Veterans have marked Armed Forces Day at Royal Star & Garter.

Residents from the charity’s Homes held a series of events during Armed Forces Week (20-27 June) which culminated in Armed Forces Day on Saturday 27 June.

Among the highlights were visits to a historic WWII underground bunker, while Armed Forces personnel dropped into the Homes. Veterans also received Armed Forces pins and raised flags outside the Royal Star & Garter Homes.

The charity provides loving, compassionate care 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.

Armed Forces Day was marked with the raising of the Armed Forces Day flag outside the front of each Royal Star & Garter Home.

In Surbiton, residents who moved to the Home within the past 12 months received Armed Forces pins, especially arranged by staff. The Surbiton Royal British Legion Youth Marching Band also performed live at the Home.

Among the activities at the High Wycombe Home were visits to the Battle of Britain Bunker in Uxbridge, which has a new exhibition gallery named after former Royal Star & Garter resident and WAAF veteran Kay Thomas. She worked as a Plotter at the station from 1940-1945, and during the Battle of Britain in 1940. Personell from RAF High Wycombe attended a tea party during Armed Forces Week, and there was also an afternoon ice cream tea party and barbecue.

At Solihull, residents were guests of honour at a town centre tea party put on by the council on Thursday 25 June. Mayor Sardul Singh Marwa and members of the Armed Forces were present at the event and spent time with residents. On Armed Forces Day there was live music from Becca Gee and Solihull West & Shirley MP Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst visited the Home.

Staff and volunteers from the charity’s Worthing Home attended an Armed Forces Day community celebration in nearby Steyn Gardens, where they manned an information stall and sold fans made by residents.

A week of celebrations

Armed Forces Day is a chance for the public to show its support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community: from currently serving personnel to Service families, veterans and cadets. It marks the culmination of a week of celebrations, when the public show their appreciation for the Armed Forces community. All Royal Star & Garter Homes recognise and maintain military connections for the many veteran residents who wish to do so.

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