Starlight Service Celebrating Loved Ones at Christmas
Starlight Service Celebrating Loved Ones at Christmas
Posted on Friday 9th December 2016
The disabled veterans who live at The Royal Star and Garter Home in Surbiton were joined by family, friends and supporters for the Starlight Service at St Matthew’s Church, Surbiton, on Sunday 4 December.
Reverend Helen Hancock led the special festive service, which celebrated loved ones, past and present, through music and readings. The Charity’s choir, The Star and Garter Singers, made their first official appearance, singing Christmas classics such as Winter Wonderland and I Saw Three Ships.
Denise Prior Terry, whose beloved father, Ernie Prior, sadly passed away at the Surbiton Home in July, commented:
“This was a beautiful service which is appreciated and brings comfort to those attending in memory of their loved ones.”
Diana Greenman volunteers at the Surbiton Home where her much-loved father, Eric Jordan, was also a resident. Diana also helped to set up The Star and Garter Singers with Simon Hancock, and said:
“The Starlight Service was absolutely beautiful and extremely moving.”
The congregation got together afterwards for mulled wine, mince pies and to hang their star-shaped messages to loved ones on the Christmas tree.


The Royal Star and Garter Homes is a charity founded in 1916 to care for the severely injured young men returning from the battlegrounds of the First World War. Today we provide specialist care to the whole military family in our friendly, state-of-the-art Homes. Disabled ex-Servicemen and women, and their partners, can all benefit from our pioneering approach to nursing, dementia and therapeutic care.
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