15th October 2008
Royal Star & Garter's New Home Welcomes HRH Princess Alexandra in Grand Opening Ceremony
Today The Royal Star & Garter Home, Solihull, was delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, alongside special guests including Falklands veteran Simon Weston OBE and the Mayor & Mayoress of Solihull, for the official ceremonial opening of its brand new state-of-the-art care home for disabled ex-Service men and women. HRH Princess Alexandra is President of the Charity and was welcomed to the home to tour the excellent care facilities, meet staff and residents, and unveil a beautiful plaque to mark the opening of the new home.
Guests enjoyed music from The Band of the Prince of Wales's Division, admired the gleaming horses mounted by troopers of the Household Cavalry, and applauded the official Standard Bearers from the Knowle and Solihull branches of the Royal British Legion in what was a magnificent day in the Charity's long history. Also in attendance were Army, Navy and Air Force cadets from local battalions, and QARANC (Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps) student military nurses currently taking courses at Birmingham University.
The first resident to be admitted to the new home, 85-year-old Mrs Kathleen Clarke, was thrilled to present HRH Princess Alexandra with a posy as Vice Admiral Sir John Dunt, Chairman of the Board of Governors, welcomed her and invited her to tour the facilities. Mrs Clarke was in the Land Army and married Albert, a Corporal in the Army, when she was 22. She worked as a spot welder in Sutton Coldfield until her retirement when she was 60.
The Solihull Home, built by architects Scurr & Partners and building contractors Morgan Ashurst, has 60 bed-sitting rooms with en suite shower room. The Roundel Wing, a specially-designed unit with 15 rooms to accommodate residents with dementia, has been generously funded through a £2 million donation from the RAF Benevolent Fund. The Charity was delighted to host Air Marshal Sir Rob Wright, Controller the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund and other guests from the organisation.
"We are delighted so see our donation to The Royal Star & Garter's 90th Anniversary Appeal being put to such good use," said Sir Rob Wright. "With an ageing population, and an increasing incidence of dementia here in the UK, we see the Roundel Wing as a much-needed facility for our ex-Service community, and another excellent way in which the RAF Benevolent Fund can provide support for RAF veterans and their dependants."