Oxfordshire mum turns caring role into support service

Fabia Cerra launched her micro-enterprise with help from Community Catalysts, a programme funded by Oxfordshire County Council to help people set up small, local care and support services.

Based in Oxford, Ms Cerra’s service now supports people with learning disabilities, autistic people, and older residents to live independently and stay connected to their communities.

Ms Cerra said: “I was inspired to start my micro-enterprise as I’m my son’s primary carer.

“I was looking for a role that fitted in with my personal life, including my son, and this was ideal for using my experiences and knowledge of being an unpaid carer.”

Her work includes assistance with daily tasks, attending appointments, and accessing hobbies or social activities, as well as providing companionship for those who need it.

After more than two years in operation, Ms Cerra has built an established customer base and continues to make a difference in her community.

She credits Community Catalysts for ongoing support, describing the guidance, mentoring, and peer network as ‘brilliant’ and invaluable to her journey.

Rebekah Fletcher, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for adult social care, said: “By funding Community Catalysts, we are backing local people to build support that genuinely reflects the realities of their lives and communities.

“Fabia’s story shows how lived experience, with the right support, can be turned into something that benefits both families and the wider community.”