Bluebird Care Team Brings Community Together for Tea Party

The tea party was the third event hosted by the care team to celebrate their tenth anniversary of serving the Lancaster and South Lakeland communities with their care services.

The day brought 40 people from around the community together to talk about the importance of good care at home. They were joined by local Councillor Gina Dowding, who enjoyed chatting to customers and their families over a cup of tea and some homemade cakes.

While they enjoyed the spread of delicious treats, the guests reflected on the importance of care in the community. People were asked to think about what good care looked and felt like to them, prompting a lively discussion and giving people who use care services the chance to share what matters most to them.

To help mark their ten-year milestone with the tea party, the Bluebird Care team also welcomed guests from across the community who support their mission to help everybody to have the information and support they need to live well as they age. Representatives from Lancashire County Council Adult Social Care team; a palliative nurse from St Johns Hospice; and a researcher in dementia care at Lancaster University all joined in the celebration and important discussion.

Bluebird Care Lancaster and South Lakeland first opened its doors in 2004, and since then has cared for an amazing 470 people across the area. They now provide a full range of care from a few hours of companionship through to live-in and complex care.

Mary Rose Lee and husband Geoff, who are local Bluebird Care customers, said:

“It isn’t easy for us to get out these days so it was lovely to come here and share our experiences with people willing to listen, as well as make new friends”. 

Councillor Gina Dowding, Lancashire County Council, said:

“It was great to attend Bluebird Care’s 10th anniversary event and witness a local business with a social purpose being sustained over a decade, providing quality care and employment for local people.

As I previously organised home care for my own parents over many years, I know just how important reliable, friendly and professional domiciliary care is.  And as a local councillor, I’m hoping our new Government will address the various challenges in the adult social care sector, which would make it easier for carers, clients, and families to find appropriate and affordable care locally.”

Claire Evans, Director of Bluebird Care Lancaster and South Lakeland, said:

“I am very proud of what we have achieved so far in the past ten years. Our community event was a chance to reflect on the meaning of good care and to have an important discussion where people who use care services can speak directly to policy influencers.

Good care in the community is a team effort, no doubt about that, and this was an opportunity for that team to focus on what is most important. We’re not slowing down ten years in, and I look forward to many more community events and successes because I know we have something really useful to contribute to what good care looks like – and because I love what we do here!”