Lagan’s Foundation founder wins Women Achieving Greatness award 2025

Carren Bell, founder and CEO of children’s home-care and support charity Lagan’s Foundation, has won the Third Sector Leader award at the 2025 Women Achieving Greatness in Social Care Awards.

Ms Bell set up Lagan’s Foundation in 2011 after the tragic death of her 15-week-old daughter Lagan, in an effort to ensure no other parents had to go through what she went through.

Carren said: “I am incredibly honoured to have been named Third Sector Leader of the Year at the Women Achieving Greatness Awards.

“This recognition isn’t mine alone – it belongs to every single person who has supported me, believed in our mission and stood alongside our team this year.”

Three other Lagan’s Foundation team members were nominated for awards; HR director Emma Lewis for an Outstanding Partner award; Greater Manchester care team leader Gifty Owusu-Achiaw for a Rising Star award; and Merseyside care team leader Claire Donnelly for a Social Care Superwomen award.

Left to right: Clare Donnelly, Carren Bell, Emma Lewis, and Gifty Owusu-Achiaw (Image: Lagan’s Foundation)

Since setting up Lagan’s Foundation, Ms Bell has grown the organisation from a small volunteer initiative into a national charity providing in-home respite care across the Northwest.

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Respite care allows the parents of children with complex health needs to take a break from the often intense demands of looking after them.

They can then take that time to do other things, such as meet a friend, do a shop, or spend quality time with other children, allowing the parent to return to their care duties feeling rejuvenated.

Lagan’s Foundation provide respite care services for the parents of children with cardiac issues, epilepsy, learning delays, and metabolic conditions, as well as a range of other issues.

The foundation also offer a ‘Defibrillators for Families’ service, helping parents of children at risk of cardiac arrest acquire personal, portable defibrillators.

The ceremony took place at the Hilton London Bankside.