Warfare in News

On Wednesday, 30 October the Royal Star & Garter Homes welcomed the President of the Charity, Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, to the official opening of its new, state-of-the-art Home in Surbiton, Surrey.

The Princess was greeted by a fanfare from the Surbiton Royal British Legion Youth Marching Band's Fanfare Team. Vice Admiral Sir John Dunt, the Chairman of Governors, and the Mayor of Kingston-upon-Thames, Councillor Penny Sheltone then welcomed Princess Alexandra to the Surbiton Home. Her Royal Highness was escorted to the main hall, where she was introduced to a number of dignitaries.

Donald Lowe, a resident at the Surbiton Home, presented the Princess with a posy. Donald served in the Royal Air Force as an aircraft mechanic and was posted to Singapore and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Donald said of meeting Princess Alexandra:

'I was really proud to welcome the Princess to our new Home.'

Princess Alexandra took a tour and spent time talking to guests, residents and staff, before unveiling a plaque to mark the official opening. The Princess remarked on how her grandmother, Queen Mary, who opened the Richmond Home in 1924, would have been delighted with the new Surbiton Home.

The residents moved from the Richmond Home into their new Surbiton Home last August. Surbiton is the second Home to be built as part of the Charity's modernisation plan, with 63 specially equipped en-suite rooms. Of these, 26 form a specialist dementia unit, named after Tom Lister, one of the founders of The Royal British Legion, in recognition of their generous donation of £2.05 million in support of the dementia care wing.

On Wednesday, 30 October the Royal Star & Garter Homes welcomed the President of the Charity, Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, to the official opening of its new, state-of-the-art Home in Surbiton, Surrey. The Princess was greeted by a fanfare from the Surbiton Royal British Legion Youth Marching Band's Fanfare Team. Vice Admiral Sir John Dunt, the Chairman of Governors, and the Mayor of Kingston-upon-Thames, Councillor Penny Sheltone then welcomed Princess Alexandra to the Surbiton Home. Her Royal Highness was escorted to the main hall, where she was introduced to a number of dignitaries. Donald Lowe, a resident at the Surbiton Home, presented the Princess with a posy. Donald served in the Royal Air Force as an aircraft mechanic and was posted to Singapore and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Donald said of meeting Princess Alexandra: [i]'I was really proud to welcome the Princess to our new Home.'[/i] Princess Alexandra took a tour and spent time talking to guests, residents and staff, before unveiling a plaque to mark the official opening. The Princess remarked on how her grandmother, Queen Mary, who opened the Richmond Home in 1924, would have been delighted with the new Surbiton Home. The residents moved from the Richmond Home into their new Surbiton Home last August. Surbiton is the second Home to be built as part of the Charity's modernisation plan, with 63 specially equipped en-suite rooms. Of these, 26 form a specialist dementia unit, named after Tom Lister, one of the founders of The Royal British Legion, in recognition of their generous donation of £2.05 million in support of the dementia care wing.