Welcome to Stonehaven Care Group, a family run company who enjoys providing a specialist care service, both in residential and nursing.
Stephen Stone – Chairman
Stephen has a natural connection with the older generations – he was raised by his Grandparents. He left school in 1966 and spent the following years supporting his relationship with Dawn and later their family, through a few employed positions, starting as a buyer (10yrs) with a food multi-national, later a house-builder and much later having been one of the first 25 people at Dyson Appliances Ltd, again as a buyer. In 1994, with his children through University and ‘flown the nest’, Stephen (and Dawn – his wife of 46-years) was able to really think about what they wanted from their lives, and subsequently, from their work… and it was to continue caring for people in some way.
In 1996 Stephen and Dawn purchased a small Residential Care Home in Dartmouth, Devon. They both took naturally to this caring role, applying their caring desires with their lifetime developed professional skills, and neither has looked back since. Stephen now frequently reminds us all just how much he loves his work.
Stephen, in his role as Chairman, is the figurehead for the Stonehaven Care Group. He is the gatekeeper of the standards to which all in the company aspire. His position is greatly facilitated by the quality of the team of people working with him, all of whom share a simple yet tremendously important (and sometimes too easily forsaken in the World) commodity – they care for, and about, people.
Nick Connors – Managing Director
Originally from the South East of England, Nick ventured to Devon in 1998 for University and has not left the wonderful South West since, now firmly settled with his wife and three children in Exeter.
An 18 year career in Corporate Banking, working with businesses across all sectors and sizes, has provided Nick with a strong understanding of the economy, the evolution of businesses through their life cycle, forecasting, funding and more….. Ten of these years were spent working with clients in the Healthcare sector, predominantly with care homes, and Nick rapidly developed a strong affinity to the sector, seeing the positive impact upon residents of the care provided, and how the sector contributed more widely to society.
Three years working for a Swedish bank in the UK, focussing on the property sector broadened his experience further but put into focus how much he enjoyed working with the care sector and thus the opportunity to join Stonehaven was perfect.
As Managing Director it is Nick’s role to oversee and pull together the various aspects of the company, to ensure it is operating effectively to provide the best level of care possible, whilst also focussing upon the strategic growth of the company.
Outside of work, Nick enjoys spending time with the family, football, running and listening to music (live and recorded).
Dawn Stone – Director Of Care
Dawn has been married to Stephen since she was 21-years old, with whom she began our family in 1974. Before that she had been in a ‘one girl amongst three brothers’ family… which took care and effort.
Dawn had before been mostly in the catering industry, but when she and Stephen purchased the first Residential Care Home in 1996 Dawn naturally assumed the role of ‘Care Home Manager’. Much akin to Stephen’s experience, Dawn took to this, like a duck to water. The position was a natural vent for her outgoing, caring nature (whilst bringing her into daily contact with care team members, residents and their families) with whom she was able to have occasional good old gossips!
As Stonehaven has developed, thus has Dawn’s role. Dawn regularly visits each Care Home to provide support and guidance where needed and to ensure that our rigorous standards are constantly met within each home, and to promote our team-training programmes.
Dawn’s role brings her into regular contact with CQC (Regulatory body for the Care Industry) with whom she and Stonehaven have a very healthy and productive working relationship. As a company, Stonehaven Care Group welcomes input from the regulatory and inspection support bodies, as we know the service is improved and strengthened that way.
Ralphe Stone – Facilities & Procurement Director
Ralphe’s Business Degree pre-disposed him perfectly to assume the Facilities & Procurement Director role in our fast-growing service.
He is strategically responsible for; procurement (including bought ledger), property, fixed and floating equipment assets, utilities, insurance and maintenance as well as being responsible for implementation of all of the Boards strategies across fifty percent of the groups care homes.
In the early days of Stonehaven, Ralphe’s involvement included actual personal care activity during which he proved to be a great asset to the home as he is instinctively compassionate and caring. That experience of working in a care home is of great value to the company in ensuring that all decisions made at every level in the business are fundamental to one simple quality value, “will this improve the lifestyle experience of our residents?”
