Connecting communities, changing lives: Care Network Cambridgeshire celebrates 40 years.
Care Network Cambridgeshire is marking four decades of supporting people across the county with a special 40th anniversary celebration bringing together the people, stories and partnerships that have shaped the charity over the past 40 years.
Care Network Cambridgeshire is marking four decades of supporting people across the county with a special 40th anniversary celebration bringing together the people, stories and partnerships that have shaped the charity over the past 40 years.
Since becoming an established charity in 1986, Care Network has provided vital support to thousands of people across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Whether helping someone recover following illness or a hospital stay, access vital healthcare appointments, overcome loneliness, rebuild confidence, strengthen their independence or reconnect with their community, the charity has spent four decades helping people navigate some of life’s most challenging moments.
To mark this significant milestone, Care Network is inviting local communities, volunteers, partners, supporters and anyone interested in its work to join its 40th Anniversary Celebration this October.
40th Anniversary Celebration
Tuesday 6th October 2026
1.30pm–3.30pm
William Collyn Community Centre, Girton, Cambridge
The celebration will bring Care Network’s 40-year story to life, recognising the people who have shaped the charity while celebrating the thousands of lives changed through the power of community support.
Visitors will have the opportunity to journey through four decades of Care Network’s history, meet staff, volunteers, partners and supporters, and hear directly from some of the people who have been part of its story.
A special anniversary film will feature Care Network’s history alongside interviews and stories from clients, stakeholders, staff and volunteers, reflecting on the charity’s past, the difference its work makes today and its ambitions for the future.
The anniversary comes at a time when the need for community-based support has never been greater. In 2025 alone, Care Network supported 2,479 people across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, many experiencing loneliness, social isolation, poor mental health, bereavement, ill health or challenges maintaining their independence – often at moments when they felt they had nowhere else to turn.
Yet behind every statistic is a person whose life has been changed.
One individual described the impact of receiving support:
“This phone call has been the most I have smiled and laughed in around three years.”
Another shared:
“You have made my day. You are the first person who has called me to ask if I am OK… I live alone.”
For others facing overwhelming circumstances, a single conversation has provided hope, reassurance and a way forward:
“You have given me more help in one phone call than anyone else… I can’t thank you enough.”
At the heart of Care Network’s work is a simple but powerful belief: everyone deserves to feel heard, valued and connected.
Through its three core service areas – Help at Home, RISE (Resilience, Intervention, Support and Empowerment) and Community Support – the charity combines practical help with genuine human connection.
From supporting people following a hospital stay or health crisis, to providing practical help at home, connecting people with community services and transport, reducing isolation and helping people regain stability, confidence and independence, Care Network provides support designed around the needs of the individual.
The impact of this support can be seen in outcomes reported by people using its services:
Demand for Care Network’s services continues to grow. In 2025, referrals to the service now known as RISE increased by 21%, highlighting the growing need for accessible, person-centred support within local communities.
Lynda Phillips, Chief Executive of Care Network Cambridgeshire, said:
“Behind every call, every visit and every connection is a person who may be feeling alone, overwhelmed or unsure where to turn. Our role is not just to provide support, but to stand alongside people – helping them regain confidence, feel heard and reconnect with their communities.
“As we celebrate 40 years, we are incredibly proud of the difference our staff, volunteers and partners make every day. This anniversary celebration is an opportunity to recognise everyone who has been part of our journey, while looking ahead to the future and the growing need for community support across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.”
People remain at the heart of everything Care Network does. The charity’s dedicated staff and volunteers provide far more than practical support – they build trusted relationships that combat loneliness, restore confidence and create a sense of belonging.
One client summed up that impact simply:
“I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful, kind and caring person on hand… I really couldn’t ask for a better person.”
As the charity looks to the future, it remains committed to responding to the changing needs of local communities. With increasing numbers of people facing loneliness, mental health challenges, financial pressures and barriers to accessing support, Care Network continues to work alongside local partners, health services and volunteers to ensure help is available when and where it is needed most.
The 40th anniversary is not only an opportunity to reflect on Care Network’s history, but also to recognise the power of kindness, connection and community – and the difference that can be made when people come together to support one another.
People have been at the heart of Care Network for 40 years – and they will remain at the heart of its future.
EVENT DETAILS
Care Network Cambridgeshire 40th Anniversary Celebration
Tuesday 6th October 2026
1.30pm–3.30pm
William Collyn Community Centre, Girton, Cambridge
Light refreshments, anniversary cake and non-alcoholic sparkling drinks will be served.
To attend: please email admin@care-network.org.uk or call 01954 211919
ABOUT CARE NETWORK CAMBRIDGESHIRE
Care Network Cambridgeshire is a charity dedicated to helping adults across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough improve their health, wellbeing and independence.
Through Help at Home, RISE (Resilience, Intervention, Support and Empowerment) and Community Support, the charity provides practical support, personalised guidance and community-based services that help people regain stability, stay independent, remain connected and live well at home.
From its beginnings in Comberton in the 1970s, when founder Sheila Stephenson established a village support scheme that grew first into neighbouring villages and later across the county, to the countywide charity it is today, Care Network has remained committed to one simple principle:
Stronger communities are built through connection, compassion and practical support.
ENDS
Media enquiries
For further information, interview requests, photographs or enquiries about Care Network Cambridgeshire’s 40th anniversary celebration, please contact:
Sam Holson
sam.h@care-network.org.uk
Tel 01954 211919
www.care-network.org.uk
Care Network Cambridgeshire
18 Broadway House
149-151 St Neots Road
Hardwick, Cambridgeshire
CB23 7QJ