Our Remembrance Appeal
Our Remembrance appeal focuses on Remembrance Sunday, a very special day for the residents of The Royal Star & Garter Homes and for all those people who have Served in Her Majesty's Forces.
We rely heavily on funds kindly donated through our appeals and unfortunately, due to the recent postal workers' strike, this appeal will be late arriving through people's letterboxes. We are concerned that this delay will significantly reduce the donations we receive for this appeal as people may think it's too late to donate. This is not the case, you can still donate to this appeal.
If you are reading this page having received this appeal late by post, we would like to apologise. If you would still like to send in a card to our residents, we will ensure that these are passed on immediately and they will be gratefully received by our disabled residents.
Dear Friend,
Each year, at this time, we remember those who fell in war and conflict. Yet there is another group of people I would also ask you to remember.
Those men and women who Served their country and are now disabled - often severely.
Three people immediately spring to mind, although there are many more like them here. Please take a moment to remember them:
Louis Pengelly-Phillips - Royal Marines
Louis served with a special detachment of Royal Marines tasked with guarding Winston Churchill. He was one of the first ashore on D-Day and later fought against the Japanese in the Far East. In 1952 he fell from a window, broke his back and is now partially paralysed.
Dominic Lovett - Royal Marines
Two years ago Royal Marine Dominic Lovett 21, broke his neck during specialist training when he was about to be sent to Afghanistan. Paralysed from the neck down he now faces the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
Dominic came to our new Solihull Home from Headley Court rehabilitation centre and we are looking after him while a home is being adapted for him near his parents in Devon.
Hugh Eccles - RAF pilot
As an RAF pilot, Hugh took part in the first capture of a U-boat by an airplane during the Second World War. After a long and distinguished wartime career he moved on to work on the development of the V bomber and later commanded a squadron in Coastal Command. Today he is in our care, after his wife died.
Click here to download an information sheet about our residents
Now, some of these stories may seem tragic. But there is hope.
None of these people can heal their damaged bodies, but they can all experience the very best care and quality of life possible. And that is what we give them in our homes.
So often, a disability means the sufferer ends up in a place where they simply waste away. Most people do not know how or have the time to care for people as severely disabled as this.
But in our homes each of them receives the best nursing and therapeutic care available. And most importantly, they are not alone. They are together with a group of friends in a happy, loving environment. And in many ways, that is the most healing thing of all.
Yet love is not enough to keep us going. As a Charity we receive no direct government support. So we rely on the goodwill of people like you to keep going.
Will you help us? I know you support our work. Now is an especially important time for us:
In Solihull, we recently opened the first of three new homes. It means disabled veterans, now and in the future, will enjoy the best care in the best modern facilities. We are also extending our services to the spouses and partners of veterans, those with dementia and a new breed of disabled ex-Service person like Dominic Lovett.
Also, right now, our Welfare Manager is selecting Christmas presents for each of our residents. Some of our residents have no immediate family to visit them at Christmas. So for some it is the only present they get. We allow £20 per resident. Please take a moment, this Remembrance time, to remember those ex-Service men and women who are now living with a disability.
I know they will be extremely grateful for any amount you can give.
Click on the button below to find out the different ways in which you can donate. Thank you very much.
Would you also write a small message of Remembrance in a card? Our residents appreciate getting them very much. Please click here to download a pdf which you can print at home and send to us at our freepost address below. Alternatively you can write a message using our Remembrance Message Form (click here) which we will print and pass on to our Residents.
The Royal Star & Garter Homes
FREEPOST RLUX-CSXB-KZGG
Richmond
Surrey
TW10 6RR
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Patsy Willis
Fundraising Director
PS. Even if you do not wish to make a donation, please click here to download our Remembrance card and write a short message to our Residents. It makes them very happy to know someone is thinking of them.
PPS. Almost every day there is a report of British Service men and women being shot in Afghanistan. What is not reported is that for every one killed, two or three are wounded, many become disabled. Please make sure that, at some time in the future, we can be there for them if they need us.
The Fundraising Standards Board
Send a Remembrance Message to our Residents:
