Residents at The Old Rectory marked International Thank-You Day with some thoughtful gestures to the team who lovingly care for them.
The event is celebrated around the world every January and serves as a reminder to express gratitude to those who improve the lives of others.
The Old Rectory’s Activities Coordinator, Tom Matthews, says: “As a pleasant surprise for the staff, I got the residents to sign a thank-you card. They were presented with this along with a little keyring which says, ‘may you be proud of the work you do, the person you are and the difference you make.’ The residents read out the names on the envelopes and gave the cards to the staff. We all clapped and cheered as people received their cards.”
The word ‘thank’ is believed to have originated as early as the fifth century. The practice of sending cards to express gratitude and mark special occasions is thought to have started in Europe in the 1400’s.
A separate event, National Thank You Day, is scheduled to take place on the 2nd of July.
Thank You Day is the brainchild of the Together coalition and is backed by some of Britain’s biggest organisations including the NHS, the Royal Volunteer Service, the Scouts and the Church of England. Last year, more than nine million people took part.
People are being encouraged to host a coffee morning or community party or put on a simple picnic for friends.
The message is clear, as a society we rely on the support of others, whether they are paid or not.
Our amazing teams at the Old Rectory and Southern Healthcare’s three other award-winning care homes in Devon go out of their way to ensure residents feel surrounded by warmth and affection. And a little gratitude for this outstanding dedication certainly goes a long way.
