The important role of cadets and the impact they have on Royal Star & Garter residents is being celebrated by the veterans’ charity.

Cadets have visited the Surbiton Home on many occasions, helping with events, chatting with residents and taking part in activities.

Royal Star & Garter is highlighting these visits ahead of the first ever National Cadets Week. This takes place from 5-11 October and will celebrate UK’s cadet community – one of the country’s most effective youth organisations – and the tens of thousands of young people and adult volunteers who make the cadets a success.

The intergenerational meetings bring mutual benefits for both residents and cadets. They help tackle loneliness and isolation that older people can experience, and help create meaningful connections, with veterans able to share stories, experiences and memories from their military service. Among the benefits cadets can gain is a deeper understanding and appreciation of military service and history.

Royal Star & Garter provides loving, compassionate care and support to veterans and their families living with disability or dementia, from Homes in Solihull, Surbiton, High Wycombe and Worthing. It also runs services reaching out into the community including Day Care, Lunch Club and a national Telephone Friendship Service.

At Surbiton, members of the Royal Air Force Cadets from 1034 (Surbiton & Esher Squadron) have regularly attended the Home’s Remembrance events. They take part in the service before later serving snacks and drinks to residents and spending time with them discussing their experiences of the Armed Forces.

The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) at nearby Southborough High School have also been welcomed to the Home, helping mark events such as D-Day.

At Care for Veterans – a Royal Star & Garter Home in Worthing, cadets have helped run stalls during events such as Summer and Christmas Fayres.

Outside of the Homes, cadets have also made their mark with Royal Star & Garter. Sea Cadets from the TS Kingston Steadfast group previously raised £1,200 for the charity at the Kingston Dragon Boat Festival, while other cadets have helped raise money for Royal Star & Garter at the Birmingham International Tattoo.

In Solihull, residents spent time with cadets at Touchwood shopping centre during Armed Forces Week.

And in High Wycombe plans are underway to build links between the Home and a local Combined Cadet Force.

“Share their memories, values and experiences”

Kate Silver is Director of People at the charity and has been involved with RAF Air Cadets for over 25 years. She was a Commissioned Officer for 18 years and is now a Trustee of Surrey Wing Air Cadets. She said: “During National Cadets Week, we are proud to recognise the incredible contribution cadets make, bringing friendship, conversation and enthusiasm to our residents. Their visits have a positive impact on life at Royal Star & Garter and mean so much to our veterans. Welcoming cadets into our Homes is about far more than spending time together. It creates a special opportunity for veterans to share their memories, values and experiences of military service with a younger generation. In return, cadets gain a unique insight from those who have served before them, bringing history and military heritage to life in a way that no classroom can replicate.”

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