Ex-RAF hero launches care company to help veterans and people with dementia in Sandwell

Chris Taylor, who travelled the world with the Royal Air Force, has told of his passion and determination to bring something new to the sector to help veterans and elderly people living with dementia in the Black Country to maintain their independence.

In January he officially launched Bridgewater Home Care to provide domiciliary care to adults needing help to stay in their own homes - and he's particularly proud to be running the company, a franchise, from his home town of Tipton.

Chris, aged 46, said: "I've travelled all around the world but everywhere I've lived I've always said I'm going home to the Black Country. In the forces I was known as 'yam yam' but I'm proud to be from the Black Country. The UK wouldn't be what it is without the Black Country."

The married father of three, who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Falklands among other places, decided he wanted to go into the care business after his father passed away in 2023, aged 76.

He said: "He planted the seed - that's why we invested in this."

Chris, who said he experienced mental health struggles as he adjusted to civilian life after 18 years with the RAF, told how his much-loved dad Ian Taylor helped him through his tough times and inspired him to pursue a career in the care industry.

He said: "It was on his death bed that he said he was worried about how I would cope and he said 'when I see you helping people - I see a glow'. He told me to get out there and do that."

Chris had been working in risk management at Mott MacDonald at the time, having previously worked in a security and emergency operations role at Jaguar Land Rover - a post he landed after he was medically discharged from the RAF where he had been a dog handler and involved in security and counter intelligence work.

Losing his beloved dad, however, changed everything and he decided it was time to do something that involved helping people and that would enable him to really make a difference.

That's what sparked the idea to invest in a Bridgewater Home Care franchise which he has been busy getting up and running since May 2024, setting up office in Tipton and getting the company registered with the CQC.

With the CQC registration approved in January, he now has 12 employees working to help people in Sandwell and surrounding areas to live well at home.

He told the Express & Star he has given his all to starting the business which has been awarded the Armed Forces Covenant and which he says is the only home care service in the area with a specific focus on helping veterans.

Chris, a member of the Royal British Legion and a sponsor of Sponsored Breaks which helps military veterans to enjoy a break away, said: "Some care companies don't understand what veterans need. it's like a brotherhood.

"We're the only veteran owned and run home care provider specifically supporting veterans in Sandwell, the Black Country and possibly the Midlands and whole of the UK."

Chris, who grew up and went to school in Tipton before joining the armed forces, said he's also linking up with businesses and researchers overseas to seek out best practices to enable him to provide a first class service to people in Sandwell in need of help but wanting to avoid moving into residential care.

He said the company aims to offer a value for money, high quality service - and he added: "It isn't all about making money - as long as I can pay bills and go on holiday once a year. Everything else gets ploughed back into the business to make sure each client is getting the best care."