Meet Roger Cordeiro
Chelsea Pensioner, Roger, joined the Royal Hospital Chelsea in 2023. Having previously visited for the day the year prior to meet with some of his fellow Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars, Roger was sure this was the place for him.
“I had lived on my own for the best part of six years. During COVID, being alone and in an age bracket that was not entitled to any assistance, I found it a challenge at times. I had to rely on my son to get my groceries for me. It was a time of reflection for me and after lockdown was over, coming here was a priority for me.”
Since joining the Royal Hospital, Roger has been an active member of the community. He is a member of the singing group and has also volunteered to help at some of our Veterans Outreach events.
"I'm happiest when I'm singing!"
Upon joining the Royal Hospital, Roger joined one of the most popular activities here and reignited his passion for music – the Chelsea Pensioners singing group.
“Being part of the singing group has done a lot for me. I’m happiest when I’m singing!”
The Chelsea Pensioners singing group meet regularly and have proved popular in the local area and further afield - having performed at multiple venues across the nation. One of Roger’s favourite venues to perform at was St Paul’s Cathedral and the Prince Albert pub…
“Last year, we got to perform at St. Paul’s Cathedral. I think that must be the icing on the cake for many of us. Just before that, we sang in St. James Palace too.
The singing group has opened a lot of avenues for me in terms of outings. One of my favourite performances was singing at the Prince Albert pub just south of the river, beside Battersea Park. The night was electric. It was a younger audience than we are normally accustomed to, but they were really enjoying it. It was an amazing night, and they invited us back to perform this year.”
The group have also introduced instruments. One of which is the ukulele.
“My son gave me a ukulele for my birthday at the start of “lock down”. I started teaching myself through YouTube. It wasn’t the best outcome. So, I put it away for a while.
When I came to the Royal Hospital, I decided to bring my ukulele. There was bound to be one or two that could play, I thought. Low and behold, in my first week, I popped my head out of my berth, and I heard a ukulele playing. I followed the sound and there was Billy Knowles. I asked him if he could teach me, and the rest is history.”
A Camino Walk
Alongside the singing group, Roger enjoys keeping active. He spends a few days a week in the Hospital’s gym and enjoys going for walks in the local area.
“I set myself a challenge every year. Three years ago, one of the things that I did was to walk through part of Portugal and Spain, the “Camino de Santiago”. I did that with my best mate who served with me in the same regiment, and we did the Walk to celebrate 55 years of friendship.
"I enjoy walking quite a lot. Since being at the Royal Hospital, the love for walking has now returned."
Part of the Veteran Community
When Roger is not singing or keeping active, he also volunteers at some of our Veterans Outreach events.
“I get involved in the Veterans Outreach programme. I used to travel with them to events before I became established in the singing group. I think we owe a debt to a lot of veterans and unfortunately, a lot of them haven’t received the assistance they need. I could have easily been one of them. Having the opportunity to meet other veterans can only be good for them and us. I feel privileged to be able to attend some of our Veterans Outreach events to meet people like me and connect with them.”
For Chelsea Pensioner, Roger, embracing life at the Royal Hospital Chelsea is a must. Making new friends and having a support network of people with a similar background has given him a taste of being back in the Army as well as plenty of opportunities to learn something new.
“I look at this as my second time in the Armed Forces. We wear a uniform that makes you feel part of what you once were. It is like being back with my colleagues in the Army, which is something that most of us have missed and one thing in common that many of us miss is the jokes and banter with each other."
"Here, you go to breakfast, and you have a laugh with each other. Every morning there is something new. There are characters that sit around the table and like to reminisce about life. It makes you reflect, and I learn something new every morning. That’s the best part of my day.”