The Willows
Care home in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Operated by Extrafriend
What do these badges mean?
- Green Surroundings — Excellent access to parks, playing fields and other green space nearby (OpenStreetMap).
- Well Served — Excellent everyday amenities nearby — shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, post offices, cafés and places to eat (OpenStreetMap).
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About
The Willows is a 25-bed residential care home in Lawshall, a village between Sudbury and Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. It provides long-term residential care, specialist dementia support, respite stays, and accepts residents under 65. The home is registered and rated Good overall by the Care Quality Commission, with Good grades across all five key questions: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led.
Teresa Strudwick has been the registered manager since 2024 and leads a care team across the home. The Willows offers residential accommodation alongside dementia-focused services for those needing intermediate or short-term support.
What inspectors found
CQC: GoodReport published 14 February 2020 · Last inspected 17 January 2020
Inspectors found that people using The Willows were satisfied with their home and the care they received, and that staff treated them respectfully and considerately. Relatives and people using the service said there were enough staff, though some staff gave mixed views on this. People, relatives and healthcare professionals spoke positively about the leadership of the home and the quality of care.
- Staff were described as caring and respectful in their day-to-day interactions with people.
- Risk assessments gave staff clear guidance on reducing risks and keeping people safe.
- Medicines were given as prescribed, and people had a varied, nutritious diet with choice of meals.
- Staff supported people's health and sought advice from health professionals promptly when it was needed.
- Some staff gave mixed feedback on whether staffing levels meet people's needs, and inspectors recommended that the provider keep monitoring staffing closely.
- Improvements were needed in the safe recruitment of new staff, though the registered manager responded straight away.
Written by AI from the report text and checked against it. Not an official CQC statement. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Read the full report on CQC.
Food hygiene rating
Very good
Food Standards Agency · inspected August 2026
What's nearby
- Set back from main road noise
Straight-line distances. Road and rail noise from government strategic noise mapping (modelled, not measured). A&E departments from the NHS website.
What’s in the area
Outdoor Spaces
- AllotmentsLimited
- Play SpaceLimited
- Golf CourseLimited
- Public ParkLimited
- Tennis CourtLimited
- Bowling GreenLimited
- Playing FieldLimited
Local Amenities
- Pubs & BarsLimited
- Restaurants & CafesLimited
- Retail ShoppingLimited
- SupermarketsLimited
- TakeawaysLimited
Local crime statistics
167 recorded crimes in the local area (April 2026)
Top categories:
Source: data.police.uk · within 1 mile
Fees and funding
| Care type | Weekly fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Residential care | Fees on request | — |
- Funding accepted
- Not stated
Fees depend on the room and the care needed, so ask the home for a written quote. Check who pays with the funding calculator, or see what Suffolk council pays.
Care fee trajectory
| Year | Council rate (per week) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | £989 |
| 2025 | £1,064 |
What Suffolk council pays care homes, and whether it will help with fees
Weighing up the options? Compare a care home with care at home, or check who pays with the means-test calculator.
Local health safety net
The Willows is backed by a local NHS health network. The nearest A&E is West Suffolk Hospital, 4.6 miles away. The local GP practice is ANGEL HILL SURGERY, 5.5 miles away, rated ‘Good’ by the CQC.
Nearest services from NHS ODS + postcodes.io + CQC, by straight-line distance.
Community & connection in Bury St Edmunds
Local clubs, charities and support groups that help older residents stay active and connected.
Age UK Suffolk
The charity works to make later life as fulfilling as possible regardless of personal circumstances. It achieves this for older people and their family carers through providing information and…
Part of Extrafriend
The Willows is one of 2 homes run by Extrafriend on AskBart. See how the group's homes are rated and where it operates.
More care homes near Bury St Edmunds
Information last reviewed October 2026.
Reviews from families
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