2020 was a tough year for the care industry, but focusing on residents saw the Black Swan Care Group rewarded with the Large Business award, sponsored by City College Norwich, in the Norfolk Business Awards.

Eastern Daily Press: City College Norwich sponsors Large Business of the YearCity College Norwich sponsors Large Business of the Year (Image: Archant)

Big business doesn’t have to be faceless or impersonal. Keeping a focus on caring has not only helped the Black Swan Care Group keep growing since the 1990s but also helped it win the Large Business of the Year award, sponsored by City College Norwich, at the Norfolk Business Awards.

“The key to our success is focusing on the care that we deliver,” says MD Tom Lyons. “It’s not about focusing on the profit margins. We are a care business and our primary focus needs to be on providing the highest quality of care for our residents.

“To be successful in this sector we need to focus on them. They are at the heart of everything we do and their dignity, independence and happiness are at the core of our ethos as a company."

My Lyons believes that a care business can only be as good as its workforce and says the Black Swan team has have worked tirelessly, under immense pressure, throughout 2020. “We are incredibly proud of their achievements,” he says.

Eastern Daily Press: Tom Lyons, MD of Black Swan, says everyone at the care group is incredibly proud of the staff whose hard work was rewarded with the awardTom Lyons, MD of Black Swan, says everyone at the care group is incredibly proud of the staff whose hard work was rewarded with the award (Image: Black Swan)

“Receiving the Large Business Award in 2020 is a real testament to the amazing job our carers, domestics, cooks, volunteers, managers, admin and head office staff do. This award has been given to us as a company, but we feel it represents the hard work of each and every one of our amazing team members.”

Black Swan has been operating at a high level for a long time. “We were finalists three years in a row so it’s an amazing moment for us to be able to say we have won a Norfolk Business award,” Mr Lyons says. “Everyone is very proud to be associated with a company that has been recognized for their achievements. To be named the winners among such amazing local businesses is a huge honour, and we are truly humbled.”

Though opportunities may be determined by the response to the coronavirus pandemic, Mr Lyons is confident that the group will continue to grow through 2021. “As a company we are always looking to grow,” he says. “At the moment it’s all about seeing out Covid, recognizing the mental health strains that have been put on everyone working in the care industry, and providing the support our staff and residents need to overcome these tough times.”

For more information, see www.blackswan.co.uk