War veteran care home in Southam celebrate 50th anniversary with world record attempt

Staff, residents and volunteers from Royal British Legion care home in Southam are believed to have broken a Guinness World Record.
Residents, staff, volunteers and members of the local community came together to help create the human poppy.Residents, staff, volunteers and members of the local community came together to help create the human poppy.
Residents, staff, volunteers and members of the local community came together to help create the human poppy.

Galanos House celebrated its 50th anniversary by inviting residents, staff, volunteers, families and the local community to come along and help create the world’s largest human flower.

Participants included local schools, Legion branches, the Women’s Institute, the Scouting movement and many others, came together at the Southam College to create the Legion’s poppy.

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They needed to beat the current record of 2,297 participants and they managed to get a total of 2,609 participants – beating the record by 312.

The Guinness Book of World Record is in the process of verifying the record-breaking attempt to confirm the ‘official’ record.

Jo-Anne Wilson, care home manager, said: “We’ve had an incredible response to the 50th anniversary celebrations and we are absolutely thrilled to have set a new world record and mark a milestone year with a fantastic event, we look forward to Guinness World Records adjudicating our result.”

Fifty years ago, in South Warwickshire, The Royal British Legion used a generous donation to lay the foundation of a retirement home for ex-servicemen and women.

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Today, this award-winning home still carries the name of its benefactor, Christos Galanos and cares for over 60 residents and has a specialist dementia care unit, Poppy Lodge, which opened in 2011 and cares for an additional 30 residents.

Jo-Anne added: “We are very grateful for the support the local community has shown us over the past fifty years and look forward to the next fifty years.

“At Galanos we take pride in delivering outstanding excellence when it comes to care, and providing a happy, vibrant and close community within the home for each and every resident.”