France’s highest military honour has been bestowed on Army veteran, Arthur Ogden. The prestigious Legion d’honneur medal was presented to Arthur for his contribution to the liberation of France during the Second World War. Arthur is a resident at The Royal Star & Garter Homes in Solihull, a Charity that provides specialist care for veterans and their partners who live with disability or dementia.
To celebrate Arthur’s award, the Home organised a tea party in his honour.
Read moreOn 1st April 2018, the RAF will celebrate 100 years since its formation. The Royal Star & Garter Homes, a Charity that provides specialist care for veterans and their partners who live with disability or dementia, has been privileged to care for many RAF veterans in its 102-year history. Once such resident is Second World War Spitfire pilot Phillip Johnson. To commemorate the RAF centenary, here we share his incredible story.
Phillip joined the RAF on his 18th birthday and underwent the demanding Spitfire pilot training in the UK, Africa and Egypt. Once his training was complete Phillip was flown to Malta and joined 185 Squadron.
Read moreHer Royal Highness Princess Alexandra visited the disabled veterans living at The Royal Star & Garter Homes, Surbiton, to mark the Charity’s 102nd anniversary. The Princess was received by the Charity’s Chairman, Major General Tim Tyler, Chief Executive, Andy Cole, Director of Care, Pauline Shaw, and Surbiton Home Manager, Barbara Carter.
Her Royal Highness was welcomed by Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) veteran Phyllis and presented with a beautiful yellow posy. Phyllis commented, “The Princess was absolutely delightful. She asked about my time in the WAAF and we chatted for a long time about all sorts of things. I will always remember today with great fondness and happiness.”
Read moreMrs Betty Johnson, the oldest volunteer at The Royal Star & Garter Homes, has been awarded a British Empire Medal in the 2018 New Year’s Honours List for her service to charities and non-profit organisations.
Betty, who is 89, has been a volunteer throughout her life, working for the Girl Guides. She first started volunteering at The Royal Star & Garter Homes, a charity which cares for disabled veterans who live with disability or dementia, in 2000. Betty began volunteering originally at the charity’s former Richmond Home after her husband, who was a resident there, passed away.
Read moreThe Director of Care at The Royal Star & Garter Homes has received an OBE in the 2018 New Year’s Honours List. The award was made to Pauline Shaw in recognition of her services to Veterans.
As a nurse, Pauline has worked in clinical practice and health & social care since 1982. She has held the position of Director of Care & Service Development at The Royal Star & Garter Homes, a charity which cares for military veterans living with disability or dementia, since 2002. This award acknowledges her passionate and unwavering commitment to improving care for older people, and her courage and determination in leading an innovative approach to care.
Read moreWith Christmas just around the corner, disabled veterans at The Royal Star & Garter Homes welcomed babies and toddlers to a fun-filled, Christmas themed multi-sensory class held at the Charity’s Solihull Home. Residents were invited to join in the festive fun alongside the youngsters. The class was run by Hartbeeps, as part of an ongoing partnership between the Solihull Home and the local group to help bring generations together.
Read moreBirmingham International Tattoo, Britain’s biggest annual indoor military event, has reached a magnificent total of £101,000 for local veterans’ charity, The Royal Star & Garter Homes. The event, which features over 1,250 performers from across the Services, has been supporting the Charity for the past ten years. All money raised goes towards providing award-winning specialist care for veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia at the Charity’s Solihull Home, located only a few miles from where the Tattoo is held each year.
Read moreThis year marks the centenary of women being legally permitted to serve in the Armed Forces. As the nation pauses to reflect on the lives sacrificed in conflict this Armistice Day, it is important to remember the many brave women who have fought to defend our nation. The Royal Star & Garter Homes provides specialist care to many ex-service women, all with inspiring stories. Here we share one resident’s wartime experience.
Joan was 15 when the Second World War was declared. Desperate to play her part in the war effort, Joan fibbed about her age, declaring she was 16, so she could join the Air Raid Precautions (ARP).
Read moreThe Royal Star & Garter Homes has launched a day care service, the ‘Star & Garter Club’. The service welcomes tri-service veterans of HM Armed Forces and their partners to the Charity’s award-winning Solihull Home.
The Charity has drawn upon its wealth of experience in providing outstanding residential care to establish a complete day care package. The service will enable veterans access to the wide range of activities and therapies on offer at the Home as well as a host of other benefits on a daily basis.
Read moreCare at The Royal Star & Garter Home in Solihull has been rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Only one per cent of care homes achieve this rating.
The Solihull Home, which was inspected by the CQC in July, cares for 60 veterans and their partners who live with disability or dementia, in state-of-the-art surroundings. The nursing, therapeutic and dementia care provided, together with a varied and engaging programme of activities, enable residents to remain independent and enjoy life.
Andrea Sutcliffe, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, who has visited the Charity’s Surbiton Home, remarked on the result: “The quality of care which our inspectors found here was exceptional and I am very pleased that we can celebrate the service’s achievements. An outstanding service is the result of a tremendous amount of hard work and commitment. I would like to thank and congratulate everyone involved.”
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