The trustees of Hallmark Care Homes Foundation have appointed Stephen Burke as the charity’s first chief executive.
Burke (pictured) has more than 30 years of experience leading and managing national care charities, as well as leadership positions in local government and the NHS.
Over the last ten years he has raised the profile of intergenerational action in care, housing, health and learning through the social enterprise United for All Ages that he co-founded.
Burke also co-founded the Campaign to End Loneliness and the Good Care Guide and led mergers to create Grandparents Plus and the Family Mediation Trust.
The Hallmark Care Homes Foundation was established by Avnish Goyal, chairman of Hallmark Care Homes to champion social care and to fund initiatives to improve the quality of life for older people as well as support care workers to fulfil their full potential.
Since the charity was established last year, the foundation has backed projects promoting the care workforce such as The Care Workers Charity Emergency Coronavirus Fund and the Together with Music project.
With Burke onboard, the foundation’s board has plans to improve care for older people and develop its programme of grant-making.
The foundation will also be looking for further trustees to strengthen the impact of their work over the coming year.
“We have big plans for growing the impact of the foundation at a time when the spotlight has been on social care and the impact and positive difference that it has on society. We are keen to work in partnership with other funders and donors to maximise our impact,” said Goyal.
Burke added: “As we emerge from lockdown, older people, and their families will rely on social care. We need to support care workers so they can continue to increase the quality of care, particularly for people living with dementia. We need to resolve the reform of care and how it is funded for the long term.”
Burke has also been appointed as the chief executive of the Goyal family charity, the Hemraj Goyal Foundation, which was set up in memory of Goyal’s father, to support charities on issues such as female genital mutilation, menstrual dignity, empowerment of women and education of children from disadvantaged backgrounds both in the UK and abroad.
