THE WHITGIFT FOUNDATION APPOINTS FIRST EVER DIRECTOR OF CARE
Croydon charity, The Whitgift Foundation, has appointed its first ever Director of Care to oversee its care services.
Dolores Pickersgill has joined the Foundation’s Leadership Team to contribute to the overall strategic development of Whitgift Care, its group of care settings, as well as the Carers Information Service.
Dolores brings with her significant experience in the healthcare sector where she has undertaken a range of management and executive roles.
Having qualified as a registered nurse in 1984 and starting her career as a district nurse, Dolores was Deputy Chief Nursing Officer at London Bridge Hospital, Chief Nursing Officer at the Lister Hospital before moving to The Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability as Executive Director of Nursing and Quality, Director of Infection Control and Associate Director of Patient Care.
With the ever-changing needs of older people living in its communities, Whitgift Care must ensure that its services continue to meet requirements and offer outstanding levels of care.
The new role will fully champion the ethos and core values that currently exist at Whitgift Care by working with care home managers at Whitgift House, Wilhelmina House and the Whitgift Almshouses to maintain a person-centred care culture, together with fulfilment of life by promoting the homes’ community spirit.
The role will also oversee the work of the Carers Information Service that runs the Carers Support Centre at 24 George Street, central Croydon, to ensure the service continues to provide invaluable support, advice and health and wellbeing activities to unpaid carers in the borough.
Martin Corney, Chief Executive, The Whitgift Foundation, said: “I am extremely pleased to welcome Dolores to this new post. She brings with her a huge range of experience in nursing leadership positions, as well as passion and compassion needed to work collaboratively across Whitgift Care and the Carers Information Service to continue our outstanding care and support to residents, 1596 Club members and unpaid carers in Croydon.”
Dolores comments: “I am delighted and proud to be appointed Director of Care. I am looking forward to joining the Whitgift Foundation family, continuing the tradition of providing care and support to the local community.”
The announcement comes as Whitgift House, Whitgift Care’s largest home offering nursing care, sheltered living and day care, was rated ‘good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission, as well as ‘good’ in all the core inspection areas of being safe, being caring, providing effective care, being responsive to residents’ needs and being well-led.
Whitgift Care is the result of Archbishop John Whitgift’s philanthropic legacy to Croydon, when in 1596, he founded the Hospital of the Holy Trinity (now known as the Whitgift Almshouses) on North End to care for the poor and needy of the town.
In 1997, the Carers Information Service was established by the Foundation which now receives thousands of enquiries from carers each year and runs a drop in service, advice surgeries, training sessions, casework support, health and wellbeing events, the annual Carers Week and publications throughout the year.
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For more information about Whitgift Care, click here.
For more information about the Carers Information Service, click here.
Notes to editors
About Whitgift Care
100 older people live in our warm and friendly care settings in Croydon: Whitgift House, Wilhelmina House and the Whitgift Almshouses, supported by a team of more than 100 dedicated and caring staff. Whitgift Care offers a range of care services to suit individual needs including full nursing, residential and respite care as well as sheltered living. An additional 100 places are offered to local older people to come and enjoy our day care 1596 Club to find friendship, take part in the homes’ lively and stimulating mix of activities and enjoy a freshly prepared meal.
The homes have won numerous awards. Whitgift House holds the coveted ‘Beacon Status’ award for end of life care, the highest accolade from the Gold Standards Framework. Wilhelmina House was ranked a top 20 care home in London in 2018 thanks to carehome.co.uk website where service users reviewed the home based on a range of themes from activities to cleanliness. Wilhelmina House and Whitgift House both hold the Soil Association’s Gold Food for Life Catering Mark for serving fresh and healthy meals made with local and organic ingredients to residents.
Find out more at: www.whitgiftcare.co.uk
About the Carers Information Service
The Carers Information Service provides invaluable and impartial information, advice and support to help an estimated 34,000 unpaid carers in Croydon. The Service runs an incredible lifeline for carers - the Carers Support Centre in the town centre. Here you can find a drop-in service, access to caseworkers, training sessions, advice surgeries, as well as a lively hub of health and wellbeing activities from singing to massage and dance.
Find out more at www.carersinfo.org.uk
About The Whitgift Foundation
The Whitgift Foundation is a registered charity with the aim of providing education for the young and care for the elderly in Croydon and the surrounding areas. Established in 1596 by the former Archbishop of Canterbury John Whitgift, The Whitgift Foundation comprises of:
- Three schools – Old Palace of John Whitgift School (girls), Trinity School (boys with a co-educational sixth form) and Whitgift School (boys).
- Whitgift Care – three care homes, Whitgift House, Wilhelmina House and the Whitgift Almshouses offering a range of care provision including sheltered accommodation, full nursing care, residential care, respite and day care.
- The Carers’ Information Service – provides free information, support, advice and training to an estimated 34,000 carers in Croydon and manages the Carers Support Centre, 24 George Street.
The Whitgift Foundation currently supports approximately 45% of current pupils in its schools through financial 'means tested' bursaries. This equates to just over £5million a year to enable talented young people to benefit from the outstanding education provided by the schools