Ralphe sees his challenges as keeping up-to-date with new technologies and implementing those, where beneficial; also seeking innovation and ideas that can offer quality improvements and add to the customer ‘Value for Money’ experience.
Nathan Stone – Director Of Services Development & Human Resources
Nathan is Stephen and Dawn’s eldest son. Having completed a Psychology degree at Leeds University Nathan then choose to pursue a career in retail through what was, at the time, a new and fairly small company, The Carphone Warehouse. Within a period of three and a half years Nathan had progressed to roles of Retail Operations Manager and then Area Sales Manager – responsible for the Oxford Street Stores in London.
The people-management skills, larger organisation efficiencies and customer-lead mind set that Nathan had developed with The Carphone Warehouse, and not least his closely relevant degree, increasingly had real relevance to the needs of Stonehaven as our company continued to shows signs of results and recommendation rapid growth. Having joined Stonehaven Care Group in May 2004, Nathan is involved in any aspect of the business that has an impact upon the quality of service experienced by; our residents, care-team members, social services, inspection and ‘the outside World’
Nathan’s role is clear – it is to apply his skills to help ensure that any Stonehaven care home is the best home for elderly people in need of Residential Care. Also to ensure that these people feel that Stonehaven Care Group is the best care provider for them to be with and for all to have easy access to information about our company and the service that we provide.
Nathan is delighted to now be using his earlier developed skills in a company with so vital a role in people’s lives. The focus in our company is clear in itself – and is clearly valued by every team member – it is ‘to enable our residents to achieve the best from their lives’.
Naomi Cronk – Financial Controller, PA To Chairman & Company Secretary
Naomi joined the company in 2015 as Financial Controller. Her role also extends to PA to Stephen and Company Secretary. She was previously at Old Mill Accountants in Exeter so brings with her a wealth of financial knowledge and experience.
Naomi lives in Exeter with her husband and two children, and enjoys running, elaborate cake decorating and horseplay.
Fiona Searle – Care Standards Manager
Fiona, a trained RGN, was managing St Petrocs in Bodmin when Stonehaven bought the home in November 2003. She stayed with the home under the new management until 2017, when she was promoted to Care Standards Manager for the group. Her role is to assist in the delivery of the very highest standards of care in each of Stonehaven’s homes, through ensuring that we are the experts in up to the minute care innovations and ensuring best practice is rolled out across the group. Based at the Support Office, she travels daily between the homes.
Fiona lives in Cornwall. She enjoys travelling (by motorbike or canal boat), fine wines and is a Champion Euchre player!
Nikki Cooper – Service Development Manager
Nikki joined the company in March 2017. She joined as a Care Assistant at The Manor Residential Care Home in Exminster. This was her first experience of working in residential care. Nikki instantly found the work very rewarding, she particularly enjoyed the interaction with residents and helping them to have a good day – every day.
After just 10 months Nikki was promoted to Senior Carer. In this role Nikki was able to expand upon her input in the home, taking on more of the administration work including medications, writing care plans and training up new care team members.
The Deputy Manager position became available in the November of 2018 and Nikki was delighted to be successful in her application for the role.
Nikki then worked closely with Kathy Hodgkins, Registered Care Home Manager, to secure The Manor’s position as one of the most successful Care Homes in the Company.
In February 2022 Nikki began a 6-month secondment working at the Support Office in the Service Development Manager role. Following a gruelling interview process where the role attracted a large number of very good external candidates Nikki was offered the Service Development Manager position on a full-time contract.
Nikki now works as an integral part of the Service Development Department whose purpose is to ensure that our Care Home Managers and Care Teams have all the resources; training, regulatory, physical, human resources that they need in order to provide the very best bespoke care to each of the residents in our care.
Outside of work Nikki enjoys cooking, attending music festivals, canal boating and travel, though, more than anything, spending time with her family.
