Celebrations have taken place at Royal Star & Garter’s three Homes, as the charity marked its 108^th birthday.

Residents at the Homes in Solihull, Surbiton and High Wycombe enjoyed live music and dancing, and ate cake, as they celebrated Royal Star & Garter’s anniversary.

The charity was established on 14 January 1916 to care for severely injured men returning from WWI battlegrounds, following concern expressed by Queen Mary. She charged the British Red Cross Society with finding a ‘permanent haven’ for severely disabled young men returning from war.

Today, Royal Star & Garter provides loving, compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia from its three Homes, and has new services reaching out into the community.

Celebrations at the Homes kicked off on Friday 12 January at Surbiton, with swing singer Ruy Christo coming into the Home to perform for residents, before they enjoyed afternoon tea and sang happy birthday to Royal Star & Garter.

At Solihull, celebrations took place on the Sunday, with pianist Louise Potter playing and her daughter singing with her. Residents later had their own tea party and ate birthday cake.

Music duo KelBilly also performed on Sunday at Royal Star & Garter in High Wycombe. This was followed by a party with Prosecco and birthday cake.

‘Creating fun and joy’

The charity’s Director of Care & Wellbeing, Shirley Hall, said: “Over a century after we started, we are still caring for our nation’s Armed Forces community, and in the past year we have extended our new services to reach even more veterans. I love seeing the Homes filled with such happiness and celebration. Staff are always finding ways to create fun and joy, and I think they enjoyed the birthday parties as much as the residents!”

Royal Star & Garter is welcoming new residents in its Homes. For more information on this, or to work for the charity, go to www.starandgarter.org