Leading care charities, The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT) and The Fremantle Trust, have announced their merger.

In a joint statement, the charities said the move would help achieve greater benefits for residents through shared size, pooling of resources and economies of scale.

Dan Hayes, chief executive of OSJCT, said: “I am delighted that The Orders of St John Care Trust and The Fremantle Trust are coming together.

“Our two organisations share so many core values which ensures that this merger is an ideal fit. We are both not-for-profit charities, absolutely dedicated to those who depend on us and those that deliver life-changing care and support.

“Pooling resources makes us stronger, more able to invest in our future, and fundamentally, more sustainable. We expect to learn a great deal from our new colleagues, and we see this opportunity as a great privilege.”

Jim Burness, outgoing chair of trustees at The Fremantle Trust, said: “I am really delighted that The Fremantle Trust has found such a like-minded partner organisation as The Orders of St John Care Trust. This merger is a testament to our collective dedication to caring for some of the most vulnerable people in society.

“These are challenging times for social care. Together we have greater capacity to provide residential social care services, by charitable organisations, for the benefit of those that need it.”

Richard Lunn, managing director – Care at Christie & Co, commented: “It was a pleasure to facilitate the merger of these two well-established, well-respected charitable trusts whose shared values will no doubt create a brilliant partnership, making a true difference to the lives of the people in their care.”

OSJCT is a charitable trust which supports nearly 3,000 older people, employs just over 4,400 colleagues, and manages over 500 volunteers in 61 care homes and 8 extra care housing schemes across Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, West Sussex, and Wiltshire.

The Fremantle Trust has a significant presence in Buckinghamshire, supporting over 750 people and employing over 1,300 colleagues across multiple facilities, including 11 care homes for older people and residential and supported living services for people with learning disabilities.