The Royal Star & Garter Homes cares for ex-Servicemen and women and their partners living with a disability or dementia. They are people who in times past had the courage to risk their lives for their country. That bravery didn’t stop when they left the military. It is displayed every day in our Homes.
As we approach Armed Forces Day and celebrate the bravery of our troops past and present on 29 June, we look at one resident who possesses courage in abundance.
Ted Newton served in the RAF for 33 years between 1946 until retirement in 1979, attaining the rank of Wing Commander and serving his country in several military flashpoints around the world. He was inspired to sign-up as a teenage apprentice in 1946 after watching the Battle of Britain unfold in the skies above his home in Andover, Hampshire.
However, Ted’s distinguished military career was nearly cut short before it had taken off. In 1953, while training in Essex, the tail of Ted’s Meteor jet was broken off following a collision with an airborne target. He ejected from the jet but suffered a broken back and other injuries.
Over the next three years, Ted spent that time in and out of hospital and specialist units, including Headley Court. But he showed remarkable courage to not only recover from the accident, but to eventually return to the RAF and continue serving his country.
During his recovery, in 1954, he fell in love with the nurse that was caring for him. After six months, Ted and Barbara decided to marry, and the couple tied the knot later that same year.
Ted recovered and returned to the cockpit. He would go on to fly countless missions for his country and served in conflicts including Cyprus and Suez.
Ted continues to display immense courage at the age of 89 at The Royal Star & Garter Homes. Since moving to our Surbiton Home in 2017, he had made regular use of Home’s in-house physiotherapy service. He says the gruelling workout helps him cope with the pain he still suffers from that accident more than 65 years ago. He comments: “I go for daily physiotherapy sessions for balance and cycling. It’s exhausting and tiring but I like it. It helps me with my back problem.”
Ted takes part in many activities at the Home, and even attended an England RFU international at Twickenham. He painted The Royal Star & Garter Homes’ 2018 best-selling Christmas card, helping raise valuable funds for the Charity. He said: “I’m pleased it helped the Charity.”
For further information please contact:
Goolistan Cooper
Communications Officer
e: goolistan.cooper@starandgarter.org
t: 0208 481 7669 / 07391 868796
Cally Madden
Marketing & Communications Manager
e: cally.madden@starandgarter.org
t: 020 8481 7692 / 07881 017299
About The Royal Star & Garter Homes:
The Charity provides award-winning care for military 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 men returning from the battlegrounds of the First World War.
Today our friendly, state-of-the-art Homes offer a pioneering approach to nursing, dementia and therapeutic care. We have award-winning Homes in Solihull, West Midlands and Surbiton, Surrey. Our third Home in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, opened in April 2019.
We continue to expand our services to reach even more veterans. In 2018, we were able to support 186 residents in our Homes and 36 guests at our Day Care service. We also offer interim care for young disabled Service personnel. We provided 11,700 individual sessions of physiotherapy and speech & language therapy last year to support our residents’ health, and over 5,600 places to residents for activities, outings and events, to promote well-being.
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.
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.
