- Woking dad Piers Fox helped his grandfather volunteer at the old Richmond Home, before Norman became a resident himself
- Joanna Arnold’s grandmother was cared for by the Charity for the last two years of her life
- Royal Navy Commando Rikky Toyer is swapping his Green Beret and boots for a running bib and trainers
The relatives of two former residents and a Royal Navy Commando are running the Virgin Money London Marathon to raise money for The Royal Star & Garter Homes.
Joanna Arnold, Piers Fox and Rikky Toyer will all be taking part in their first ever marathons when they take to the streets of the capital on 28 April.
Piers’ grandfather and Joanna’s grandmother were both cared for by the Charity during the final years of their lives, while Rikky decided to run after being told about the work of the Charity. The Royal Star & Garter Homes cares for ex-Servicemen and women and partners who are living with disability or dementia.
Piers remembers helping grandfather Norman Knowles volunteer at the Charity’s old Home. In later years, Norman would become a resident there, before moving to the Surbiton Home. He died in 2016.
Norman served in the Army during the Second World War, and saw action in Myanmar (Burma), where he suffered a bullet wound to the leg.
Piers, 42, from Woking, said:
“When I was a kid I would go with my grandad to the Richmond Home where he was a volunteer. I was eight or nine at the time and I would go up with him and help with the veterans.”
Piers is a Finance Controller for Apple, and the technology company is match-funding donations given by his work colleagues. He said:
“I’m doing this to say thanks to the Charity for the care and support it gave my grandad. I believe we need to look after our veterans, and The Royal Star & Garter Homes does a great job of doing that. I’m hoping to raise as much as I can and I’m grateful to Apple for the match-funding. The Marathon’s not going to be easy but thinking of my granddad will help me.”
Joanna’s grandmother Muriel Webster lived at the Surbiton Home for two years before her death in August 2018. The 35-year-old, from Horsham, is also running to thank the Charity:
“The care and love my Grandma received from everyone at The Royal Star & Garter Homes was amazing. I was blown away by it. It was a real home-from-home, not just for Grandma but us relatives too.”
Father-of-three Rikky, 36, is a Helicopter Engineer with the Commando Helicopter Force, based at RNAS Yeovilton. He is raising money for the Charity following a chance conversation:
“A friend of mine told me about the Charity, and being in the military myself, I think it’s great. Maybe one day in the future The Royal Star & Garter Homes will be caring for me or someone I serve with.”
To sponsor Piers, go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/piers-fox
To sponsor Joanna, go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/joanna84
To sponsor Rikky, go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rikkyt
For further information please contact:
Goolistan Cooper
Communications Officer / goolistan.cooper@starandgarter.org / 0208 481 7669 / 07391 868796
Cally Madden
Marketing & Communications Manager / cally.madden@starandgarter.org / 020 8481 7692 / 07881 017299
About The Royal Star & Garter Homes:
The Charity provides award-winning care for military veterans and their partners who live with disability or dementia.
The Royal Star & Garter Homes is a charity founded in 1916 to care for the severely injured men returning from the battlegrounds of the First World War.
Today our friendly, state-of-the-art Homes offer a pioneering approach to nursing, dementia and therapeutic care. We have award-winning Homes in Solihull, West Midlands and Surbiton, Surrey. Our third Home in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire opens in spring 2019.
We continue to expand our services to reach even more veterans. In 2018, we were able to support 185 residents and over 60 guests at the Star & Garter Club, our day care service. We also offer interim care for young disabled Service personnel. We provided 11,700 individual sessions of physiotherapy and speech & language therapy last year to support our residents’ health, and over 5,600 places to residents for activities, outings and events, to promote well-being.
We are proud to have enjoyed Royal patronage since our foundation, including that of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II from 1953 to the present day.
Twitter: @starandgarter
Facebook: facebook.com/starandgarter
Website: www.starandgarter.org
The Royal Star & Garter Homes is a member of the National Care Forum – the leading voice for not-for-profit care providers. A national perspective may be available from info@nationalcareforum.org.uk or by contacting 02476243619. More details on NCF available at www.nationalcareforum.org.uk.