Sharon Goldsworthy – Care Compliance and Development Manager
I have 30 years experience of working in health and social care. I have managed residential and nursing care services, domiciliary complex care service, 11 years with CQC as a Regulatory Inspector and Regional Enforcement Team Manager and 6 years with a local NHS Trust as Governance and CQC Lead, with lead roles in Consent and in Culture Change. I am also an associate lecturer with Exeter University teaching rapid process culture change on the Health and Social Care Leadership programme. More recently I have been working as a freelance consultant supporting a range of care services with all aspects of CQC compliance.
During the initial Covid first wave I was working for Torbay & South Devon NHS Foundation Trust supporting as the Covid 19 Community Swabbing Lead and Care Home Support Lead for Outbreaks. I have written guidance and protocols for care homes and for the Trust to support those with outbreaks, and a new proactive support tool to aid with prevention and preparation for outbreaks.
I work with Stonehaven 3 days a week, supporting homes with their service development and improvement programme and also providing advice and support on CQC Compliance. Outside of work I am a busy mum to two boys, and enjoy spending time with family and friends.
Carole Hatcher – Payroll And General Administration
Carole is the most glamorous member of the team. She previously worked in the Accounts Department of the Palace Hotel, Torquay for 13 years. She now assists Wendy with the Payroll and general administration. Carole is also responsible for keeping the extensive training records for each staff member up to date.
Carole has two grown up sons and she enjoys holidays, especially cruises, reading and walking the dogs.
Gaynor Ward – Facilities and Purchasing Administrator
Gaynor moved to Devon in 2016 to become a licensee at a local pub, restaurant, B&B which she ran with her husband and family until 2019.
Running the business combined with over 22 years experience working within the NHS, undertaking a wide range of managerial, administrative and financial duties will assist with the company’s growth.
Gaynor’s role as Facilities & Purchasing Administrator is to support the portfolio of the Southwest Care Homes with purchasing, facilities management and compliance.
Gaynor has three grown up children, two daughters and a son. Harriet recently graduated in Veterinary and Abigayle in Forensic Investigation both during the lockdown restrictions. Connor is currently working full time and doing a degree in Business Studies.
During her spare time she enjoys spending time with the family travelling and walking on the moors.
Stephen Stone – Chairman And Managing Director
Stephen has a natural connection with the older generations – he was raised by his Grandparents. He left school in 1966 and spent the following years supporting his relationship with Dawn and later their family, through a few employed positions, starting as a buyer (10yrs) with a food multi-national, later a house-builder and much later having been one of the first 25 people at Dyson Appliances Ltd, again as a buyer. In 1994, with his children through University and ‘flown the nest’, Stephen (and Dawn – his wife of 30-years) was able to really think about what they wanted from their lives, and subsequently, from their work… and it was to continue caring for people in some way.
In 1996 Stephen and Dawn purchased a small Residential Care Home in Dartmouth, Devon. They both took naturally to this caring role, applying their caring desires with their lifetime developed professional skills, and neither has looked back since. Stephen now frequently reminds us all just how much he loves his work.
Stephen, in his role as Chairman & Managing Director, is the figurehead for the Stonehaven Care Group. He is the gatekeeper of the standards to which all in the company aspire. His position is greatly facilitated by the quality of the team of people working with him, all of whom share a simple yet tremendously important (and sometimes too easily forsaken in the World) commodity – they care for, and about, people.
Nick Connors – Managing Director
Originally from the South East of England, Nick ventured to Devon in 1998 for University and has not left the wonderful South West since, now firmly settled with his wife and three children in Exeter.
An 18 year career in Corporate Banking, working with businesses across all sectors and sizes, has provided Nick with a strong understanding of the economy, the evolution of businesses through their life cycle, forecasting, funding and more….. Ten of these years were spent working with clients in the Healthcare sector, predominantly with care homes, and Nick rapidly developed a strong affinity to the sector, seeing the positive impact upon residents of the care provided, and how the sector contributed more widely to society.
Three years working for a Swedish bank in the UK, focussing on the property sector broadened his experience further but put into focus how much he enjoyed working with the care sector and thus the opportunity to join Stonehaven was perfect.
