Agincare in your community
With our Head Office based in Castletown, Portland, Agincare is one of the biggest employers in south Dorset, creating jobs and supporting the local economy.
It’s been over 35 years since our Founder and Chairman Derek Luckhurst started his first care home in Weymouth. Since then we’ve grown to be one of the largest independent care groups in England, with a 3,500-strong workforce across some 70 locations nationwide.
We have a long-term team committed to a sustainable future with no exit strategy; and planning is in place with our second generation family members taking a leading role within Agincare. Our long term objectives are under-pinned by a clear vision, mission and values. This, together with our sector and community engagement and reinvestment of the majority of surplus into the future, means that our strategic approach is more akin to not-for-profit and charitable organisations than many other independent providers.
We are also committed to playing a full and active role in the heart of the community, whether it’s raising money for good causes, leading regeneration projects, attracting visitors or supporting arts and the local economy. Our directors take on voluntary roles in smaller local organisations where their skills and networks can be shared for the good of the community.
Family owned, over 35 years in the making with many more to come
We are family-owned and independent, without the influence of private equity investors. Our second generation family members Simon, Adam and Piers Luckhurst (pictured above with their father and Agincare Founder and Chairman Derek Luckhurst) are taking a leading role on Agincare and are committed to its future.
We place great value on being a well-run and sustainable care provider, with a commitment to a long-term future delivering person-centred high quality care in the community nationwide. That means we’ll be around today, tomorrow and in years to come, giving peace of mind to everyone that draws on our high quality, personalised services.
Driving regeneration and boosting the local economy
We take our responsibility to supporting the local economy seriously. Agincare, and its Founder and Chairman Derek Luckhurst, are the driving force behind Castletown Regeneration Project, which has brought many improvements to the area, attracting visitors, and boosting the local economy. These include substantial investment into an award-winning Tourist Information Centre, Crabbers’ Wharf holiday apartments, the popular Castletown D-Day Centre and other initiatives. Agincare’s stylish new Riggers Row building, which accommodates Home Care Teams, comes complete with a free-to-use car park, with charging points for electric cars.
Our Chief Executive Raina Summerson is also Chair of the Portland Economic Vision Board. It supports transformation of the Island’s economy, driving growth and jobs. For example, the board recently hosted a ‘Bounce Back Event’ at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy to engage and update local businesses about activity throughout Covid; and to gain feedback for representations to councils, the local MP and Local Enterprise Partnership.
Focus on Castletown D-Day Centre
The vision of our Founder and Chairman Derek Luckhurst, Castletown D-Day Centre recreates the wartime dockyard from which thousands of Allied troops embarked for the heavily defended beaches of Nazi occupied France. As a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, the Centre relies on volunteers, admission income and community goodwill to deliver incredible immersive experiences to thousands of people every year. The centre has won a Travellers’ Choice Trip Advisor award for consistently earning top reviews on Trip Advisor.
Focus on Crabbers Wharf
Crabbers Wharf is an award-winning development that includes self-catering apartments, a Tourist Information Centre and the landing point for the My Girl ferry boat from Weymouth. It welcomes guests throughout the year, supporting shops, cafes and other local businesses, with thousands of people annually visiting the Tourist Information Centre, and using the ferry to Weymouth which previously had to cease services to Castletown.
Boosting arts and culture
2022 has seen our Chief Executive Raina Summerson appointed as the Chair of Portland’s internationally acclaimed b-side arts organisation. As a long-standing supporter, Raina brings vast experience of community engagement and business leadership to b-side.
Raina says:
Having been an interested observer, both through enjoying the impressive outcomes of b-side’s work as a member of the public, and in collaborating with the team through my other local work as CEO of Agincare and Chair of the Portland Economic Vision board, it is a privilege to now take on this role.
Agincare’s Head Office team joins in with b-side events on Portland too.
Raina is also a Trustee of Eden Portland, an exciting project working in partnership with the internationally renowned Eden Project team, which includes a unique visitor attraction. The project combines the natural wonder of the Jurassic Coast with a need for local regeneration and way to inspire and engage the public in biodiversity loss.
Making a real difference to local good causes
Agincare Director Adam Luckhurst has followed in Derek Luckhurst’s footsteps and his long-term commitment to the local community. Adam has been appointed as Chairman of Weymouth and Portland Round Table, and is passionate about bringing people together to raise money for the good of the area. The round table is a registered charity made up of committed volunteers that all want to make a positive difference to area.
Adam said:
It’s exciting times for the table, and we’re proud as a club that we represent both communities of Weymouth and Portland and be able to make donations to good causes in both communities.
Our teams across the country are also passionate about supporting good causes close to their hearts too. They’ve run, danced, rode and baked their way to raising thousands of pounds for good causes, including the Care Workers’ Charity. Others, like our head office team, carry out beach cleans on Portland’s Jurassic Coast.
Market leaders and influencers – standing up for social care
We lobby for long term adult social care reform, often working as long term supporters of the Homecare Association. Funding and a workforce strategy remaining absolutely crucial for our teams, and ultimately everyone that we support and care for. The experience, expertise and leadership skills of our teams to deliver essential care and support to some of the most vulnerable people in society is recognised across the care sector. Our teams have given evidence to Government select committees, contributed to major industry reports by organisations including LaingBuisson and the Health Foundation. We also regularly comment in the regional, trade and national media.
We’re regularly in amongst the awards too. 2021 saw Agincare Chairman and Founder Derek Luckhurst (pictured below) receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Leaders in Care Awards, and our Chief Executive Raina Summerson was recognised as a Voice of the Industry in Home Care Insight’s Power List.
Our senior leaders headline panels, conferences and events; engaging and shaping the conversation around care online too in seminars, roadshows and streamed events and media. Agincare Chief Executive Raina Summerson is an Ambassador for John’s Campaign, a charity which stands up for the crucial role of family members and loved ones in caring for people living with dementia. Our Chief Operating Officer Sarah Leskinen-Keel is Vice-Chair of the Homecare Association, we are members of Care England and also support local provider associations too.
We are one of the few care providers nationwide that offer a comprehensive range of options, tailoring care to those who draw on our services as their needs change in a way that few other providers can. We believe this enables us to innovate, use resources, share skills, adapt and respond to future needs and opportunities in a way that few other providers can, including with evolving integrated care systems.
Do you have the heart to care?
Be part of our ongoing growth, and start a career with heart today…
- Work with heart – we have careers to love, giving back to your community, supporting those who need it most. Work alongside friendly and professional teams, and meet incredible people
- Excellent benefits – we’ve introduced new benefits; from paid training, to DBS paid upfront, welcome bonuses, national discounts, competitive pay and more, because kindness deserves reward
- Room for growth – we are committed to your career development. We will support you in gaining new qualifications and expanding your career
- Fit with your lifestyle – care work can be as flexible as you need, with patterns to suit your lifestyle. Part-time seasonal work is available, as well as long-term stable placements
