Walfinch Home Care Wins Emerging Franchise of the Year at HSBC Elite Franchise Awards

Founder and CEO Amrit Dhaliwal shared his excitement about the recognition: “This is a celebration of the hard work and dedication of our care teams and franchisees who work so hard to change people's lives and redefine home care.”

This accolade comes shortly after Walfinch's impressive rise in the Elite Franchise Top 100, where it jumped eight places to number 50 in December 2024, standing out from hundreds of UK franchise organisations.

Innovation in Home Care

Since its founding in 2019, Walfinch has made it its mission to redefine home care. Last autumn, the company launched its Time to Thrive initiative to enhance activity and mobility for its care clients, and extend these benefits into the local communities covered by its growing network of over 30 offices.

Now, all clients receiving an hour or more of care are offered at least ten minutes of physical activity at each visit. Walfinch franchisees are also running Thrive Clubs in their local areas, offering free activities such as chair yoga, arts and crafts, and physical exercise – all designed to help clients stay active and socialise.

Amrit, who is often referred to as The Walking CEO, explains the initiative’s benefits: “Activity improves physical and mental health, and it can help people meet personal goals, such as attending a family wedding, a trip to the shops, or doing a bit more gardening. Carers usually join in, which brings them greater job satisfaction as they see improvements in clients' wellbeing.”

**The Thrive Clubs **are also an excellent way for local communities to become familiar with Walfinch’s services, as well as the names of its carers, removing much of the anxiety that often accompanies finding reliable care support.

Changing the Care Industry’s Image

Walfinch is on a mission to shift perceptions of the care industry as a whole. Amrit’s recent book, Time to Thrive: The Home Care Revolution, explores the vast opportunities within the sector, offering 12 practical strategies to tackle its challenges and showing how aspiring entrepreneurs can get involved through a home care franchise. It’s the only book of its kind written by someone with insider knowledge of the franchise side of the care business.

Walfinch’s commitment to supporting its franchisees extends far beyond just initial training. The company offers one-to-one coaching, ongoing support, workshops focused on recruitment and business development, as well as coaching in areas like compliance and staff mentoring.

Amrit notes

As a result of these practical strategies, our franchisee satisfaction benchmark shows that 96% of our franchisees go the extra mile for their customers and 96% see expansion possibilities, while 83% of our franchisees believe their products and services are better than those of the competition.

Walfinch’s network saw a 34% increase in turnover between 2023 and 2024, and in the first two months of 2025, turnover figures have already risen by more than 20%. With such strong growth, the company’s ambitions for further expansion are clear. As Amrit says, “Awards such as the Emerging Franchisee of the Year Award help power our ambitions.”