The Orchard Celebrates Veteran Friendly Framework Success With Local Community
The Orchard team, residents and relatives and specially invited guests gathered on a beautiful afternoon to mark the care home’s success in achieving Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) status.
The celebration, hosted by Home Manager, Dumitru Vazaru, and the home’s VFF Champions Natalie, Julie, and Vicky, took place in The Orchard’s stunning garden. It was the perfect location for a relaxed and sociable gathering in the sunshine which featured delicious canapés, bubbles and music.
Journey Supported by the Local Community and Veterans’ Groups
The team were delighted to welcome from the community, Councillor Ajanta Hilton - Chair of the Hertfordshire Armed Forces Covenant Board, Herts County Council Executive Member Public Health & Community Safety; Dawn Gamble - District Councillor for Verulam Ward; Sue Rose - Royal British Legion County Vice Chair and Jacqeline Sayers and Joyce Carey from St Abans U3A.
The Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) offers guidance to care providers on how best to give appropriate support to the thousands of veterans living in care homes across England. It is a collaborative project led by the Royal British Legion, Royal Star & Garter and the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance.
As part of The Orchard’s journey towards becoming a Veteran Friendly home, Customer Relationship Manager Natalie Collard worked closely with Sue Rose, Hertfordshire Heroes and their Policy Manager Katherine Brierley, the Armed Forces Veteran Breakfast Club, and local cadet camps to strengthen community outreach and support for veterans. Their guidance and encouragement played an important role in helping The Orchard achieve its accreditation. And Senior Wellbeing Lead, Julie, played a key role in identifying veterans and veterans’ spouses within the home, gathering their stories, photographs, and memorabilia to help celebrate and honour their experiences and service.
Celebratory Event Brings Everyone Together
The event was a lovely way of bringing people together to acknowledge just how important it is to properly recognise our veterans. During the afternoon, Sue Rose spent time speaking with resident and veteran John Horribin and remarked, “What a lovely chap. It was wonderful speaking with him and understanding what this recognition means to him.”
Ajanta Hilton and Dawn Gamble spoke about exciting opportunities within the local community and how they will support The Orchard in raising awareness of their status as a Veteran Friendly home. Afterwards, Ajanta posted on her Facebook, “Congratulations to Orchard Care Home in St Albans to have achieved Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) accreditation aligning itself with the Armed Forces Covenant. The second in Hertfordshire . We were delighted to be invited to a very special afternoon tea celebrating this achievement meeting with staff and residents.”
Continuing to Honour and Support Veterans in the Future
Reflecting on their achievement, Home Manager, Dumitru, said, “We’re extremely proud to have gained our Veteran Friendly Framework accreditation. Making sure the veterans in our home are acknowledged is very important to us and we understand how crucial giving the right support can be. This was a very special afternoon, celebrating not only our accreditation, but also the veterans within our home, and we look forward to becoming even more involved in community initiatives that honour and support veterans”.
Welcome to The Orchard Nursing Home in St Albans
Welcome to The Orchard Nursing Care Home in St Albans, Hertfordshire, where we offer high-quality residential, nursing and dementia care in a calm and welcoming setting. Nestled in a peaceful residential area, our purpose-built care home features bright and modern interiors, beautifully landscaped gardens and a range of thoughtfully designed spaces for comfort and relaxation.
From cosy lounges and a hair salon to rooms with private terrace access, every detail is designed with our residents’ wellbeing in mind. Our dedicated care team is here around the clock to support residents with their everyday needs. At The Orchard, we’re proud to provide compassionate, person-centred care in a warm and friendly environment.
