24 September 2015

Hallmark Care Homes to celebrate Hug Day and take part in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning

All of our homes across England and Wales, will celebrate Hug Day tomorrow and take part in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.

Hug Day is an annual, company-wide event, which encourages physical interaction between residents, family and team members to celebrate the comfort and happiness that human contact can bring.

Since its launch in 2006, Hug Day has been an important date in the Hallmark Care Homes calendar of events. Our team members hug our residents throughout the year and they regularly arrange activities which encourage physical interaction however, Hug Day allows us to create a much bigger impact. It’s an opportunity for our team members, residents and relatives to create lasting bonds and celebrate how much we care.

This year, our homes have combined our Hug Day event with the coffee morning by encouraging team members to sell baked goods for the Macmillan cancer charity and persuading members of the local community to get involved in our Hug Day activities throughout the day.

Our Hallmark family of homes will be encouraging visitors to the coffee morning which starts at 11:00am to take part in a group hug and in the afternoon there will be entertainment and interactive activities available for guests to enjoy.

Anisha Grange, our home in Essex will also be attempting to break a Guinness world record for most hugs given in one minute by an individual. The record is 77 hugs in 60 seconds and the attempt is to be undertaken by Kieron Walsh who is the regional director for Hallmark Care Homes.

From bake-offs with residents being the judges to organising a Disney performer at the home, each of our homes has pulled out the stops this year to ensure our residents have a fun-filled day.

Greenhill Manor, our care home in Merthyr, will have a barn dance at the home. Meanwhile, team members at Bucklesham Grange, our care home in Ipswich, have organised for a travel zoo to visit the home so visitors can hold them and find out more about the critters.

Avnish Goyal, managing director of Hallmark Care Homes and chair of Care England said: “Hugging is often discouraged in care homes and this shouldn’t be the case as hugging is natural and it is very therapeutic. Hugging decreases stress, it increases well-being and it makes people happy.

“We are expecting a great turn for our Hug Day activities this year and we are looking forward to once again celebrate how much we care.”

For a full list of the homes activities on the day please contact the homes directly or email info@hallmarkcarehomes.co.uk