As Managing Director it is Nick’s role to oversee and pull together the various aspects of the company, to ensure it is operating effectively to provide the best level of care possible, whilst also focussing upon the strategic growth of the company.
Outside of work, Nick enjoys spending time with the family, football, running and listening to music (live and recorded).
Dawn Stone – Director Of Care
Dawn has been married to Stephen since she was 21-years old, with whom she began our family in 1974. Before that she had been in a ‘one girl amongst three brothers’ family… which took care and effort.
Dawn had before been mostly in the catering industry, but when she and Stephen purchased the first Residential Care Home in 1996 Dawn naturally assumed the role of ‘Care Home Manager’. Much akin to Stephen’s experience, Dawn took to this, like a duck to water. The position was a natural vent for her outgoing, caring nature (whilst bringing her into daily contact with care team members, residents and their families) with whom she was able to have occasional good old gossips!
As Stonehaven has developed, thus has Dawn’s role. Dawn regularly visits each Care Home to provide support and guidance where needed and to ensure that our rigorous standards are constantly met within each home, and to promote our team-training programmes.
Dawn’s role brings her into regular contact with CQC (Regulatory body for the Care Industry) with whom she and Stonehaven have a very healthy and productive working relationship. As a company, Stonehaven Care Group welcomes input from the regulatory and inspection support bodies, as we know the service is improved and strengthened that way.
Ralphe Stone – Operations Director
Ralphe’s Business Degree pre-disposed him perfectly to assume the Operations Director role in our fast-growing service.
He is strategically responsible for; procurement (including bought ledger), property, fixed and floating equipment assets, utilities, insurance and maintenance as well as being responsible for implementation of all of the Boards strategies across fifty percent of the groups care homes.
In the early days of Stonehaven, Ralphe’s involvement included actual personal care activity during which he proved to be a great asset to the home as he is instinctively compassionate and caring. That experience of working in a care home is of great value to the company in ensuring that all decisions made at every level in the business are fundamental to one simple quality value, “will this improve the lifestyle experience of our residents?”
Ralphe sees his challenges as keeping up-to-date with new technologies and implementing those, where beneficial; also seeking innovation and ideas that can offer quality improvements and add to the customer ‘Value for Money’ experience.
Nathan Stone – Director Of Services Development & Human Resources
Nathan is Stephen and Dawn’s eldest son. Having completed a Psychology degree at Leeds University Nathan then choose to pursue a career in retail through what was, at the time, a new and fairly small company, The Carphone Warehouse. Within a period of three and a half years Nathan had progressed to roles of Retail Operations Manager and then Area Sales Manager – responsible for the Oxford Street Stores in London.
The people-management skills, larger organisation efficiencies and customer-lead mind set that Nathan had developed with The Carphone Warehouse, and not least his closely relevant degree, increasingly had real relevance to the needs of Stonehaven as our company continued to shows signs of results and recommendation rapid growth. Having joined Stonehaven Care Group in May 2004, Nathan is involved in any aspect of the business that has an impact upon the quality of service experienced by; our residents, care-team members, social services, inspection and ‘the outside World’
Nathan’s role is clear – it is to apply his skills to help ensure that any Stonehaven care home is the best home for elderly people in need of Residential Care. Also to ensure that these people feel that Stonehaven Care Group is the best care provider for them to be with and for all to have easy access to information about our company and the service that we provide.
Nathan is delighted to now be using his earlier developed skills in a company with so vital a role in people’s lives. The focus in our company is clear in itself – and is clearly valued by every team member – it is ‘to enable our residents to achieve the best from their lives’.
Naomi Cronk – Financial Controller, PA To Chairman & Company Secretary
Naomi joined the company in 2015 as Financial Controller. Her role also extends to PA to Stephen and Company Secretary. She was previously at Old Mill Accountants in Exeter so brings with her a wealth of financial knowledge and experience.
Naomi lives in Exeter with her husband and two children, and enjoys running, elaborate cake decorating and horseplay.
