Good Oaks New Forest is run by husband and wife Anne and George. Anne previously worked as a Registered Nurse, for years she had dreamt of running her own business and in 2018 she took the leap of faith and opened Good Oaks in the New Forest.

The branch has been very successful and has continued to grow over the last 3 years.

“I believe a caring business needs to be run by caring people. To find this work fulfilling you need a passion for helping others. But you can’t lose sight of the fact a care franchise is still a business. You need commercial discipline to meet regulatory requirements, manage cash flow and employment requirements.

Selecting the right care franchise is critical. We are very fortunate in having Good Oaks. They showed us great commitment in the critical early days. From their directors through to all their key points of contact they have been friendly and supportive.

Our team attended excellent residential and intensive Domiciliary Care training days at their head office in Poole. After that they have constantly been at the end of the phone. They really want us to succeed – this has given us great confidence.

They are pro-active in keeping us informed of regulation changes and tackling any problems we face. The directors are at the end of the phone and always available to discuss any issues or challenges we are facing. I really feel we have a true partnership.

I am enjoying running my care franchise. It is one of the most challenging and rewarding things I have done in my career. I am very fortunate to be joined in this task by my husband George and older daughter Janica, who is our Deputy Care Manager. My middle daughter Amiel, has also started learning the admin part of the business. I am hopeful that our youngest son will soon also be involved.

My care business is the first thing I think about when I wake in the morning and the last thing at night. It is always challenging and demanding but also hugely rewarding.”