In brief: Pinewood Care Home on Le Mont Millais has returned to local ownership for the first time in more than 30 years after being acquired by the Lifeline Group on 16 October 2026. All 40 members of staff are staying on, and the home’s 45 residents will continue to be cared for by familiar faces.
A homecoming of sorts
There is something quietly reassuring about a local institution coming back into local hands, and that is precisely what has happened at Pinewood Care Home. Channel Eye reports that the Le Mont Millais home was acquired by the Lifeline Group on 16 October 2026, ending more than three decades under non-local ownership. For the 45 people who call Pinewood home, and the families who trust it with their loved ones, the change at the top has so far meant very little disruption to daily life, which is exactly the point.
All 40 members of the Pinewood team are remaining in post, meaning residents will continue to see the same carers, hear the same voices and enjoy the same routines that make a care home feel like, well, a home. In an industry where change of ownership can sometimes trigger unsettling upheaval, that continuity is no small thing.
What local ownership actually means
Michael Kirkwood, Chief Executive Officer of Lifeline Group, was clear that taking on Pinewood carries both opportunity and responsibility. “Pinewood is home to its residents and an important part of their families’ lives,” he said. “There is a great deal of knowledge and experience within the home, and we want to draw on that as we look ahead.”
Kirkwood described local ownership in terms that go beyond a simple change of company letterhead. “For us, local ownership means being involved and accessible, knowing the people we work with and taking responsibility for the decisions we make,” he said. “We’re pleased to have the opportunity to help shape Pinewood’s future alongside its residents, families and staff.”
Elizabeth de la Haye, Managing Director of Lifeline Group, struck a similarly grounded tone. “People should be able to carry on enjoying the things that matter to them, with the right support,” she said. “That means taking an interest in their lives, respecting their choices and making room for the everyday pleasures that make a place feel like home.”
The new owners say their approach will be shaped by the people who live and work at Pinewood, with residents, families and staff all having a say in the home’s next chapter. Whether that promise translates into practice will, of course, be the real test.
What families say
For those with relatives at Pinewood, the proof is already in the pudding. One family, whose mother spent 14 months at the home following two hip replacements, told Channel Eye that staff showed her “real love and dignity” and that she regularly had a good giggle with them. “It was really home from home,” the family said. “Having peace of mind that Mum was being well cared for, and treated with respect and love, was very important to all of us.”
The family added that their mother had said if she ever needed care again, Pinewood would be her very first choice. That kind of endorsement, freely given and rooted in lived experience, is worth considerably more than any press release.
Source: Channel Eye
