Founder of Westbank League of Friends (now Westbank Community Health and Care).

In 1986, Mary Nisbett attended a public meeting at a local GP surgery, where the primary care team said there was a need for more support in the Devon communities of Exminster, Starcross, and Kenton. The organisation she went on to found initially covered these three villages and the surrounding area on the west bank of the River Exe, hence the name Westbank League of Friends, now known as Westbank Community Health and Care.

Mary, who was born and bred in Kenton, founded Westbank from her kitchen table, driven by her passion to help local people by providing services that filled the gaps in health and social care provision. Westbank was established as a charity from the get-go with a handful of experienced trustees who drew up the constitution. Starting with 25 volunteers, Mary grew the charity to offer a broad range of community-led services across Devon, responding to the needs of people in the community. These diverse services were delivered by a dedicated team, supported by what grew to be ‘an army’ of hundreds of volunteers.

Mary says, “My personal motivation was that I had seen a friend of my mum’s, who was terminally ill with cancer, dying at home with very little support, and I felt strongly that sometimes it’s the small things that make a big difference - having transport to a surgery, someone to collect a prescription for you, someone to sit with you to keep you company or to give your carer a break. Those were the sort of things we thought of in the beginning - just providing neighbourly help and support. Also, we were helping the Primary Healthcare Team by supporting them and enhancing what statutory services were able to provide.’

“One of the first people we looked after was the village postmistress, who lived alone and was terminally ill. We had a rota of people helping to care for her and cook her meals, and it was such a visible example of what volunteers could achieve. I think that when people genuinely feel that they’re making a contribution in their own community, and can see the direct benefit, they know they are making a difference.”

From the outset, preventative healthcare was a priority, and the composition of the Board of Trustees demonstrated the importance placed on diversity and inclusivity. Westbank won funding from the Big Lottery to develop former NHS buildings on its current site in Exminster, creating a community gym and other facilities to support health and wellbeing. It became an award-winning ‘beacon charity’, inspiring similar organisations the length and breadth of the country and gaining widespread recognition, including at ministerial level.

All of this resulted from Mary’s vision and drive to make a meaningful difference to the lives of friends and neighbours.

When Mary stepped back from Westbank 5 years ago, it was one of the foremost health and wellbeing charities in the region and celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026.

Mary still lives in Kenton. She is married with a son and a daughter and has three grandchildren.