Needed to lead the service as the Trust prepared for its first CQC inspection in eight years
Spanning over several disciplines
Whittled down from 80 relevant candidates
Project concluded in less than a month
The Wilberforce Trust is a supported housing provider in York, tailoring support to meet the needs of people with sensory loss and/or other disabilities. They provide a 24/7 service for up to 45 tenants, alongside a range of other sensory services within the community.
A historic organisation, established in 1833 by leading abolitionist William Wilberforce, the Trust has been patroned since 2018 by York-born Dame Judi Dench. As a beloved and respected charitable organisation within the local community, it was essential that Wilberforce found the right balance between affordability and high-quality service when sourcing this vital post.
The role required a niche skillset spanning several disciplines. Castlefield therefore established a dedicated Project Team, with Nathan Lysons as the leading consultant and key point of contact, supported by Director, Jack Barnes and Senior Manager, Dominic Parkinson.
With more than 20 years’ combined experience across Housing, Healthcare, Operations, Finance and Governance, the team prioritised the assignment and ensured a thorough, targeted search of the available market.
Nathan meticulously filtered more than 80 candidates from a range of sources, including Castlefield’s database, job sites, LinkedIn, client and candidate recommendations, and social media. He mapped the available talent across the market, meeting all candidates deemed relevant to the brief.
The four strongest candidates were presented, with recommendations from key referees where possible, and the shortlist was agreed.
Multiple candidates were deemed appointable and, following a final meeting with the Board, an offer was made and accepted.
The process was smooth and efficient due to Castlefield’s project schedule (C.A.R.E), requiring minimal time away from the Trust’s day-to-day commitments. The three stages - briefing, shortlisting and interviewing - were successfully concluded in less than a month, with an aftercare meeting then booked in.
The successful candidate was local and had previously managed a practice through a CQC inspection rated “Outstanding”. They brought stability from day one and quickly produced a comprehensive plan to strengthen governance and improve CQC inspection readiness.
Castlefield’s thoroughness, attention to detail, ease to work with and overall quality of service were excellent throughout, resulting in the ideal appointment to lead the Trust into the future.
