THE?Alresford-based Huxley Golf has created a social and leisure area at The Royal Hospital Chelsea, home for some 300 retired British soldiers, fondly known as the Chelsea Pensioners.

For more than 300 years, the famous Royal Hospital – the brainchild of Charles II and brought to life by Sir Christopher Wren – has provided a welcoming home and a way of life for thousands of soldiers in their old age.

As part of an ongoing commitment to ensuring the best possible service provision for the hospital’s residents, a new Huxley Golf outdoor all-weather putting green has been built, which can be used all year round. It is not only helping the pensioners to keep active but also to socialise as it can be shared with family, friends and staff.

The new putting green replaces a smaller one, not so ideally sited, and is near both the care home and and cafeteria.

“The Chelsea Pensioners are really pleased with their new putting green,” said Andy Hickling, director of estates, facilities and quartermaster at The Royal Hospital, Chelsea.

“There are limited outdoor activities for our pensioners so this has been a huge hit. One or two of our residents use it daily and we have already held our inaugural golf competition.

“Furthermore, the extremely low maintenance that this installation requires will assist the management team enormously.”

Paul Chester, general manager of Huxley Golf, said: “Huxley Golf is proud to have been associated with several projects which support retired or injured service personnel.

“We were delighted to be asked to help with this most valuable installation at The Royal Hospital, Chelsea. We were keen to help the team, including Andrew Hickling and Ron Willmore, the grounds manager, to complete the project prior to the important Chelsea Flower Show and we succeeded in doing so.”

The putting green was part-funded by Wates and all parties are grateful for their contribution to this valuable project.