The Royal Star & Garter Homes has produced a special Centenary Book encapsulating its 100-year history, thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

Stories of courage and determination from the last century have been illustrated in this beautifully presented Centenary Book through photos, sketches and letters. Support from National Lottery players has enabled the Charity to share its rich heritage with supporters and the public.

The Centenary Book features stories such as ‘The Flying Squad’, pictured, whose customised motorised wheelchairs were a familiar sight around Richmond Hill. Famous visitors to the Home, such as the Royal Family and flying ace Douglas Bader, are also represented, as are the endeavours of disabled artists and sportsmen, and the heroic exploits of well-known residents such as ‘the White Mouse’ of the French Resistance, Nancy Wake.

The Book is also accessible online (www.starandgarter.org/centenary-book) and features in an exhibition at The Museum of Richmond, as part of The Royal Star & Garter Homes’ centenary project which has been supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Richmond plays a key role in the Charity’s story. The original Star & Garter Home was established on Richmond Hill in 1916, in response to the desperate need to care for the injured soldiers and sailors returning from the battlegrounds of the First World War.

Material from the Book and historic artefacts associated with The Royal Star & Garter Homes will be displayed at a special Exhibition at The Museum of Richmond, ‘The Royal Star & Garter: 100 Years of Care’, which runs from November 2016 to April 2017.