Eighteen years ago, on 8th August 2008, Bluebird Care Edinburgh opened its doors, just as the world was tipping into a global financial crash. It wasn't the obvious moment to start a business, least of all one in a sector neither of us had ever worked in. In hindsight, we probably should have picked an easier decade, but here we are.
Our story starts with my gran. A proud Glaswegian woman who insisted, right to the end, that she never needed anyone's help. But as a family, we could see she needed a little assistance around her home, so we started calling round local care companies, straight out of the Yellow Pages.
That's when we realised there was a gap: a genuinely bespoke service, built around a person's actual needs, rather than a one-size-fits-all visit. We found Bluebird Care at a local franchise exhibition, and it felt right straight away. Neither John nor I had any background in care, we've learned an enormous amount over these 18 years, and we're still learning (and, judging by our launch party photo, ageing rather more visibly than we'd like!).
What we didn't know then was just how much resilience this journey would demand. We built this business through a recession, and then, over a decade later, through a global pandemic that tested the entire care sector like nothing before it. Eighteen years on, we're still here, not despite those years, but shaped by them.
To this day, my gran is our measure. We call it the gran stick: every hour of care, every visit, every decision, would it be good enough for her? If it wouldn't, it's not good enough for anyone.
We've been honoured to be recognised along the way too, Bluebird Care Edinburgh has won Care at Home Provider of the Year at the Scottish Care Awards, a Top 20 place in the Homecare.co.uk Awards, and a spot in the UK's Top 10 Indeed Better Work Awards. On a personal note, Jane was also proud to receive the Strategic Contribution award for her work in the sector.
But the biggest thank you goes further than awards. To every single customer and family who has trusted us to care for them or someone they love, thank you for letting us into your homes and your lives through everything the last 18 years have brought. And to every employee, past and present, who has shown up, cared, and given their best through it all, thank you for helping us strive, every day, to be the best employer we can be.
Here's to whatever comes next 💙