SCA Founder honoured at Fenwick 2
Brian Strevens, who helped save the Fenwick hospital in Lyndhurst from closure and introduced not-for-profit community transport and care services in Southampton, was honoured at a ceremony this week (January 25th).
Mr Strevens unveiled a plaque in his honour at Fenwick2 – now a community health and wellbeing centre – at a gathering to mark his retirement. Mr Strevens is the former CEO and Founder of Southampton-based social enterprise SCA Group, which runs Fenwick2 in association with the Fenwick League of Friends. He retired as Executive Vice President of SCA this month after helping current CEO Maria Mills with handover to her post over the last year.
George Dibben, Chair of the Fenwick League of Friends, paid tribute to Mr Strevens at the ceremony, praising his talents as an innovator, businessman, negotiator and colleague.
“You have done an excellent job at finding funding, persuading and getting things done,” said Mr Dibben. “As well as securing a future for Fenwick2 you have achieved so many things. SCA will be able to build on the legacy you have left to achieve further success.”
Mr Strevens set up SCA Group 20 years ago to provide care services in Southampton and surrounding areas on a not-for-profit basis. He expanded SCA’s role to include community transport, advocacy and Trafalgar NHS dentistry services at a time when there was a shortage of dentists willing to do NHS work. He helped set up the Quinn Centre, providing training and accreditation for health and social care staff, and the Fenwick2 Health and Well-being Centre.
Fenwick2 opened in April 2008, after the much-loved former Fenwick Hospital was closed down. With Mr Streven’s help, SCA Group and the League of Friends raised £750,000 from the Department of Health to renovate and equip the buildings and negotiated with Hampshire Primary Care Trust to donate the buildings to the community.
Under Mr Strevens’ leadership, SCA Group increased its turnover from £200,000 to £10 million in 16 years. SCA now provides health and social care services in Southampton, the New Forest, Poole and East Hampshire and is one of the longest-running social enterprises in the country.
