The Evergreen Story

The Evergreen Care Trust is an independent, not-for-profit Faith organisation that has served at the heart of Stamford since it was founded in 2005.  It works closely with local charitable groups, Churches, Schools and Colleges, and together with Health and Social Care providers, offers a full range of home care services for the benefit of older people and their families and carers. Evergreen operates in Stamford, Bourne, the Deepings and surrounding villages.

Evergreen has grown over the years but remains dedicated to meeting the needs of our local community by offering services that are relevant and meaningful: in particular, addressing loneliness and social isolation and the impact this has on wellbeing and health. It is our privilege to support people to live flourishing lives in their own home and, as far as possible, stay connected and engaged with their community and the activities that they have valued throughout their life journey. 

Evergreen recognises how much the Health and Social Care system has changed over the years.  Individuals are now met with the more recent challenges of trying to negotiate an increasingly complex Health & Social Care system. We endeavour to support the whole person and what matters to you and your loved ones. We are happy to help you navigate the care and support services, and any interventions you may need, especially when you need it most. 

Evergreen was founded by Louise Marsh and a team of volunteers from across the local Churches in May 2005. Louise, who was a Registered Nurse, specialised in the care of older people, a former Community Health Nurse and Nursing Home Manager, found herself working in Social Care in Stamford’s Older Persons Team in 2002. During this time, Louise became aware of many needs that were not being addressed at the time by Health or Social care. With her manager’s permission Louise recruited a small group of volunteers from the local Churches to support Social Care clients with little interventions that made a difference, like transporting people to appointments, minor DIY, and supporting people through friendship or home from hospital, who were without family support.

After three years, Louise responded to the ‘Call’ to leave Social Services and establish the work of ‘Evergreen’ as the work was called. Activity focused on building and professionalising the established Volunteering supports, and introducing the paid for service known as Home Support. Home Support provided domestic, laundry and shopping assistance, a real need which had been identified at that time. Without funding or finances, Louise stepped out in faith along with the group of volunteers, who were around 40 in number in May 2005. Together they established the work which focused on identifying and responding to relevant need and finding effective solutions to these. Evergreen became a registered Charity in October 2007 & an Incorporated Community Organisation (ICO)  in 2014.

Evergreen continues to put people before profit and remains responsive to the everchanging needs and expectations of our local older neighbours and the field of Health & Social Care.

 The charitable activities of the Trust began by providing a range of 'no-charge', volunteer-led projects and services, and these remain our core activities.

Our values reflect our organisational heart and commitment to the highest levels of integrity, security and confidentiality in all our dealings with people, reflecting the teachings and person of Jesus. 

The Evergreen Care Trust is a totally inclusive organisation and genuinely welcomes difference and diversity, believing that every human being, without reservation, is of inestimable worth.