An evening of celebration, local history and spectacular fireworks brought residents, families, friends and the wider community together at The Close Care Home in Burcot, near Abingdon, on 3 November 2026.
The home’s Modern Casual Masquerade was more than a seasonal celebration. It was an opportunity to share experiences, strengthen community connections and create memorable moments with loved ones, reflecting the importance of meaningful activities and social engagement in care home life.
This year’s Modern Casual Masquerade was a fantastic success, with guests embracing the theme and enjoying an evening filled with live music, delicious canapés and lively conversations.
A hot chocolate stand added a cosy touch to the autumn festivities, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for residents, families and visitors to relax, reconnect and celebrate together.
The event was another example of how The Close brings people together through engaging social activities and shared experiences. These occasions offer residents opportunities to enjoy something different, spend time with family and friends and remain connected to the community around them.
Despite a successful stint as one of the youngest finance directors in London, specialising in mergers and acquisitions for a prominent advertising company, Marc found his professional success to be hollow. Driven by a desire to serve the community, he left the lucrative world of finance to establish an accountancy practice and business consultancy in Lewisham. His mission was clear: guide local start-ups and small businesses toward financial transparency and profitability.
As Marc’s consultancy flourished, he received a crucial call from Eleanor in 2005, who was struggling to keep her nursing agency afloat after 26 years. Marc took on the challenge, initiating a leap of faith that marked the beginning of a transformative journey. Today, the Eleanor Healthcare Group stands as a model business in the care sector, with over 1500 dedicated members, fluent in 112 languages, supporting over 3000 clients. The senior staff, with a combined experience of over 100 years in health and social care, has been instrumental in guiding and participating in the organisation’s remarkable growth.
Marc draws inspiration from his team of staff care workers and frontline keyworkers, acknowledging their role in preserving the life and dignity of the most vulnerable in the community. He emphasises that Eleanor is an organization with people at its core, having created a paradigm shift in the care sector with the driving principle that social care is about people, not processes. In 2009, Marc introduced the concept of person-centric care, responding to a request from Richmond Council. Eleanor Healthcare Group led the transformation, offering tailor-made services and pioneering an outcomes-based approach in collaboration with local authorities. The organisation then took a leading role in preventive care, integrating health and social care services and introducing a novel caring model to Lewisham Council based on the Buurtzorg model.
Despite numerous achievements, Marc sees success as just the beginning. The Eleanor family remains ready to take another leap of faith, with trust in people above processes. In the face of mounting challenges to health and social care systems, Marc has been steering Eleanor to the forefront of much-needed innovation within the UK and globally. Eleanor Healthcare Group takes pride in its identity, never compromising integrity and always preserving its true essence. The commitment to taking the road less travelled is evident as it approaches the next fork in the future of healthcare, promising to continue breaking new ground and redefine possibilities.