Member Article

Redcar & Cleveland businessman awaits national awards results

Local businessman Charles Folkes, franchisee for homecare provider Caremark, will find out tomorrow if he’s been selected for honours at the British Franchise Association/HSBC Franchisee of the Year awards.

He’s been nominated in the ‘Olderpreneur’ category of the national accolades, for business owners aged over 55, alongside three other finalists. Winners are announced Thursday evening at a ceremony taking place at Birmingham Town Hall, hosted by TV journalist Steph McGovern.

Taking 30 years’ experience of owning and running his own businesses into his Caremark franchise has proved a winning proposition for Charles in every respect. His company is now the second-largest in the nationwide network, with a multimillion-pound turnover and employing around 170 people. Not bad for a business started at the beginning of the recession and its associated local government budgetary pressures.

With a varied background in catering, hospitality, printing and building damage restoration, Charles says that he’s seen nearly every business challenge over the years and that experience has been vital to his remarkable Caremark performance. He has firmly focused on quality of care and a passion for developing his team – “the foundation of a good business”.

Pioneering new developments have included a drop-in centre for young people with learning disabilities – a fun and creative environment with games, IT facilities, crafts, a gym and a cafe that has proved popular; winning a tender for a pilot scheme with North Yorkshire council to manage funds for individuals requiring help; and a rapid response service pilot scheme with another local council for those discharged from hospital.

Within the Caremark network Charles is similarly highly-regarded. He has an open invitation for other franchisees to contact him for support and advice. He’s won multiple awards in the last four years. And because of his growth Charles was hand-picked as one of six franchisees to sit on the Caremark Milestone Group, which represents the top-performing franchisees in the network, attending quarterly meetings with the CEO and MD of Caremark to discuss the brand’s future developments.

The future will bring further expansion through both the private market and through public sector tendering processes. Targeted growth in the next two years will create another 80 jobs, something that’s very important to Charles, who has staffed his supervisory team entirely through internal promotions.

As for any retirement plans? “Age is just a number!” he says, with a clear passion to continue to promote his caring ethos for a number of years to come.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Paul Stafford .