International Women's Day: 'Why my late mum is still my biggest inspiration' by award-winning Harrogate care home boss

CEO of the Springfield Healthcare group, Graeme Lee took the reins of the family business in 1994 after his mother Andrea, a former nurse, passed away when there was just one care home in place.

Shortly after, he acquired the site for the group’s second care home, Seacroft Grange, before his father Albert died.

Today, the group includes seven care homes across Yorkshire, including Harcourt Gardens in Harrogate.

Speaking on International Women's Day, Springfield Healthcare CEO Graeme Lee said it didn't feel like 30 years since his mum had passed.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 30 years since my dear mother passed,” he said.

"She was and still is my inspiration.

“Prior to her passing, her and my father had already spent 20 years building a successful care home, so I wanted to do them proud and grow the business.

“I grew up in the first care home my parents founded so I was well versed in the kind of care my parents and staff provided to older people.

"I knew I wanted to carry this forward and create care homes in the heart of communities that really make a difference to older people’s wellbeing.”

With more than 55 years’ experience of providing quality care into local communities, Springfield Healthcare is showing no signs of slowing down and neither is Graeme.

The latest project is the £15 million transformation of Harrogate’s historic Grove House into a major new care home and community facility.

Located off Skipton Road, the grade two listed building was the home of Victorian inventor and mayor Samson Fox.

It was later used as a hospital during the First World War and as the headquarters of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes.

Springfield Healthcare bought the six-acre site from the RAOB for more than £3 million in 2017.

Springfield Healthcare now has three generations of the Lee family involved in the running of the business which now employs nearly 700 staff.

More information at: https://www.springfieldhealthcare.com/