30 Years of Abbots Care: Our Journey of Compassion and Excellence
Since its founding in 1995, Abbots Care has grown from a small family-run initiative, into one of the leading care providers in Hertfordshire. For 30 years, we’ve remained rooted in our core mission: to provide exceptional care, empower our teams, and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Our story is one of passion, perseverance, innovation and above all, people.
Join us as we take a walk down memory lane, reflecting on three decades of incredible milestones, family values, and unwavering commitment to care!
1995: A Vision is Born
Abbots Care began as a partnership between three remarkable women Camille, Steph, and Naomi, who shared a powerful vision: to deliver high-quality, person-centered care in their community. From day one, the focus wasn’t just on providing care, but on raising standards, empowering care workers, and putting people at the heart of everything we do.
1997: Laying the Foundations
We moved into our very first office, affectionately known as ‘The Old Chapel’ in Kings Langley. It was more than just a building, it was the launchpad for our growing team and training initiatives. That same year, Steph became a qualified NVQ assessor, allowing us to begin training and qualifying our own care staff. This was a pivotal moment Abbots Care wasn’t just delivering care; we were developing the care leaders of the future.
1998–2000: Growth, Family & Ambition
As our professional journey took off, our family was also growing. In 1998 and 1999, we welcomed the first of the “Abbots babies” Sam and Millie followed by Danny in 2000. These personal milestones made our mission feel even more meaningful, as we were building a future not just for our clients and staff, but for our own children too.
In 1998, Camille completed the Registered Manager Award, further enhancing our leadership and quality assurance capabilities.
As the world entered a new millennium, we celebrated with our humble office tech hoping our three PCs would survive the Y2K bug (they did!). These small victories reflected the resilience and determination that defined those early years.
2001–2005: A New Home and Professional Milestones
In 2001, we found a new home for Abbots Care on St Albans Road, transforming a former newsagent into our first dedicated office premises. It was a symbolic shift, from start-up to established provider.
In 2002, Steph completed her Certificate of Education and launched Abbots Care Training, ensuring that every team member would have access to expert, in-house training and development. The following year, Naomi qualified to train care teams as well. That same year, we welcomed baby Jocie to the Abbots family yet another reminder that everything we were building was rooted in love and purpose.
By 2005, we hit our first major financial milestone, turning over £1 million though our profit was just £2,000. Every penny was reinvested into our people, our training, and our future.
2006–2010: Building Our Team and Infrastructure
Our team continued to grow, and in 2006, we proudly surpassed 100 staff members each one a dedicated professional bringing care, comfort, and companionship to people in their homes.
In 2010, we made a significant move to Phoenix House in St Albans, a new headquarters that reflected how far we’d come. It was more than a new building, it was a bold step into a new phase of growth.
2012–2016: New Challenges and National Recognition
In 2012, Naomi made the bittersweet decision to pursue a successful career in nursing. Her contribution to Abbots Care would always be felt, her compassion and energy left a lasting legacy.
2015 marked a major breakthrough: we were awarded the Hertfordshire County Council Lead Provider contract, delivering more than 3,800 hours of care per week with a team of over 250 staff. This was public recognition of our reliability, quality, and outstanding team.
In 2016, Camille was appointed Non-Executive Director of the Hertfordshire Home Care Association, cementing her role as a leading voice in the home care sector.
2017–2019: Branching Out and Raising Standards
By 2017, our team had grown to 450 strong, providing exceptional care across multiple services.
In 2018, we opened our Dorset branch, expanding our geographic reach. Just one year later, our Hertfordshire branch was rated “Outstanding” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and Dorset received a “Good” rating, a powerful reflection of the work we do every day.
2020–2021: Innovation Amidst a Pandemic
The arrival of COVID-19 in 2020 challenged the care sector like never before. Yet at Abbots Care, we adapted quickly, introducing new digital systems, remote training, and enhanced safety protocols. We also launched:
- The Abbots Care Well-Being App
- Abbots Friends, a befriending initiative to combat isolation
- A new Bucks branch, continuing our expansion
In 2021, Camille was appointed Non-Executive Director of the Home Care Association and received the Chief Nurse Award, a well-deserved recognition of her impact in health and social care.
2022–2024: Legacy, Growth & Leadership
In 2022, Steph entered semi-retirement, stepping back after decades of dedication while remaining a guiding presence within the business.
In 2023, our Bucks branch received a “Good” rating from the CQC, a testament to the strength of our people and values.
By 2024, our team surpassed 600 employees, continuing to deliver life-enhancing care to hundreds of people across the country. Every new recruit adds to the legacy we’ve been building for three decades.
2025: A Landmark Year
This year, we celebrate 30 Years of Abbots Care.
It’s a time to reflect, honour, and thank the incredible people who have made this journey possible: our staff, our clients, our families, and our community partners. From our first office in Kings Langley to a multi-branch, award-winning organisation, we’ve never lost sight of our founding mission.
Because at Abbots Care, people always come first.
Thank You for Being Part of Our Story
Here’s to the next 30 years together.
