Residents at the Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton have held hands with loved ones for the first time in a year, with the beginning of indoor visiting, yesterday (Thursday).

It marked their first physical contact with relatives since the Covid-19 lockdown began in March last year.

New government guidelines permit a single, designated visitor to meet a care home resident indoors, in specially adapted rooms.

All visitors wear PPE and take a lateral flow test before entering the home for veterans who are living with disability or dementia. The rooms are thoroughly cleaned between each hour-long visit.

Among the first visitors to the home in Upper Brighton Road was Christine, who spent time with her father, Peter, pictured. She said: “It was a lovely visit. He enjoyed it and seemed very happy. I was emotional, I haven’t seen him properly for a year. It was wonderful to see him, and wonderful to see him looking so well.”

Visits have been taking place between residents and loved ones since last June, when the charity was able to offer socially distanced outdoor visits. They continued through the winter months when the home received funding to build a number of Covid-secure rooms. Visits in these rooms, which permit two visitors at a time, will run alongside the new indoor visits.

Pauline Shaw, director of Care at Royal Star & Garter, said: “Our staff have provided amazing, loving care during the Covid-19 crisis. It’s truly been care with courage. But nothing can replace a visit from a loved one. We saw that with the outdoor and Covid-secure room visits, and the boost it gave residents.

“Being able to now hold hands will mean the world to people we care for.

“It’s been a long wait for everyone involved and our residents have shown such resilience and strength.

“We are all so delighted that they can have these wonderful reunions.”