As we pause this Remembrance Day to reflect on the courage and sacrifice of those who served our country, it is also a time to consider how we can continue to honour and support them in later life. In our report on the ‘Healthcare Experiences of the Armed Forces Community in West Essex’, one of the themes explored included creating veteran-friendly care home environments. For many veterans, the transition into a care home can bring new challenges, but it also offers a unique opportunity to recognise their service, celebrate their stories, and ensure they receive the care and understanding they deserve.
The Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) is a programme which supports care homes across England to identify, understand and respond to the needs of the Armed Forces Community. Through simple yet powerful actions, from identifying veterans in care plans, to displaying familiar symbols and creating spaces for remembrance, care homes are fostering environments of respect, belonging, and pride.
On this Remembrance Day, we want to celebrate the impact of the many dedicated care professionals working to ensure that every veteran feels seen, valued, and connected to their service and their community. We spoke to Royal Star & Garter to find out more about the VFF programme and how we can transform everyday care for veterans and their families.
Royal Star & Garter
What is the Veteran Friendly Framework?
“The Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) is a free-to-access programme resulting from a partnership between Royal Star & Garter, the Royal British Legion and the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA). It helps deliver improved health and wellbeing outcomes for the veteran community in care homes across England.
In order to better understand the Armed Forces community population within care homes, it is vital that veterans and their partners are identified and recorded as such, as part of their care plan. As one care home manager explained: ‘We wouldn’t have known to ask about military backgrounds before, but now that we do, it’s been incredible. It’s changed how we see behaviours − why someone reacts to fireworks, why they maybe need that structured routine.’”
How can we ensure care environments are veteran-friendly?
“Managers and staff have found that veterans’ specific needs are often overlooked in traditional care settings and, therefore, expressed a desire to create an environment where the backgrounds, experiences, and challenges of veterans and their partners were fully understood and addressed. The VFF supports homes in creating military links in the community, inviting in military groups, participating in veterans’ cafes or arranging visits to museums. Care homes are encouraged to take simple actions such as putting a poppy badge on the door of each veteran to identify them, leading to conversations, connections and friendships.
Familiar symbols and images can help bring positive memories, reduce anxiety, and encourage participation in meaningful activities, fostering a greater sense of comfort and connection. In Royal Star & Garter homes, physical props such as uniforms, medals, regimental plaques and vintage photos reflect veterans’ military interests and create talking points, promoting an atmosphere of respect and understanding.”
What can we do to improve our understanding of the care needs of the Armed Forces community?
“As a result of implementing the VFF, care homes have introduced a range of activities that recognise and support veterans, their partners and the wider community. These efforts are shaped by a flexible, person-centred approach, with staff taking steps to identify veterans on arrival and learn about their service history and experiences.
Activities such as reminiscence sessions, veterans’ cafes and making memory boards, help to create a sense of pride. From everyday practices within the home to wider community engagement, these actions have helped ensure that veterans and their partners feel seen, understood, and connected to their identities.”
During the creation of our report on the healthcare experiences of the Armed Forces Community in West Essex, we spoke to Dawn Harrison, Activity Manager at Belmont Lodge Care Centre in Chigwell, who took part in the VFF programme. We were invited to meet with two veteran residents at the care home to discuss their experiences.
Dawn at Belmont Lodge Care Centre, Chigwell
“We first heard about the Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) through one of our colleagues from another home, which immediately caught my interest. I reached out to her directly to learn more − and that’s where our journey began.
Our mission was to create a truly veteran-friendly care home environment. Since October 2024, I have been working towards the Veteran Friendly Framework accreditation with Royal Star & Garter. With the support of the VFF, we were able to connect with several organisations, including the Ministry of Defence, to gather important service records, medals, and discover opportunities to champion our residents with an Armed Forces background.
One standout experience involved a veteran who had always been very private about his National Service. After he moved into our care home, his family discovered some old photographs, and together we were able to create a life story for him − a beautiful tribute that has now become a meaningful keepsake for his family.
Since joining the VFF programme, Belmont Lodge has proudly participated in community events, including leading a Remembrance Sunday parade. This was such a special moment for our veterans, giving them the chance to connect with others who share similar experiences and to honour the sacrifices made.
We are proud that all 13 of our care homes have now achieved VFF status. I would wholeheartedly recommend the Veteran Friendly Framework to everyone. It has helped families reconnect with their loved ones, sharing memories that will be passed down through generations. It has also given our veterans − both within our homes and in the wider community − a renewed sense of pride, belonging, and purpose.”
During our discussion, Dawn shared the service histories of two veteran residents, Bill and Peter, both aged 91 years old, who we spoke with at Belmont Lodge. A photo album was shared that Bill had put together which captured moments from his time serving in Malaysia and being part of the Army athletics team. The album included a postcard he had written to his mother, dated from 1952. The photo on the front of the postcard was of the ship he stayed on during his six-week journey at sea. Dawn showed us that Bill had also signed the Official Secrets Act and told us that he still remembers his Army number.
Bill
“Bill’s journey as a Royal Ordnance at the age of 91 is filled with memories of his time serving in Singapore during his national service. Enlisting in 1952, Bill’s excitement and shock were palpable when he received news of being chosen to go to Singapore. The six-week journey by ship was a mix of fun and sad moments, marking the beginning of a transformative chapter in his life.
During his two years of service, he not only learned essential skills like dismantling and assembling a machine gun but also discovered his passion for athletics. Joining the Army’s athletics team, he found joy in running and competing, a passion that stayed with him throughout his life.
Despite the discipline and challenges he faced, Bill’s time in the military shaped his character and instilled in him a sense of perseverance. Although he did not experience direct combat, he vividly remembers guarding trains through Kilgore, prepared for any potential ambush by rebels. After leaving the Army, Bill settled back home in West Essex where he met his wife and started a family.”
Peter
“At the age of 91 Peter reminisces about his time serving as a Royal Engineer in the Army, reflecting on the memories that shaped his life. Enlisting at the age of 18, his decision to join the Army was driven by a strong sense of patriotism and a desire to make a difference.
During his time in the Army, he underwent rigorous training that equipped him with valuable combat, communication and leadership skills. His experiences in action were intense and adrenaline-fueled, requiring a mix of fear and focus during missions. His dedication and service did not go unnoticed as he received several medals, including the Suez star for his bravery and commitment. One particular memory that stands out for Peter is the strong bond he formed with his comrades, finding solace and support in their camaraderie during tough times. As he reflects on his time in the Army, he carries with him a deep sense of pride in his service as a Royal Engineer.”
Peter told us about his experiences in the armed forces, including serving in Egypt, and how the Second World War shaped some of his childhood memories growing up in London. He hadn’t realised there were other veteran residents at Belmont Lodge until the VFF programme was introduced.
“I joined up in July 1952. We had some basic training and then I went to Egypt for 18 months by ship. The food was awful, the accommodation was all tents. You just got on with it. It was the first time I’d ever left home and been abroad. I met another solider and we became friends for the rest of his life. At the age of 18, you were going to the Army for a couple of years. That was the law in those days.
I didn’t dream of having any connection with the armed forces when I came here. It was completely unexpected to be at the front of the parade Remembrance Day. I hadn’t lost contact with the Army. But I didn’t realise that there were other people from the national service here. It’s been nice to reminisce. We finally got our medals. We had to fight for those medals. I’ll remember my Army number to the day I die.
My father never went into the Army because he worked at the docks, and it was a reserve occupation getting the ships in and out of the dock in the Blitz. In 1945, I was wandering around the streets looking out at what was going on. People were celebrating and drinking on Armistice Day, bonfires were everywhere out on the street. I used to go to school, you never knew if other people would still be alive by lunch time. We just had to get on with it. We were in the dugout for quite a lot of the evenings, in the end we slept in the dugout because it was easier.
On September 7th, 1940, it was called Black Saturday because it started off as a normal Saturday morning and in the afternoon they had started bombing the docks, 350 bombers came over. Around 400 people were killed in the first night. It really was nasty. I think I grew up that day. I was coming up to six years old and then we went away in the October. By the age of 10, I had moved to six different schools. I can remember it as clearly as I can remember yesterday.”
As we reflect this Remembrance Day, the stories of veterans like Bill and Peter remind us that the impact of service lasts a lifetime, shaping memories, identities, and the need for understanding in later life. Their experiences, shared with honesty and pride, highlight why creating veteran-friendly care environments is not simply a gesture of respect but an essential part of delivering truly person-centred care.
The Veteran Friendly Framework plays a vital role in helping care homes recognise and honour these stories, ensuring that veterans and their partners are not only identified but genuinely understood. Through thoughtful practices, community connections, and the commitment of staff like Dawn and her team at Belmont Lodge, everyday care becomes an opportunity to preserve memories, celebrate service, and foster dignity and belonging.
This Remembrance Day, we acknowledge the dedication of the care professionals who are making this work possible, and the veterans whose lives continue to inspire it. By listening to their histories and shaping care around their experiences, we ensure that their service is recognised not only in words, but in the support and understanding they receive every day.