We’re proud to share that Sacred Heart Healthcare has been featured by the Royal Borough of Greenwich, in a piece celebrating our founder Banke Agbaje’s journey — and the role the council’s Community Micro-Enterprise Programme has played in helping us grow.

A career built on wanting to make a difference

Banke didn’t always work in care. She originally trained as a lawyer, and later worked on NHS projects — but along the way, she realised she wanted a career where she could make a more direct difference to people’s lives.

That realisation led her to retrain as a mental health nurse. And from there, she took another leap: starting her own business to provide personalised care and support for people in her local community.

Her motivation was deeply personal. Having spent time in care herself, Banke wanted to give something back to Greenwich — the borough that supported her when she needed it most.

Where we are today

Sacred Heart Healthcare now supports residents across Greenwich and Kent, with a team of five delivering care that helps people live independently and with dignity in their own homes.

As Banke puts it:

“I wanted to create something that moved away from traditional task-driven care towards care that is more personal, flexible, compassionate and truly centred around each individual and the relationships that matter most to them.”

That principle — care built around the individual, not the task list — has shaped everything about how we work.

Growing with the Community Micro-Enterprise Programme

As our business has grown, we’ve continued to receive support through the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Community Micro-Enterprise Programme, delivered in partnership with Community Catalysts. The free programme helps residents turn ideas into sustainable businesses, offering advice, mentoring and practical guidance on everything from regulation and training to insurance and business development.

Most recently, that support has taken a new shape: we’ve received funding to explore becoming a co-operative — a model where people work together, share responsibility, and have a greater say in how the organisation is run.

For us, it’s an opportunity to build a stronger, more sustainable business that continues to put people, community, and quality care at its heart.

Councillor Mariam Lolavar, Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care and Communities, said:

“Banke’s story shows what’s possible when local people are supported to turn their passion and experience into something that benefits their community. Community micro-enterprises provide personalised, flexible support that helps people live independently while creating local jobs and stronger neighbourhoods.

It’s fantastic to see Sacred Heart Healthcare continue to grow through the programme and explore becoming a co-operative. Co-operatives put people and communities at the centre, encouraging collaboration and shared responsibility, and reflect the ambitions of the Co-operative Commission to improve health and wellbeing through more community-led organisations.”

A message for anyone thinking about starting out

Banke’s advice to anyone considering a similar path is simple:

“Starting my own business wasn’t always easy, but the support I received gave me the confidence to grow. If you have a passion for helping people, don’t underestimate what you can achieve.”

Follow the story this week

From Monday to Thursday this week, Banke is taking over the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s social media channels to share more of her story — what she’s learnt along the way, and how the Community Micro-Enterprise Programme has supported her journey. Follow along on the council’s channels to catch it.

If you’d like to read the original feature in full, you can find it on the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s website.

Sacred Heart Healthcare provides personalised home care and support across Greenwich and Kent. To find out more about our services, get in touch with our team.