As we near the end of 2022, on behalf of the Board and Leadership Team here at Bolton Cares, I wanted to take the opportunity to wish everybody who has been part of Bolton Cares success this year, a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Working in care is never easy and despite the challenges we have faced as a sector, together we have achieved some great things at Bolton Cares in 2022 (with too many things to mention, below are some of the highlights) …

• We welcomed our Colleagues from Wigan Supported Living and Extra Care Housing.
• We signed a 10-year contract with Bolton Council. Securing our future and the continuity of care for those we support.
• We’ve seen our new Jubilee Community Centre take shape, from a piece to land to what promises to be a great community hub for everyone to enjoy.
• We’ve made great progress with exciting new developments within our Supported Living Services and Bolton Extra Care.
• We’ve embarked upon our Life Opportunities programme. Working with our commissioners, colleagues and the people we support to reshape the future of our Day Services offer.
• We continue to deploy exciting new Assistive Technology solutions across our services, helping the people we support to be as independent as possible.
• We secured our Salford Services with our contract extended to July 2024.
• We launched our new website, refreshed our brand, and started our Shared Lives Campaign.
• Through our “Do It for Bolton” recruitment campaign, we welcomed over 100 new colleagues into our organisation, including Support Workers, Managers and Back Office Colleagues.
• With our public and commercial partners across Bolton, Salford and Wigan, we’ve delivered some great initiatives – far too many to mention in one message!

Reflecting on this year, none of this would have been possible without the people around us. We’re incredibly lucky to have been supported by so many wonderful people.

• Our Colleagues: We are incredibly proud of the whole workforce at Bolton Cares, Salford Cares and Wigan Cares who have been outstanding and shown great spirit, commitment and determination in supporting others – you are a true inspiration.
• The people we support: Have brought us so much joy, the personalities and characters who make each and every day so rewarding for us all – making real our promise to support people to live their lives, their way.
• Our Supporters: Our partners, commissioners, families and carers, without whom we would not be able to do the work we do, drive the improvements and innovations we have to tackle, the challenges we face and ultimately strive to be the best we can be.

To you all…..thank you.

I’d like to pay particular thanks to our colleagues across Bolton, Salford and Wigan. I thank each and every one of you for your hard work, dedication and professionalism during what has continued to be a challenging year for all of us in the care sector.

I’d also like to express my sincere gratitude to our colleagues who are working over Christmas and the bank holidays, ensuring the people we support always have a friendly face throughout the holiday period.

As we head into the festive period, wherever you are, whoever you are with and whatever you are doing, we wish you a peaceful and joyous time.

Sanjeet