Royal British Legion

“Lots of folk instantly recognise a Poppy Appeal collector… it's great to engage them and explain just how their contribution helps.” Andy, a long-standing Poppy Appeal Organiser (PAO) at our Aldbury Branch, has dedicated his time and efforts to supporting veterans and their families. As an RBL member and RAF veteran, he has been an active force since moving to Aldbury in 1993. Over the years Andy has been responsible for raising over £55,000. “Volunteers raised £47m last year to support our armed forces community, an incredible achievement. We need collectors to take over from the generation before. You could learn a great deal about life and know you are raising funds for an excellent cause simultaneously.” If, like Andy, you want to have a positive impact on veterans and their families, join our most important fundraising campaign of the year—the Poppy Appeal. https://lnkd.in/ejs94cnp #PoppyAppeal #ArmedForcesCommunity

📣 Attention female veterans of the UK! It is vital that we recognise the unique and varied experiences of female veterans across the Armed Forces community. The Female Veterans' Transformation Programme, backed by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and NHS England, is here to ensure you get the support you deserve. How can you get involved? If you are a female veteran, service provider, employer or charity that work with female veterans, head to the website: - Fill out the quick questionnaire - Register for upcoming workshops - Share your insights and make your voice heard! Together, we can create a toolkit to better serve our community. Visit their website now and be a part of the change: https://lnkd.in/edDhQ8mN

Introducing Team UK 2025 🙌 We’re excited to introduce the participants selected to represent Team UK at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025. RBL and the Ministry of Defence are supporting 64 wounded, injured and sick serving personnel and veterans, plus their friends and family, to compete at the seventh Invictus Games which will feature winter sport events for the first time. Over the next few months we’ll be supporting them with training preparation ahead of February 2025, and we’ll be sharing their inspiring stories to show the power of sport in recovery and rehabilitation. Show your support, follow their journeys and help us cheer them all the way to Canada. #InvictusGames #ArmedForcesCommunity #UKVeterans UK Ministry of Defence The Invictus Games Foundation Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025

“Without my job, I am not sure I would have been able to cope.” Mandy is a carer at our Galanos House care home, and a loving mother to four children including her 21-year-old son, Chris, who has autism. Years before his diagnosis, Mandy suspected something was different. “He was seven when I raised concerns, but they dismissed it as shyness. It wasn't until he was 16 that we finally confirmed it was autism. By then, the emotional toll on Chris and our family was immense.” Mandy’s life now revolves around Chris’s needs, balancing early morning shopping trips and being on call for his spontaneous decisions. “Every day is a balancing act, but we take it one step at a time.” “I don’t see myself as a hero. I do what any mother would do.” Chris has become a remarkable young man turning his passion for fitness into a career after completing his Level 3 Personal Training Certificate. During this time Mandy has juggled caregiving as well as her full-time job at Galanos House. She describes this as her sanctuary, “It has always been my therapy and my respite facility.” Mandy says the support from her colleagues and the flexibility offered by RBL has been crucial, particularly when her son experienced separation anxiety. “The management has always been very supportive. When Chris suffered from separation anxiety, I was allowed to switch to night shifts for two and a half years.” Mandy also values the Carers and Friends Network at RBL, which provides valuable input into our policies to support carers like her. Her advice to others: “Never give up. Share your experience. Everyone’s path is important, and connecting with others can provide the support you need.” If you need support caring for a loved one, we are here to help. Call us on 0808 802 8080 or email info@britishlegion.org.uk.

The drama of the 2024 general election is over – so what comes next? As our Head of Public Affairs and Campaigns John Williams explains, the work for the Campaigns Policy and Research teams at RBL and Poppyscotland is just beginning.

Our staff have been out casting their votes, alongside their four-legged friends! Our priority will always be the Armed Forces community. You can find out how we would like to see the next UK Government better support them in our 2024 Manifesto, here: https://lnkd.in/eSRYUNXw Polls close at 10pm - cast your vote and make sure your voice is heard. #DogsAtPollingStations #UKGeneralElection #ArmedForcesCommunityUK #UKVeterans #PollingDay #GeneralElection

Tomorrow is the UK general election polling day – and your chance to have your voice heard for our Armed Forces community. A few of things to remember on the day: - You’ll need photo ID to vote in person – a Veteran ID card does NOT count - Your polling station location will be listed on your polling card - You don’t need to take your polling card with you to vote If you’ve not yet posted your postal vote, you can drop it off at a polling station within your constituency. #UKGeneralElection #ArmedForcesCommunityUK #UKVeterans #GeneralElection #PollingDay

Here’s how the next UK government can better support our Armed Forces community. The UK general election takes place on Thursday 4 July. RBL and Poppyscotland’s manifesto provides a programme for the next government to better support those men and women who serve us. https://lnkd.in/e-HEWSYq

On Saturday RBL staff, volunteers, members and beneficiaries marched alongside the LGBTIQA+ community in London, proudly wearing the RBL Pride Poppy Badge. We attend Pride events throughout the summer to demonstrate our commitment to equality and fairness, and to show solidarity with LGBTIQA+ people, who sadly still face homophobia and transphobia. Pride events are about acceptance, equality and celebrating the achievements of the LGBTIQA+ community. Pride is also about raising awareness of issues affecting the community and campaigning further for the rights of LGBTIQA+ people. Owing to the unique history of the military’s pre-2000 ban on LGBT personnel, the RBL will always go above and beyond to ensure our LGBTIQA+ community feels welcomed, included, and represented, and educate others on the prejudice they face. We are here to provide support to anyone who needs it, not just during Pride, but all year round, and we will ensure our services are responsive to the needs and experiences of LGBTIQA+ veterans. If you need our support, call us on 0808 802 8080 or email info@britishlegion.org.uk. #Pride #ArmedForcesCommunity

This #ArmedForcesDay, please join us in thanking the incredible men and women of the Armed Forces community. At home and abroad, they perform incredible tasks everyday to support us. To every one of our Armed Forces, we share our enormous gratitude. Thank you for all that you do for us. Take a moment to share your support with a message of thanks ⬇️