The disabled veterans at The Royal Star & Garter Homes in Surbiton paid tribute to British Service personnel past and present by raising the Armed Forces Day Flag in advance of Armed Forces Day on Saturday 30 June.
The Flag was raised in front of residents, family, staff, volunteers and the local CCF unit.
Earlier in the day, the Home held a ceremony to present new residents with their Armed Forces Veterans badge. Residents who are partners of veterans received a special Spouses badge. Later on, a group of residents and staff visited the Bromhead Memorial at Richmond Cemetery, to commemorate the lives of the Charity’s previous residents.
Siobhan Creighton, the Charity’s Director of Human Resources formerly served in the Women’s Royal Army Corps and commented: “It’s important that we pay our respects to those who have served our nation and continue to do so. The residents appreciate the opportunity to unite with fellow comrades to raise the Armed Forces Day Flag and remember their time in service. We are honoured to mark each new resident’s service with a Veterans badge.”
Other events that take place this week include a concert by The Royal British Legion Mid Shires Band, and a talk by Alison Merrington, of Hampton Wick Remembers, on the impact of the First World War on the local community.
Activities Manager Raquel, who organised the week’s events, elaborated on the importance of commemorating Armed Forces Week, “The military was and still is a huge part of residents’ lives, so it’s important to recognise that connection. Armed Forces Day is an occasion to pay our respects to our Servicemen and women, but it is also a fantastic opportunity to celebrate our Forces.”
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For further information please contact: Diane Fisher, Press Officer, e: diane.fisher@starandgarter.org, t: 0208 481 7669
Cally Madden, Marketing & Communications Manager, e: cally.madden@starandgarter.org, t: 020 8481 7692
Michelle Danks, Senior Marketing & Communications Manager, e: michelle.danks@starandgarter.org, t: 020 8481 7691
About The Royal Star & Garter Homes:
The Charity provides award-winning care for veterans and their partners who live with disability or dementia.
The Royal Star & Garter Homes is a charity founded in 1916 to care for the severely injured young men returning from the battlegrounds of the First World War. Today we provide specialist care to the whole military family in our friendly, state-of-the-art Homes. Disabled ex-Servicemen and women, and their spouses, can all benefit from our pioneering approach to nursing, dementia and therapeutic care.
We are in the process of building new Homes around the country to provide specialist nursing care for disabled ex-Service people in the best modern surroundings, including dementia care facilities to address this growing need. The Charity has award-winning Homes in Solihull, West Midlands, and Surbiton, Surrey, which also enables the Charity to offer interim care for young disabled Service personnel. Following the successes of the first two Homes, a third Home in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, is being built, with a planned opening in 2018.
We are proud to have enjoyed Royal patronage since our foundation, including that of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II from 1953 to the present day.
The Charity celebrated its centenary in 2016: providing specialist care for disabled veterans since 1916.
- Twitter: @starandgarter
- Facebook: facebook.com/starandgarter
- Website: www.starandgarter.org
The Royal Star & Garter Homes is a member of the National Care Forum – the leading voice for not-for-profit care providers. A national perspective may be available from info@nationalcareforum.org.uk or by contacting 02476243619. More details on NCF available at www.nationalcareforum.org.uk.
