THE Orders of St John Care Trust has merged with The Fremantle Trust.
Established in 1991, OSJCT is a charitable trust which supports nearly 3,000 older people, employs just over 4,400 colleagues, and manages more than 500 volunteers in 61 care homes and eight extra care housing schemes across Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, West Sussex, and Wiltshire.
The Fremantle Trust, also a charitable trust, has a significant presence in Buckinghamshire, supporting more than 750 people and employing more than 1,300 colleagues across multiple facilities, including 11 care homes for older people and residential and supported living services for people with learning disabilities.
Dan Hayes OBE, chief executive of OSJCT said: “Our two organisations share so many core values which ensures that this merger is an ideal fit. We are both not-for-profit charities, absolutely dedicated to those who depend on us and those that deliver life-changing care and support.
“Pooling resources makes us stronger, more able to invest in our future, and fundamentally, more sustainable. We expect to learn a great deal from our new colleagues, and we see this opportunity as a great privilege.”
Jim Burness, outgoing chair of trustees at The Fremantle Trust, added: “This merger is a testament to our collective dedication to caring for some of the most vulnerable people in society.
“These are challenging times for social care. Together we have greater capacity to provide residential social care services, by charitable organisations, for the benefit of those that need it.”