Fiona Searle – Care Standards Manager
Fiona, a trained RGN, was managing St Petrocs in Bodmin when Stonehaven bought the home in November 2003. She stayed with the home under the new management until 2017, when she was promoted to Care Standards Manager for the group. Her role is to assist in the delivery of the very highest standards of care in each of Stonehaven’s homes, through ensuring that we are the experts in up to the minute care innovations and ensuring best practice is rolled out across the group. Based at the Support Office, she travels daily between the homes.
Fiona lives in Cornwall. She enjoys travelling (by motorbike or canal boat), fine wines and is a Champion Euchre player!
Nikki Cooper – Service Development Manager
Nikki joined the company in March 2017. She joined as a Care Assistant at The Manor Residential Care Home in Exminster. This was her first experience of working in residential care. Nikki instantly found the work very rewarding, she particularly enjoyed the interaction with residents and helping them to have a good day – every day.
After just 10 months Nikki was promoted to Senior Carer. In this role Nikki was able to expand upon her input in the home, taking on more of the administration work including medications, writing care plans and training up new care team members.
The Deputy Manager position became available in the November of 2018 and Nikki was delighted to be successful in her application for the role.
Nikki then worked closely with Kathy Hodgkins, Registered Care Home Manager, to secure The Manor’s position as one of the most successful Care Homes in the Company.
In February 2022 Nikki began a 6-month secondment working at the Support Office in the Service Development Manager role. Following a gruelling interview process where the role attracted a large number of very good external candidates Nikki was offered the Service Development Manager position on a full-time contract.
Nikki now works as an integral part of the Service Development Department whose purpose is to ensure that our Care Home Managers and Care Teams have all the resources; training, regulatory, physical, human resources that they need in order to provide the very best bespoke care to each of the residents in our care.
Outside of work Nikki enjoys cooking, attending music festivals, canal boating and travel, though, more than anything, spending time with her family.
Sharon Goldsworthy – Care Compliance and Development Manager
I have 30 years experience of working in health and social care. I have managed residential and nursing care services, domiciliary complex care service, 11 years with CQC as a Regulatory Inspector and Regional Enforcement Team Manager and 6 years with a local NHS Trust as Governance and CQC Lead, with lead roles in Consent and in Culture Change. I am also an associate lecturer with Exeter University teaching rapid process culture change on the Health and Social Care Leadership programme. More recently I have been working as a freelance consultant supporting a range of care services with all aspects of CQC compliance.
During the initial Covid first wave I was working for Torbay & South Devon NHS Foundation Trust supporting as the Covid 19 Community Swabbing Lead and Care Home Support Lead for Outbreaks. I have written guidance and protocols for care homes and for the Trust to support those with outbreaks, and a new proactive support tool to aid with prevention and preparation for outbreaks.
I work with Stonehaven 3 days a week, supporting homes with their service development and improvement programme and also providing advice and support on CQC Compliance. Outside of work I am a busy mum to two boys, and enjoy spending time with family and friends.
Carole Hatcher – Payroll And General Administration
Carole is the most glamorous member of the team. She previously worked in the Accounts Department of the Palace Hotel, Torquay for 13 years. She now assists Wendy with the Payroll and general administration. Carole is also responsible for keeping the extensive training records for each staff member up to date.
Carole has two grown up sons and she enjoys holidays, especially cruises, reading and walking the dogs.
Gaynor Ward – Facilities and Purchasing Administrator
Gaynor moved to Devon in 2016 to become a licensee at a local pub, restaurant, B&B which she ran with her husband and family until 2019.
Running the business combined with over 22 years experience working within the NHS, undertaking a wide range of managerial, administrative and financial duties will assist with the company’s growth.
Gaynor’s role as Facilities & Purchasing Administrator is to support the portfolio of the Southwest Care Homes with purchasing, facilities management and compliance.
Gaynor has three grown up children, two daughters and a son. Harriet recently graduated in Veterinary and Abigayle in Forensic Investigation both during the lockdown restrictions. Connor is currently working full time and doing a degree in Business Studies.
During her spare time she enjoys spending time with the family travelling and walking on the moors.
