A RAGS-TO-RICHES story is behind the Hallmark Care Homes chain – one of the finalists in the business section of the Community Award category.

Managing directors Avnish and Ram Goyal did not have a privileged upbringing in Essex. Their father came over from India 45 years ago looking for a better life for his family and the brothers grew up in Basildon with little money to spare.

After years of sheer hard work and dedication, they have turned Hallmark Care Homes into a successful business, where the focus is on creating a community and building a caring relationship with every single resident.

The company's head office is in Billericay, where a new Hallmark home is opening this September. They are also building a home in Leigh-on-Sea and want to focus all their expansion plans on Essex as the brothers want to give something back to the county.

"We went for this award because community is at the heart of everything we do," said Jules Botazzi of Hallmark Care Homes.

"We consult with the community every time we build a new home and we ask the local people to come into the home, as well as encouraging our residents to go out. People's lives should not stop when they come into a home, and we do not keep our residents in a little box, they are part of the community they live in," Jules added.

In the Billericay home, called Anisha Grange, there will be a community room, which any group from the town can use free of charge. Anyone wanting to hold a class, club or do some fundraising is welcome to use it.

The business does a lot of fundraising too. Hallmark donated £50,000 to charity last year, on top of all the individual fundraising events held at each of the care homes.

"Everyone at Hallmark is delighted to be in the finals of these awards," Jules said. "I ran around the office screaming when I found out. I am just so proud to work for Avnish and Ram Goyal. They are such inspiring, moral people – they really do 'walk it like they talk it'."