Christies Care Success is in the family Against a backdrop of increased Government austerity measures and changes in health and social care, Christies Care , a family-run care provider, is managing changes of its own. As one of the UK’s largest specialist agencies for live-in home care, the family business is managing the process of business succession from its headquarters in Saxmundham.
H aving built the business, Chairman Hugh Gathorne- Hardy sees the succession to the second generation as an important and reassuring step in Christies Care’s chronology. Hugh, while remaining Chairman, is in the process of passing on most of the day-to- day management to his son, Freddy, the Managing Director. The process started in earnest about seven years ago after Hugh had a ‘what happens if I go under a bus?’ conversation. He realised that there needed to be someone involved who had the knowledge, ethos and aptitude to take over, and the first place he looked was his family. He believes that the great advantage of family is the profound understanding of everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, and their long-term knowledge of the business - especially Freddy, a management consultant, who was enthusiastic to roll his sleeves up and become more involved. Freddy recalls “I didn’t want to go in at the top, which is good as it wasn’t an option, but started as one of the team who met regularly with clients and carers. I quickly learned what Christies Care’s clients actually wanted, which is vital in any company that grows through good service. I became a director in 2014 and Managing Director in 2015”. A consequence of this long gestation is that there have been very few sticking points. Freddy adds “The succession story is only a tiny bit of the business, and by no means the
Freddy will continue with Christies Care’s community training and awareness programme too, including the Good Care Days and Dementia Days introduced by himself and Hugh. The latest on Friday 20 May in Saxmundham ties in with Dementia Awareness Week and provides information and advice on Alzheimer’s. Christies Care’s award-winning training team, also offers any spare places on their training courses to family carers for free, so that they may benefit from the professional training and support that can make their role that bit easier and less isolated. It is clear that years of succession planning, conscious and unconscious, is paying off at Christies Care. Father and son have been developing and working towards the same plan for so long that they - let alone anyone else - may not actually notice the moment of succession. Running a business is an all consuming and sometimes stressful process and it is important that you have the right support in place to allow you to concentrate on what you do best. At Scrutton Bland all of our business advisory, tax, financial advisory and insurance broking teams work together to ensure that our clients receive a joined up and fully supportive service. If you would like to talk to us about ways that we may be able to help your business please contact Sue Gull on 01473 267000 or sue.gull@scruttonbland.co.uk
most important. It is our staff who really make Christies Care the success it is today”. As with succession Christies Care also takes a long term view on future growth. As the business has grown so has its need for facilities as demonstrated by the construction of a new office building at Christies Care’s Head Office in Saxmundham. Due for completion by November, it will enable all of the operations team to work in one room – further improving communication, collaboration and customer service and clearly demonstrating the company’s commitment to the region. Furthermore the company’s prudent attitude to debt and emphasis on strong cash flow is another family trait that will continue to give it the safety to weather bad times, and the strength to grow in the good. This commitment and the shared family ethos is also evident in the company’s support for local charities. “We are all too aware of the volume of vulnerable people in our society” insists Freddy “Many of whom we look after, but there are many who don’t have as much care and support as they would like. We try to help the community as much as we can. Recently our digital team built a website for the Rural Coffee Caravan, a community initiative that delivers coffee, tea, homemade cakes, information and friendship across Suffolk to alleviate the stress of rural isolation. It’s a charity Suffolk should be extremely proud of and one we’re proud to support. There is definitely a sense of family pride that drives me to continue my father’s legacy of great care and community support for future generations.”
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