November 2006
70 CHILDREN VISIT VETERANS AT THE ROYAL STAR & GARTER HOME
Following the success of our previous Veterans & Youth Days last year, 70 local school children from Holy Trinity CE Primary, Twickenham Preparatory School for Boys, Sheen Mount, Chase Bridge, Buckingham Primary, Marshgate and St John the Baptist Schools visited The Royal Star & Garter Home on 8th November 2006. Aged between eight and ten, the children have been studying WWII at school and were delighted to be able to come to the Home and meet residents at Remembrance time. The day ran from 09.30 to 14.15, commencing with a military style registration and followed by a series of WWII themes activities. The children were eager and inquisitive, enjoying all the activities from start to finish. The staff and residents at The Royal Star & Garter Home received many thank you letters including a lovely colourful letter from Marshgate School in which young Clementine says, “Thank you for a great day. I liked everything – it was a fantastic experience”.
Children learnt about food rationing in a cookery demonstration given by staff from the Home with the wonderful assistance of Carolyn Bloor from the Museum of Richmond. They then took part in a bombing and ARP session, learning about what it would have been like to live throughout the war. RAF Actor, Colin Utley then showed children what being an RAF pilot during the War would have entailed; involving individuals in practicing flying formations. After a speciality ration-style lunch, the afternoon continued with one-to-one discussions with residents and games of the era. At the end of the afternoon, the Residents’ Choir led everyone in song with numbers such as ‘You Are My Sunshine’ and ‘We’ll Meet Again’ before a hearing a heart-felt thank you from resident, Eamon McArdle.
Thanks go to everyone involved in the day. Heather Robinson Activities and Welfare Manager and all the Activities Department staff did a fantastic job with the food rationing demonstration and games sessions; in-house Chef, Les Barlow who made the ration lunches; Patsy Willis, Director of Fundraising & Public Relations who teamed up with Rebecca Spencer, Marketing and Communications Co-ordinator for the Bombing and ARP session and last but not least to Squadron Leader Sally Rowlands and Wing Commander Neal from the RAF, who travelled a long distance to help out which impressed the children a great deal.
About the Royal Star & Garter Charity
The Royal Star & Garter Home, an independent registered charity based in Richmond, has been caring for disabled ex-Service personnel since 1916. The Charity offers the best in nursing and residential care plus a range of therapies. There are also a wide variety of leisure activities available for our residents to enjoy, both inside and outside the Home. In future years, The Royal Star & Garter Charity intends to build new homes, in the Richmond area and elsewhere, in which to provide specialist care for the elderly disabled, and for those with dementia for whom there is very little provision at present.
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FURTHER INFO: Rebecca Spencer, Marketing & Communications Co-ordinator TEL: 020 8439 8118 or EMAIL: rebecca.spencer@starandgarter.org