Staff and Governors from military charity The Royal Star & Garter Homes received a warm welcome from the Mayor of High Wycombe at an event to introduce the Charity to its new neighbours on Thursday 16 March.

The Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher, the Chairman of Buckinghamshire County Council David Letheren, Councillor Suzanne Brown, the Mayor of High Wycombe, local councillors and other supporters and stakeholders attended the reception at The Wycombe Swan to preview the plans for the new state-of-the-art Home being built in the Hughenden area.

Following an introduction from Major General Tim Tyler CB, staff were on hand to answer questions about the specialist care the Charity offers to disabled veterans and their spouses, which includes award-winning dementia care. The Activities team presented a selection of handicrafts made by the residents, explaining that there are over 50 activities and outings on offer to the veterans in the Charity’s two existing Homes in Solihull and Surbiton, which will be available in the new Home too.

The Mayor of High Wycombe, Councillor Zia Ahmed, said of the new Home, “We are trying to regenerate the area to bring employment here so I’m pleased that The Royal Star & Garter Homes are regenerating this disused site and providing new jobs. We have close links to the RAF so we are delighted to welcome another military organisation to our town. Additionally, we have started a project to make High Wycombe a dementia-friendly town so it is important that we support the work of The Royal Star & Garter Homes which offers exceptional dementia care to veterans.”

The Chief Executive of The Royal Star & Garter Homes, Andy Cole, commented: “Today’s event is about showcasing the new Home which will open its doors to veterans next year. We look forward to becoming an integral part of the community and providing opportunities for staff, volunteers and, of course, residents in High Wycombe. We appreciate the warm welcome we’ve received.”

The construction of the main frame of the four-storey building on Hughenden Avenue is now complete and the Charity has already had a number of enquiries from residents keen to move in and talented staff interested in working for the Charity. The building is on track to open the doors to 74 new residents in Spring 2018.