Continuing our regular feature profiling military charities, MHM focuses on a 96-year-old organisation dedicated to rehabilitating disabled ex-soldiers.
For nearly 100 years The Royal Star & Garter Homes has been caring for disabled former service men and women. They provide outstanding nursing and therapeutic care to enable those who served their country to be as independent as possible and to live life to the full.
We all owe a great debt to veterans and their families, which is why The Royal Star & Garter Homes provides them with the friendship, care, and respect they deserve. The charity understands that having hope and purpose in life is important to us all, which is why it strives to ensure those it cares for enjoy life as much as possible. The charity is determined to provide brilliant care to the military family for generations to come.
What the charity does and why
Due to the many medical advances of the 21st century, more servicepeople are, thankfully, surviving injury into older age. The Royal Star & Garter Homes has adapted to meet the changing needs of those facing disability, particularly the increased need to provide 24-hour nursing and respite care within a homely environment.
With this in mind, the charity has begun a programme to build new purpose-built modern homes that can provide truly person-centred care. It is particularly proud of its inspirational dementia care philosophy, incorporating the latest research available, so the charity can promote choice, safety, and peace of mind for those living with dementia.
Nearly 100 years of brilliant care
The charity was established in 1916 by Queen Mary and The British Women’s Hospital Committee, working with the British Red Cross Society, to care for severely disabled young men returning from the battlegrounds of the First World War. When the charity opened its doors at the old Star & Garter Hotel on Richmond Hill, Surrey, the average age of those it cared for was just 22.
Over the years, The Royal Star & Garter Homes has evolved to care for all disabled ex-servicemen and -women, and their partners. The charity remains committed to providing brilliant care and innovative therapies for all those it cares for. The charity maintains its strong military links and has enjoyed Royal patronage since its foundation, including Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II since 1953.
Why they need your support
As a charity, it does not receive any direct government funding and relies on the generosity of its supporters to fund the high level of specialist care that it provides.
The Royal Star and Garter Homes is there for people like Jack who is 107 years old and served in The Royal Dragoons regiment between 1926 and 1932, initially as a trooper. The charity helps him live life to the full.