Padiham businessman Ben launches family company in honour of his much missed brother

A young man with special needs, who won the hearts of everyone he met before his sudden death in 2011, is the inspiration for a business launched by his mother and brother.
Pictured at the Me to You care agency offices are (from left to right) Danielle Smith, Care Manager, Gary Bentley, Director, Jonte Morton, Director, Ben Morton, Managing Director and Lauren Southworth, Compliance AdministratorPictured at the Me to You care agency offices are (from left to right) Danielle Smith, Care Manager, Gary Bentley, Director, Jonte Morton, Director, Ben Morton, Managing Director and Lauren Southworth, Compliance Administrator
Pictured at the Me to You care agency offices are (from left to right) Danielle Smith, Care Manager, Gary Bentley, Director, Jonte Morton, Director, Ben Morton, Managing Director and Lauren Southworth, Compliance Administrator

To Me To You Support is the legacy of Oliver Morton who was just 20 when he died in 2011. He had learning difficulties and special health needs his entire life caused by lack of oxygen when he was born.

The local care agency was set up by Oliver's older brother Ben and his parents, Jonte and David Morton, who have personal experience of what makes a good carer and how demanding the job can be..

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Ben (32) said: "We started this business because we have experienced, first-hand, the incredible influence the right staffing support can provide to vulnerable adults and children."

Oliver was only 20 when he died suddenly of a cardiac arrest during a trip out to the swimming pool. He was rushed to hospital and his family had to make the heart breaking decision to withdraw life support.

But they drew comfort from the fact that another outstanding legacy of Oliver's is that his organs were donated to save the lives of others.

Jonte said: "Oliver was loved by people wherever he went because no matter what he went through in life, and that was a lot, he was always smiling.”

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"As a family we had first hand knowledge of the difficulties faced when looking after a boy like Oliver and there was a huge difference in the quality of services from when he was a child to becoming an adult."

Ben hit on the idea for the care agency after spending several years working in the health care sector where he saw a gap in the industry for a Lancashire based, ethical staffing provider for vulnerable people.

He added: "We had an epiphany one day and realised that with the knowledge that both I and my family had about practically every aspect of the social care sector we could start our own business."

That was two years ago and today Ben heads the family business with assistance from his mum and business partner, Gary Bentley.

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And even the business name pays homage to Oliver as he often used the phrase To Me To You, made famous by the comedy duo the Chuckle Brothers.

And with around 100 staff on the books and a turnover in the region of £1M the business is thriving and evolving.

But for Ben, who lives in Padiham along with his wife and their two children Darcey (eight) and three-year-old Olly, who is named after his uncle, the most vital aspect is raising the bar in standards of care to make sure the staff he employs are passionate about what they do with a strong work ethic.

Ben added: "We want people to see the care profession as something to aspire to, not just as an easy job.

"We demand excellence in every aspect of our business and we want the same across the entire profession."