A firm of funeral directors has apologised after sending Valentine’s Day cards to elderly residents at a care home in Surrey.
T H Sanders & Sons said it deeply regretted any unintended distress after criticisms reported in The Sun, but care home staff said residents were “thrilled”. About 40 cards were delivered to Whitegates Care Centre in Laleham. The message inside read: “Sent with love from T H Sanders & Sons.” Whitegates nursing home provides specialist services in dementia, end-of-life care, stroke and other areas. Dignity, the group that owns Sanders, told the BBC about 40 unaddressed cards were provided to the care home for distribution during a Valentine’s afternoon event organised by the staff. The cards were intended to be exchanged by the residents if they wished. A Dignity spokesman said: “We accept that in this instance, our efforts to connect with the local community were misjudged.”
‘A lovely day’
At Whitegates, a spokesman said: “We value the support and engagement of all our neighbours, including T H Sanders. “Out of their own kindness and goodwill, they have brought warmth, joy, and generosity to residents through various initiatives. “From delivering Christmas blankets, donating to our charity raffles, sending in cards and sweets, to gifting seeds for our garden, their contributions have been received with gratitude and appreciation from both residents and our team members alike. “Residents were thrilled to receive the Valentine’s Day cards and they all had a lovely day celebrating.”
