Special guests waddle into Guildford care home for World Penguin Day

Two penguins won the hearts of residents at a Guildford Care home on World Penguin Day.

The team at Claremont Court Care Home, in Harts Gardens, which caters exclusively for people living with advanced and complex dementia, organised the visit from two Humboldt penguins to mark the occasion.

Residents at the home, which offers residential, nursing, respite and end of life care, were able to p p p-pick up the penguins, holding them on their knees and stroking them.

“Everyone was really excited about them coming in and for many of us it was the first time we had seen a penguin this close up,” said care home manager Karen Byres.

“At Claremont Court, we love going above and beyond to create meaningful, experiences for our residents so welcoming these lovely penguins was a perfect way to do this.

“Living with dementia doesn’t mean you can’t maintain your quality of life and we’re always looking for new ways to surprise and enrich the lives of the people who live with us.”

The penguins, from Heythorp Zoo, spent time outside in the gardens as well as inside the home – which won the Nursing Home of the Year award at the Surrey Care Awards in 2024.

The day also involved a host of activities such as pom-pom penguin crafting, mini igloo building, and personalised penguin adoption certificates—allowing residents to symbolically adopt the birds and receive updates about their adventures long after the day ended.

The home, which has 57 ensuite bedrooms, kept their cat Monty inside during the visit, but that did not stop his curiosity as he watched the birds from the windows to try and work out who the new visitors were.

“Seeing the joy on our residents’ faces as they interacted with the penguins was so heartwarming,” said lifestyle assistant Tash.

“We couldn’t wait for them to come in to visit. Everyone was so happy and there were lots of smiles from the residents and the team.

“They were so relaxed and friendly. It was the first time I’d seen them up close and it was wonderful to spend so much time with them. The only thing we didn’t enjoy was them going home!”