A Canterbury-based couple behind the care in the community franchise ‘Seniors Helping Seniors’ has won a publicity package worth £10,000 to help raise awareness of the life- changing work it does for elderly people.

Husband and wife duo Christian and Sally Wilse run the UK-arm of the 20-year old global franchise ‘Seniors Helping Seniors’ – a non-medical, in-home care service that matches seniors who need help with seniors who want to help, while they earn. Their award-winning business already touches the lives of more than one million people each year in the UK.

The Senior Helping Seniors model is unique in the UK, in that it impacts the lives of caregivers, as well as those receiving care, which is welcomed in today’s ageing society. Their innovative way of working removes the struggles associated with the traditional and expensive home visit care model and ensures the person being visited is given time, empathy, respect, and, above all, the same friendly face that they know well and look forward to seeing.

Christian Wilse, Managing Director of Seniors Helping Seniors UK, stated: “When you run a business that impacts as many lives as ours does, it’s a really great feeling when life throws you something special in return – we are delighted to have won the £10,000 prize.

“Seniors Helping Seniors in the UK reaches well over a million people each year, giving families the help and respite they need whilst elderly people get support to live safely and well in their own homes. The way our model works means we create lots of job opportunities for older people who may have felt forced to stop working before they were ready and may struggle to find local work to suit them.

“We are living proof that seniors who, after retirement, have an active role in the community tend to stay physically and mentally able for much longer, maintaining a sense of purpose, whilst earning an income. With every new Seniors Helping Seniors franchise that opens, the local community benefits through increased employment and more choice of great elderly care, all whilst alleviating pressure on GPs and local hospitals.

“The public relations support will be used to raise awareness of the work we are doing in Surrey, Middlesex and Kent, with a view to enlisting more people to join us across the South East and East of England. We envisage the prize will help us to impact the lives of millions more elderly people in the next 18 months.”

Lisa Malyon, Founder of Do PR, the PR training organisation behind the competition stated: “Today’s ageing society has led to a rise in demand for quality care providers, so any business that can deliver the highest standard of quality care, whilst impacting the lives of the carers themselves has a great future ahead. With this prize, the team behind Seniors Helping Seniors will be able to shout from the rooftops about the great work they do and let others know about the rewards of running a care business the right way for the right reasons.

“We launched the competition with the Annual International Franchise Show, and we were inundated with great entries. Seniors Helping Seniors was the one business that really stood out. The model gives both the giver and receiver of care a boost, reduces loneliness, and also reduces the strain on the national health service in the UK – it’s a win, win for all involved.”

For anyone interested in the services provided by Seniors Helping Seniors, or interested in running a franchise in communities in the South East and East of England, more information can be found by completing the form below!