This month, on the 14th of June 2026 at 14:30 to be exact, marks 25 years of providing 24-hour live-in support for our client, Helen.
Over the past 25 years with Christies Care, she has built a life filled with friendship, travel, creativity, and independence, supported by a care model that has enabled her to live life on her own terms.
As we celebrate this remarkable milestone, we caught up with Helen about her journey with Christies Care.
I moved into my bungalow in June 2001, give or take 2:30pm of the 14th to be exact. The move was from residential care in Milton Keynes where I’d been living for exactly 17 years and had outgrown the service.
I planned my moving-in date with Christies, despite it meaning the first booking was 6 days long. I’m a nerd! I can’t believe it that it’s been 25 years with Christies Care. In many ways, I settled down quickly and felt at home right away.
I hadn’t any say in which agency Kent County Council went for.
My involvement was limited to interviewing the few agencies that the Tunbridge Wells branch of Kent County Council picked out for me. I expressed a preference, for Christies obviously, but the final choice came down to cost.
I was very pleased it was Christies as the other agencies either didn’t show or had a very “medical model” in their approach to me as a possible client. I had really enjoyed chatting to [Christies Care’s Chairman] Hugh Gathorne-Hardy, so I was absolutely thrilled when it was going to be Christies as I didn’t relish the alternative.
Despite some odd glitches, some really entertaining in hindsight, others not so much, the overwhelming experience was, and still is, superb.
When I was in the early days of the planning process, I knew that I didn’t want to ‘go it alone’ as I needed a mental safety net for when a real glitch happened, and quite apart from any other factor, Christies had that built into their service delivery.
The PAs (I dislike the term ‘carer’ as it suggests that I need the medical model of care rather than the social one) I’ve seen come and go through my life have, for the most part, left a positive mark on my life, some becoming friends. I can count on the fingers on one hand those who haven’t.
A really lovely thing [about Christies Care] is I don’t have to share staff with others or live by the clock. I’ve been able to go away quite often, a couple of times to the northern part of the Lake District around Carlisle, some trips to Scotland, and going to various writers’ retreats in different parts of England.
As well as these, I had a road trip to the Austrian Tyrol in 2007, and went to the Eden Project in Cornwall last year. That was really special!
As Helen reflects on the past 25 years with Christies Care, one thing stands out. Despite the occasional challenge along the way, her overall experience has been overwhelmingly positive. For Christies Care, that is exactly what we strive for.
Our purpose is to make life better for everyone we support. Helen’s 25-year story shows what can happen when high-quality care is delivered consistently over decades: our clients gain confidence, maintain independence, build meaningful relationships, and continue living rich and fulfilling lives.
Twenty-five years after moving into her bungalow, Helen remains exactly where she wanted to be, living life on her own terms, with the confidence that trusted support is always there when she needs it.
We are incredibly proud to have been part of Helen’s 25 years with Christies Care.
