a Wagestream scheme, plus a 24/7, 365 Employee Care line with confidential telephone counselling.
Founding director Brett Burton: “I’m so proud to be here celebrating our first care home purchase back in 1994. Nightingale House obviously has a significant part in our history, and to see how we’ve grown to become the Group of homes that we are across the East of England is quite humbling. Every one of our homes sits at the heart of its local community, with a great reputation, with dedicated, well-trained staff, providing the best, high-quality care service. Here’s to the next 30 years!”