Our shareholders met on 18th May where we completed the governance formalities of making the change in our identity from BICS to Here. In the months since then a number of things have happened to take us through this period of transition:

We’ve been talking to our shareholders, members and partners about the change and what it means.
There have been opportunities for us to come together and ask questions develop our understanding about the deeper intentions underpinning the change. And we’ve introduced a new logo and our statement of purpose to use on business cards, documents and emails as well as on signage at our building on Preston Road in Brighton.

How and why was the decision to change our identity taken?

The decision to change our identity and to become Here is the latest step in a journey we began in 2015 to develop a shared understanding of the scale, impact and ambition we want to have in the communities we serve.

Last year more than 300 people – members of BICS and our partner services – took part in listening to what matters in our work, sensing what our ambition could and should be. We also asked our friends and wider stakeholders to take part in this process. And they helped us to explore and understand how the BICS identity was perceived in the healthcare community. We listened to what everyone had to tell us and further sought their advice on the best possible ways for us to express our purpose.

What was alive and inspiring in these reflections was the exciting possibility to reimagine the idea of care as it is currently known. Collectively we saw that true care is a liberating, unrestricted way of being. It allows us to connect the talents, knowledge, skills and experience we hold as givers and recipients of care. By being present and fully in the moment with those we are with, we are able to recognise much more than the episodic experience of care would ever allow.

Together we redefined our purpose as:

“Care unbound. To create more possibilities for care in every moment.”

We also gave expression to our beliefs and commitments in relation to this new purpose.

It became clear that our current name doesn’t fit this new purpose. Whilst BICS represents our heritage, it doesn’t describe the fullness of who we are now, and it doesn’t support our aspirations for the future.

Here is the right name for us to use in delivering our beliefs, purpose and commitments.

So many people from right across the organisation (members inside BICS and our partner services) have generously committed a great deal of time and energy to this process we are confident that the new name and purpose really get to the heart of who we are and what we are trying to do. Though we know at first hearing it might sound like quite a radical change, we are stepping into this new identity with a strong sense of courage and boldness.

Why ‘Here’?

We’re called Here. It reflects how important it is that we are present, to the needs of others and with each other, in the work we do.

‘Here’ was chosen because we feel that it expresses our purpose: care unbound.

We believe it speaks to a quality of being present: genuinely caring, being where we are needed and where it matters. We can only create more possibilities for care in every moment if we are genuinely here and present.

We want everyone we work with and care for to know and feel that we are here and grounded in the local community and present with the people we serve.

We can use this identity to communicate that we are Here

For our partners

For each other

For healthcare

In Brighton & Hove

In West Sussex

In Mid Sussex

In Crawley

In Croydon