9 July 2020 – Gleneagles, Scotland’s most iconic hotel and sporting estate, is delighted to announce the launch of ‘Our Turn To Care’, a charitable initiative to thank the heroes of NHS Scotland in a significant long term gesture of gratitude by donating 365 free room nights to healthcare workers each year for the next five years.
Keen to express its appreciation to those who continue to work selflessly through the coronavirus pandemic, Gleneagles will work with Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland and NHS Scotland to administer the scheme. HIT Scotland will work closely with all 14 NHS health boards and partners across Scotland, who will be responsible for distributing the complimentary bed and breakfast stays to their staff from 1 September.
Once launched, Gleneagles and HIT will actively look to engage other hospitality brands to contribute stays and experiences to the initiative, for which the Scottish Government has demonstrated its full backing.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon commented: “This is an excellent initiative by Gleneagles to let our health and social care workforce know how valued they are, not only during this extremely trying time, but always. They have been working tirelessly on the front line of this pandemic since the beginning and will be fundamental in our fight to suppress the virus going forward. I’m sure this generous gesture will inspire many others to show their support for our essential workers.”
Gleneagles, which will reopen the doors to its Glorious Playground on 15th July, has a connection to healthcare workers stretching back over 80 years. The only other time in its history when global events led it to close its doors was World War II when the hotel transformed into a military hospital – so it felt appropriate to support during this global crisis too.
Sharan Pasricha, Founder and CEO of Ennismore, said: “In our own small way, we wanted to reward Scottish NHS workers who have risked their lives for others every day through this pandemic.
“As most of us have observed the situation develop from the safety and comfort of our homes, NHS workers continue to battle this virus courageously and tirelessly on the frontline, enduring tremendous stress and spending time away from loved ones, not to mention the threat to their own lives. This scheme will give thousands of those individuals something to look forward to – a little bit of pampering and the chance to be the one on the receiving end of excellent care for a change.”
“We are thrilled to be working with Gleneagles on this initiative, which is very much in keeping with the generous spirit of HIT Scotland.” says David Cochrane, Chief Executive of HIT Scotland. “We hope that by having such an iconic Scottish institution leading the charge, we can encourage other hospitality companies in the country to come on board too.”
As part of this initiative, Gleneagles has also committed to support the local care homes in Auchterarder, Perthshire, and will work with them individually to recognise the carers’ efforts through this crisis.
For more information visit: wwww.hitscotland.co.uk/news/our-turn-to-care
