19th August 2008
Royal British Legion to Help Fund New Care Home for The Royal Star & Garter Charity
The Royal British Legion has announced a grant of £2.05 million to The Royal Star & Garter Homes in support of a dementia care wing at their planned new, state-of-the-art care home at East Molesey, next to Hampton Court station. The announcement came as the National Chairman and the Director General of The Royal British Legion visited the Charity's Richmond Home this week.
The proposed new home, which is dependent upon planning permission being granted by Elmbridge Borough Council, will house 60 elderly and frail former members of the Armed Forces and will include a 13-bed dementia care wing, the construction of which will be covered by the grant. The esidents will transfer from the Charity's current Richmond Hill building which is no longer fit for purpose.
Peter Cleminson, National Chairman of The Royal British Legion, said, "We are delighted to be able to help fund this project which fits very well with our own strategy of developing the provision of nursing and dementia care for ex-Service veterans and their widows, spouses and partners."
The Charity's Chairman, Vice Admiral Sir John Dunt expressed his thanks saying, "We are extremely grateful and absolutely delighted that The Royal British Legion, which has many demands on its resources, has chosen to support our New Homes Fund with this most generous contribution, which will help to make our dream of a new home at Hampton Court a reality. We hope planning permission will be granted in the next couple of months so work can start as soon as possible. The new home at Hampton Court will be a fitting and much deserved tribute to our disabled veterans."
The Royal British Legion visitors accompanied by Sir John and the Charity's Chief Executive Lynn McDougall then visited the Hampton Court site to see for themselves where the new home will stand. The state-of-the-art home will be built on what is currently the car park at Hampton Court station and will include 60 large en suite bed sitting rooms, a large dining room with adjoining function room, lounges and a cafe, therapy and activity rooms, and bar on the roof garden terrace overlooking the Thames. There will also be courtyard gardens at ground level and terrace gardens on the first and second floors. A replacement car park will be built underground.