Building community with a smile

Care home says thank you by offering free refreshments to local emergency service workers

Last year, we asked for your feedback on what you wanted to see featured in Surrey Matters for 2025. One of your most popular requests was to see more positive news stories from communities across the county. With that in mind, this April, we bring you our first good news community feature from Walton on Thames.

A welcome break

Burwood Grange are a care home in Walton on Thames. Their staff decided to give back to their community by providing a welcome break to local emergency service workers who tirelessly help those in need.

Paramedics, nurses, police officers and other emergency services workers don't always have time to go home or back to their workplace on their break. So, the team opened their doors to all local emergency service workers for respite and refreshments for free.

Burwood Grange offer comfortable facilities, free Wi-Fi and a guaranteed "service with a smile". The welcome break includes delicious home-made cakes, biscuits, and a selection of fruits. Tea, coffee, juice or chilled water is also available for those needing a quick break.

Staff felt that they had to express their gratitude to paramedics and other frontline workers in a meaningful way for their invaluable service to the community.

The team at Burwood Grange welcome all emergency workers in the area should stop by. They would be delighted to see them and welcome them with a smile!

If you have a good news story that you would like us to feature, please email surreymatters@surreycc.gov.uk. We would love to hear more about your initiatives and celebrate the successes of our community.