Old Vicarage care home is under new management

* Richard and Bethan Mascarenhas with Barclays business manager Philip Cawley. 

Siblings Bethan and Richard Mascarenhas acquired The Old Vicarage Care Home in Llangollen.

The investment will allow the retention of local jobs and peace of mind for the existing residents and their families.

The continuity of the service from one local family to the other has been warmly welcomed by former owners David and Joan Morris.

Richard and Bethan attended Ysgol Dinas Bran and universities in London and have both returned to an active family and community life in Llangollen.

It is their wish to stay involved in the industry and they are both committed to being involved in the positive movements for nursing and social care on a national level, and are representatives of the Care Forum Wales.

Bethan said: “Richard and I were raised in the care sector and have a deep-rooted understanding of the individual needs of residents and a well-established link to the local community.

"Demand for quality care is rising across the region and there are pressures across the sector for future placements, so our joint investment is vital to help meet the region’s projected care needs.

"By really understanding the care sector, Barclays has been able to provide debt finance to support the business. Bethan and Richard have a real passion for quality care and have spent their lives growing up and working alongside their parents in their family run care home at Abbey Dingle since 1988.

“We operate as an extended family, providing dedicated residential care to the very highest standards. With 17 beds we are big enough to make a difference but small enough to deliver individual tailored care.

"Most people when asked don’t wish to live in a residential home but when someone chooses to stay with us, we consider that to be a personal accolade and an opportunity for us to do everything to make that stay as happy and enjoyable as possible, with a dedicated and supportive care that specifically meets individual needs.

"The best thing about running your own small care home is the empowerment  to make timely local decisions to improve services for our residents. Satisfaction from happy residents and family members makes all our efforts worthwhile."

She added: "I have real concerns over the UK’s social care strategy and the pressures on the acute sectors of the NHS. Care homes nationally are increasingly under pressure to meet changing regulations and care standards, which is why all sectors must embrace these challenges, investing and improving the standards of care.”

Barclays bank helped arrange the deal and business manager Philip Cawley said: “Barclays is committed to using our industry expertise within the healthcare sector to support such community investments, which are vital to a prosperous economy." 

A special tree planting in the walled garden at the Old Vicarage will be held to pay tribute to Adrian Roberts of Barclays, a popular and well known local bank manager, who passed away before the acquisition went through, and was succeeded by Philip Cawley who stepped in and saw the deal through to completion.