Colchester Care Home celebrates Armed Forces Day with serving soldiers, veterans and community leaders

Colonia Court Bupa Care Home in Colchester hosted a special Armed Forces Day celebration on Friday 26th June in Bloomfield House, bringing together serving soldiers, veterans, community leaders and residents to honour those who have served and continue to serve in the armed forces.

The celebration welcomed distinguished guests including the Colchester Mayor, the Garrison Commander for 16 Air Assault Brigade, and serving soldiers from the Fijian Parachute Regiment, many of whom have personal connections to the care home community. Unit Manager, Adi Balenaivalu, whose husband is a Fijian Para veteran, extended the invitation to the regiment, creating a meaningful link between the care home and the military family. Veterans from various regiments also attended alongside their families to mark Armed Forces Day, which officially took place on Saturday 27th June.

Colonia Court is home to several residents who have served in the armed forces themselves, including former RAF and ATS personnel, as well as many whose family members have served with distinction. The care home used this special day to celebrate their remarkable contributions and shared military heritage. Residents from across all four of Colonia Court's houses came together to join in the celebrations on Friday.

The afternoon was filled with live entertainment, featuring wartime music performances from Pete George and a Sixth Form Student from Colchester Institute. Residents and guests had the opportunity to view memorabilia on display, including war medals, letters, uniforms, and vintage ration packs, each telling a story from a defining period in history.

Throughout the afternoon, guests had time for reminiscing, with a curated selection of books from the wartime era available to browse, allowing residents to share their own precious memories with visitors and fellow residents alike.

The Colonia Court kitchen team also served an array of traditional sandwiches and cakes, as well as cups of tea and coffee.

Speaking about the event, Doug, a resident at Colonia Court and former service member, said: "Armed Forces Day means so much to those of us who served. It was wonderful to have this opportunity to remember our experiences and share them with the younger generation, including the serving soldiers attending. Days like this remind us why we served, and it was heartwarming to see the community come together to show their respect and gratitude."

Jiji George, Home Manager at Colonia Court, added: "This Armed Forces Day celebration was particularly special because it brought together our community of resident veterans, serving soldiers, families, and local leaders. Our residents shared remarkable stories of their service, and creating this opportunity for them to be recognised and celebrated alongside current military personnel was truly meaningful. We were delighted to host this event and to honour the extraordinary contributions of all those who have served."

Colonia Court Bupa Care Home, in Colchester is divided into four houses offering nursing, residential and dementia care for adults over 18, alongside the dedicated Huntington's disease unit which has been recognised and quality assured by the Huntington's Disease Association. For further information, please visit colonia-court-colchester.