Local home-care company, Caremark North Down, Ards and Belfast, celebrated their fifth anniversary this week at a ‘Big Birthday Tea Party’. Organised by owners, Richard and Emily Magrath, and with special guest, Mayor Robert Adair, the whole Caremark team enjoyed a traditional Afternoon Tea, music and of course, birthday cake!

Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Robert Adair, said he was proud to support businesses like Caremark who prioritise the greater good of the community:

“Visiting the Caremark offices in Bangor has been a wonderful opportunity. Domiciliary care is a vital service in the North Down Borough Council area, especially with its ageing population. I would like to commend Caremark for the excellent quality of service that they clearly provide to the elderly population in Ards and North Down and further afield.”

At their office on Balloo Avenue in Bangor, Richard and Emily were joined by care workers, office staff, families and friends to celebrate this momentous milestone. The community minded couple,  wanted to express their most sincere gratitude to those who have supported them over the years. Especially their dedicated team of carers who work tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of local residents. Those who had been working with Richard and Emily since the year they launched also received an engraved Parker pen, in recognition of the milestone event.

One such team member, 26-year-old care worker, Courtney Wedge, has worked with Richard and Emily since they launched the business, back in May 2013. After battling breast cancer in 2016, she thanked the couple for their unwavering support over the years:

“I can’t believe it’s been five years since I joined Caremark – it’s the best thing I ever did! I’m really proud to work with such a fantastic team and it’s great to celebrate our achievements as a family. That’s how it feels – Caremark is like a family. I came back into the business just over a year ago, after recovering from breast cancer, and Richard and Emily were wonderfully supportive. Being back at work and seeing my lovely clients again is where I’m happiest and I’ve recently been promoted to Senior Care Support Worker. I know this event was about them thanking us, but I want to thank Richard and Emily for everything they have done for me.” 

Having launched the business with just a handful of team members, Richard and Emily now work with over 130 local care workers. Determined to provide ongoing opportunity to learn and progress within the business, the couple have recently invested in a state-of-the-art training centre. Here, the entire team can undergo specialist training and development, delivered by Caremark’s own qualified training and compliance manager. This is Caremark North Down, Ards and Belfast’s third office expansion, due to the continued growth of the business and demand for care hours.

“Caremark North Down, Ards and Belfast is what it is because of our wonderful team – ‘team’ being the operative word. Our success comes from the hard work of those who we work with and both myself and Emily are proud of what we’ve built. Everyone has a part to play in the support of our clients, whether it to be our carers, out on their visits, or our office staff who help us in managing it all. We can’t thank everyone enough for their support over the last five years and for coming along and joining us in celebrating this special day,” said Richard.