A Personal Reflection by Angela Boxall, Championing Social Care Board Member and CEO of Majesticare
On 27th February, I had the absolute pleasure of joining our Championing Social Care community for our first Ambassador Reception of 2026, generously hosted by our friends at Browne Jacobson. As I stood with around seventy of our closest supporters, I was struck once again by the immense passion, expertise, and sense of purpose that lives so strongly within our sector.
Even after many years working across social care, evenings like this still leave me deeply moved. They remind me why our work matters—not only to the people we care for, but to the thousands of dedicated professionals who show up every day with warmth, resilience, and a commitment to making lives better.
Stories That Inspire and Energise
One of the greatest joys of the evening was hearing the stories from our Ambassadors about the work they are doing to support our programmes. These were genuinely heartfelt reflections on how people right across the country are sharing their knowledge, challenging outdated perceptions, and bringing modern care to life.
What struck me most was the sheer diversity of their experiences. Every story was different, but each carried the same message: social care is full of extraordinary people doing extraordinary things, often quietly, often without recognition, but always with heart.
Our host, Clare Auty, shared her journey to becoming an Ambassador 4 years ago and the reward she finds in immersing herself in the Great British Care Cycle Relay flagship event. She said:
“Being an Ambassador, for me, is not just about paying some money to have our name on events, it’s about giving my time and the time of my team to connect or reconnect with the sector. It’s brilliant to be able to visit the care settings and meet the team and the people they care for. It reminds us why we do what we do. The whole team finds it rewarding.”
Honouring a Founding Leader
The evening also held a bittersweet note as we said goodbye to our founding Chair, Avnish Goyal CBE. Avnish has been a guiding force from the very beginning, helping to steer Championing Social Care from a passionate idea into a movement with real national impact.
I have known Avnish for many years, and I have always admired his deep belief in the people of social care. His leadership has opened doors, changed conversations, and ensured our sector has the visibility and respect it deserves. Saying farewell to him in this role was emotional, but I know his influence and support will remain woven into everything we do.
Welcoming a New Chapter
As we turned the page on one chapter, we opened another with the warmest welcome to Vishal Shah, our new Chair of the Board. I couldn’t be more excited to see Vishal step into this role. His understanding of the sector, his commitment to innovation, and his enthusiasm for strengthening our programmes shone brightly throughout the evening.
Transitions like this are important milestones for any organisation, and standing in that room, surrounded by so much positivity, I felt completely confident about our future. We are in safe, ambitious, compassionate hands—and that is exactly what Championing Social Care needs as we continue to grow our impact.
A Moment to Look Forward
As the evening drew to a close, I found myself reflecting on what makes the Championing Social Care movement so special. It isn’t just the events, or the programmes, or even the structural impact—though these matter hugely. It’s the people. The Ambassadors. The supporters. The partners. The shared belief that social care deserves to be celebrated, invested in, and championed.
We are a community built on hope, on collaboration, and on a determination to ensure that those who care for others feel seen, valued, and heard.
And if the stories shared at this year’s Ambassador Reception are anything to go by, our community is stronger, more passionate, and more united than ever.
Be Part of What Comes Next
If you are curious about the work we do, I warmly encourage you to reach out. Whether you want to volunteer your expertise, become an Ambassador, support our programmes, or simply learn more, we would love to hear from you. Find out more about all of our programmes on our website and contact us to get involved on ku.gr1772536374o.era1772536374claic1772536374osgni1772536374noipm1772536374ahc@o1772536374fni1772536374
Championing Social Care is a movement shaped by people like you.
