Wivey Cares transforms care for local older people

In 2018, Somerset Community Foundation awarded £5,000 to David Patterson to set up Wivey Cares, as part of a scheme to help social entrepreneurs kick-start new ideas. Since then SCF has awarded a further £35,000 to Wivey Cares, which has since gone on to be a catalyst for a diverse range of community activity across Wiveliscombe, such as Wivey Grows. The CIO is an important illustration of how local organisations often adapt and flex within their communities.

Over the past few years Wivey Cares has become an established service in the local community, enabling quality support and care services for local people by recruiting local self employed carers. David Patterson, founder of Wivey Cares, explains how our funding supports an innovative and kinder approach to local care.

“Wiveliscombe is a strong rural community but it feels isolated, especially since public transport was cut. Wivey Cares supports any older residents who need it. It grew from within our community, who have taken control of it themselves.

The model is unique because we don’t use an agency for our carers. They’re all local, self-employed and make time to care. Most agency workers have little time to spend with their client, they’re always rushing from one to the next. We do things entirely locally and there’s a real appetite to replicate the success of this model elsewhere.