Virtus Group Newsletter February 2026

We were so proud to be part of the recent 20-year Home Instead celebration, marking two decades of making a difference in the lives of older people and their families. Over the last 20 years, Home Instead has built a reputation for delivering exceptional, relationship-led care, supporting communities, and leading from the front in the care industry. It was inspiring to see the passion, commitment, and innovation that continues to define the network and the positive impact it has had across the UK and beyond.

Even more exciting, our Swindon and Vale of White Horse office were recognised with two awards, highlighting the hard work and dedication of our teams. One of these awards, for Community Contribution, reflects the energy, creativity, and compassion we bring to local projects — and a special thank you goes to Cat, our Community Engagement Officer, whose commitment has played a key role in making this achievement possible.

Being part of a network that celebrates its successes while constantly striving to improve care is something we are incredibly proud of. These milestones are not just a recognition of what has been achieved, but a reminder of the opportunities ahead to continue supporting older people, families, and communities, and to keep raising the standard of care across every area we serve.

I’m incredibly proud of our teams across Oxford, Swindon, and Thornbury — their dedication, professionalism, and compassion make our offices shine and help us remain part of a network that leads the way in care.

Here’s to the next 20 years of innovation, compassion, and excellence in care — and to the people who make it all possible.

Last week, our Swindon Office’s Community Engagement Officer, Cat, and Location Champion Care Pro Sabrina had a fantastic day at Tesco Extra Ocotal Way, Swindon! As part of our Later Life; Better Informed campaign, they were sharing the Swindon WOW Guide with the local community, helping people discover groups and activities that keep older adults active, engaged, and connected — including initiatives like our Roves Farm Seniors Friendship Cafe. A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello, pick up a copy, and show their support — and to Tesco for hosting us!

Earlier in the month, Cat visited the Royal Wootton Bassett Dementia Choir and Café, run by Wiltshire Hope and Harmony. Guests and volunteers joined in singing their favourite tunes, with actions like waving coloured scarves to key words in the songs, creating a fun, interactive, and therapeutic session for everyone involved.

It was lovely to see Sue McCann, adviser from Beyond Dementia, offering guidance and support during the session. The RWB Dementia Choir meets fortnightly at St. Bart’s Community Hall, and details are included in the Swindon WOW Guide. For more information, contact Lisa Williams, Music and Music Therapy.

These community activities are exactly what our Later Life; Better Informed campaign aims to achieve — connecting people with practical information, local resources, and engaging opportunities that make a real difference to wellbeing, confidence, and independence in later life.

Each year, we take the opportunity to recognise the incredible dedication of our Care Professionals through our Care Professional of the Year awards. These awards are an important way to celebrate the compassion, reliability and skill that our teams bring to their roles every day. By shining a spotlight on outstanding practice, we hope to recognise individual achievements while also inspiring and strengthening the wider workforce.

At Home instead Oxford we were delighted to name Margareth as our Care Pro of the Year. For over five years, Margareth has provided reliable, committed care and consistently demonstrates the qualities that define exceptional support. She is enthusiastic, punctual, and particularly excels when supporting clients living with dementia, regularly going above and beyond to ensure continuity of care. In a recent PEAQ survey, one client shared that Margareth “deserves a special mention for her brilliance and immense practicality.” The team were pleased to present Margareth with her trophy in the office alongside Donna and Susan to celebrate this well-deserved recognition.

In Swindon, we are proud to recognise Paulina as our Care Professional of the Year. Having worked with us for almost two and a half years, Paulina is very well liked by clients and colleagues alike. She is known for her reliability, flexibility, kindness, and strong commitment to the people she supports. Paulina’s calm, compassionate approach and willingness to help wherever needed make her a valued member of the team and a wonderful example of the difference dedicated care professionals make every day.

Congratulations to both Margareth and Paulina — and thank you to all of our Care Professionals whose commitment, compassion, and professionalism continue to make such a meaningful difference across our communities.