Caremark St Helens — part of one of the largest home care companies in the UK — recently celebrated its first anniversary with a special event at T.A.N.G.O. (Community Project) in St Mark’s Church, Haydock, uniting customers, families, community groups and local leaders.
The anniversary day was a particularly notable milestone for the team, as it marked the first chance to officially celebrate since opening. When the office first launched, the priority was meeting the urgent needs of local people rather than hosting an opening event — a reflection of both the strong demand for high-quality care in St Helens and the determination of the Caremark team to put customers first from day one.
The choice of T.A.N.G.O. as the celebration venue reflects the strong connection between the home care provider and the outreach project. Caremark St Helens’ Managing Director Inoka Abeysinghe and Registered Care Manager Kelly Conway, volunteer regularly at the community café — helping in the kitchen, clearing tables and chatting with visitors. This ongoing commitment mirrors Caremark’s ethos of providing companionship and support beyond the home.
Inoka Abeysinhe opened the event and, in her speech, mentioned her heartfelt reason for starting the business:
“Before we started Caremark St Helens, my husband and I ran the Post Office in Haydock for nearly eight years. During that time, we built close relationships with many of our elderly customers. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we did everything we could to support them — from daily check-ins to simply offering a friendly face and someone to talk to.
“One lady became very close to us. Even though she had care assistants visiting three times a day, she would still wait for us every evening — just to chat, to connect, to feel a little less alone. Over time, we became part of her daily life, and she became part of ours.
“That experience truly touched me. The emotional connection, the sense of purpose; it was incredibly rewarding. When she sadly passed away, it felt like we had lost a member of our own family. Her memory is a big part of why we chose to start this journey in care.”
Since opening its doors, Caremark St Helens has delivered high-quality home care services that meet the needs of local people while helping ease pressures on the region’s health and social care systems. Its services include Alzheimer’s and dementia care, companionship, palliative care, night care, respite care, home help and community access.
Inoka continued:
“Our first year has been about so much more than delivering care; it’s been about meeting the community’s social care needs and, most importantly, improving lives. Our team helps our customers to enjoy life, live safely and be as happy and independent as possible in their own homes.
“We are so proud to celebrate one year in such a special place, surrounded by the people and organisations that have made this journey possible. This event is as much a thank you to them as it is a celebration for us.”
The Caremark St Helens celebration featured welcome speeches from both Inoka and Kelly, which were followed by an official ribbon cutting. Guests enjoyed a buffet lunch, refreshments and live music from a ukulele band.
Around 100 guests attended, including representatives from Age UK, Dementia Café (St Mark’s Church), T.A.N.G.O. volunteers, local councillors, and Caremark’s regional leadership team, alongside the company’s customers and their families.
