investing

Amazing people, making a real difference to lives

by Ethex 1 June 2021

In this blog, we're looking at the amazing people who provide the care for MindforYou holiday customers, enabling them to enjoy the freedom of a fun-filled, dementia-friendly holiday.

Both the teams at Ethex and at MindforYou were delighted at the news that their share offer had passed its minimum target raise of £275,000. With this funding in place, this extraordinary organisation will be able to do more to help people living with dementia and their families and unpaid carers to enjoy a break from the isolation the disease can bring. And the even better news is that they have decided to keep the offer open to allow more investors to get on board and help them to do even more!

Hitting this first milestone has meant the MindforYou team have started planning their 2022 holidays, with the 2021 calendar of holidays just about to get underway. And this year, more than ever, the carers of loved ones with dementia are desperate for a relaxing, supported and fun-filled holiday after the isolation that the COVID lockdowns brought.

Investments in the MindfrorYou share offer will help them to grow and one of the areas funded will be the recruitment and training of new staff to assist on the dementia-friendly holidays and help the families with the planning. These amazing people are not only fully qualified and vetted, but the team at MindforYou are 100% dedicated to ensuring that their clients have the best holiday with plenty of fun, relaxation in luxury surroundings. They work with the families to ensure they understand everything about people's care needs ahead of time, so they can provide a personalised care plan for each of their clients, even down to their favourite biscuits.

We've learned a lot about the truly amazing people who provide the care for MindforYou holiday customers, and we had the pleasure of catching up with one of their staff, Caty Whitehouse who began work with MindforYou while in her first year of medical school and after the first holiday experience, she never looked back! Caty says:

"From working on the holidays I was able to see first hand what a difference the company was making to the lives of the guests. It sounds cheesy, but it’s true! Guests would arrive on the holidays and inevitably be apprehensive, but by the 2nd or 3rd day you could see them visibly relax and really begin to enjoy themselves. For the carers, they were given the chance to not have to worry about every little detail of the day in a way people caring for a person living with dementia unfortunately often have to. They could have time to themselves, be cooked for, not have to plan activities, but also could spend quality time with their loved ones with support there if needed. And for the people living with dementia, it allowed them to regain some of their old lives almost, and many a time carers would be amazed at their spouses singing along to the music they thought they had long forgotten or getting up to dance for the first time in years.

"For me, the key to the business model that makes the holidays so great is that they feel like family holidays. The support staff sit and eat with the guests, travel with the guests, and spend time talking to the guests in a way that we don’t feel like ’staff’ but like people on the holiday with them. It continually amazed me that no matter which staff members or which guests were on a holiday together, it always had that family feel. And I felt that was something Carol (MindforYou founder) really put at the heart of the company, and that makes it so special."

"Now in my career as a doctor, I can see that all these experiences helped to shape me into a holistic practitioner who sees patients as people first and foremost."

Having finished her degree and starting full-time work, Caty was no longer able to work with MindforYou any longer, but when the opportunity came up to support the company in another way - by investing - she jumped at the chance. She explains:

"Not only is MindforYou a company I believe wholeheartedly in for the reasons I have described, but I also feel it’s a fantastic financial decision too. Not many savings account at the moment will give you as much return for your money at relatively low risk, and they certainly won’t be improving peoples’ lives along the way! And this is exactly what I would say to those considering investing!"

The MindforYou share offer has been extended to 31st July and investments will not only fund the recruitment and training of more staff like Caty and help bring more joy to the lives of people living with dementia, but they will also target a financial return of 3%. Investments are also eligible for EIS tax relief of 30%, so if you are looking for ways to invest your money to make a real positive impact on lives, check out their profile page on Ethex to find out more.

Capital is at risk and returns are not guaranteed. Tax benefits are subject to eligibility

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