Member Article

Family business moves in to Redcar’s £31 million community building

A family firm is at the heart of a Teesside community – quite literally.

North East Nursing and Care Services is the first business to move into the £31m Redcar and Cleveland Leisure and Community Heart.

The employment agency, which provides nursing and care staff to healthcare providers across the region, has moved into a second floor office with stunning views of Saltburn’s coastline.

The move marks the next stage of an incredible journey for agency boss and committed Christian, Annie Fawcett, who supports various charities with the family firm’s profits.

“We are going from strength to strength at the Heart,” said Annie.

“It’s a fantastic building, a real asset to the business community and the leisure facilities are great too.

“We’ve been established for four years now and it’s been an emotional journey but we have risen from the ashes with the support of all our fantastic clients.”

The former psychiatric nurse, with more than 20 years’ experience in the employment agency industry, set up her new venture after her previous business got into difficulties.

To get started she used a meagre compensation order against her former business partner who was jailed for two years after stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds from her.

Annie has forgiven the man and said the unfortunate episode inspired her “caring with compassion” motto and helped shape her into the businesswoman she is today.

In addition to employing her daughters, Claire Solberg and Katie Fawcett, Annie diverts a “sizable chunk” of the firm’s profits to support Christian charities - Compassion UK, Christians Against Poverty, A21, and Redcar Area Foodbanks.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council opened the £31m leisure, civic and 44-unit business centre, in April, as part of a £75m regeneration package for Redcar.

Annie’s firm moved in several weeks later and since then a number of other businesses have either moved in or signed up to the development.

Mark Hannon, the council’s cabinet member for regeneration, said: “We are thrilled to welcome North East Nursing and Care Services to the Heart.

“Annie is clearly a remarkable woman and we wish her and her family continued success for the future.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Martin Walker .