Mary Nisbett, who founded award-winning Westbank Community Health and Care 40 years ago, has returned to the charity’s Healthy Living Centre in Exminster to cut the ribbon on a wall-mounted timeline celebrating the milestone anniversary and Westbank’s many achievements over the past four decades.

Mary, who lives in nearby Kenton, founded Westbank League of Friends - the charity now known as Westbank Community Health and Care - in 1986. She realised there was a need for more support in the Devon communities of Exminster, Starcross, and Kenton after attending a public meeting at a local GP surgery, hosted by the primary care team. She set up the charity from her kitchen table to help local people by providing services that filled the gaps in health and social care provision.

Westbank’s CEO, Sarah Hicks, and staff gave Mary a warm welcome this month when she returned to the charity’s Healthy Living Centre in Exminster, which has undergone extensive refurbishment and improvement in recent years. The colourful new timeline stands out vividly against a black wall in a long central corridor.

Sarah said, “I’m delighted to welcome Mary home to Westbank to help us start our celebrations for our 40th-anniversary year and reveal our wonderful new timeline.”

Cutting a red ribbon to mark the official opening of the commemorative feature, Mary said, “I’m delighted to be here to celebrate what Westbank has achieved over the past 40 years in serving this community and many others across the county. I think we can all be very proud, and I look forward to seeing it develop in the future. I’m very proud now to cut the red ribbon to open the wall.”

Westbank started with a handful of experienced trustees and 25 volunteers and has grown to offer a broad range of community-led services across Devon, responding to the needs of people in the community and prioritising preventative healthcare to support people on their journey to improved health and wellbeing.

Mary recalls, “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 small acts of neighbourly support can make a big difference - having a lift to the doctor’s, someone to collect your prescription, someone to keep you company or give your carer a break.

“One of the first people we looked after was the village postmistress, who lived alone and was terminally ill. A rota of people helped care for her, and it was such a visible example of what volunteers could achieve. We also worked closely with statutory services. Securing sustainable funding was key to the charity’s success.”

She adds, “It was a privilege to work with Westbank because I met so many wonderful people, and it became an award-winning ‘beacon charity’, inspiring similar organisations the length and breadth of the country, gaining widespread recognition, including at ministerial level. We banged the drum for local communities, and 40 years on we’re still making a difference to people’s lives.”

Last year, Westbank supported 38,000 people of all ages across Devon through its wide range of services, with the aim of helping them lead more fulfilled, happier, healthier lives and maintain their independence for as long as possible.

Throughout the charity’s 40th-anniversary year, Westbank will be sharing 40 personal stories from service beneficiaries, volunteers, staff, trustees and partner organisations to showcase the difference Westbank has made to them, their families and their communities.

A full calendar of events is planned throughout 2026 to celebrate Westbank’s 40th anniversary all of which will be documented here: www.westbank.org.uk/40th-anniversary