LegionLive

The Royal British Legion has provided start-up funding for a transition programme to help Early Service Leavers (ESLs) find and remain in employment.

The Future Horizons programme, which is being run by a number of ex-Service charities and welfare organisations, supports Service men and women who have been discharged from the Army before completing four years of service.

According to research, ESLs often find themselves at a disadvantage in the labour market as they are often unprepared for the daily demands of civilian life. For many, this can take them down a path of unemployment, homelessness or crime.

Future Horizons will help ESLs overcome these obstacles by providing access to the required training, personal development and educational courses to help them move towards being ‘job ready’ once discharged from the Services.

Future running costs of the programme will be funded by the Forces in Mind Trust.

Darren Bickerstaffe, Future Horizons Programme Manager, said: “The programme is proving very popular, with around 95 per cent of ESLs signing up for the programme so far.”

For more information visit the Future Horizons website here.

 

The Royal British Legion is delighted to have been chosen as the nominated charity for the Army vs Navy rugby match at Twickenham on Saturday 28 April.

With an expected crowd of over 70,000, and live coverage on Sky Sports, the event will raise awareness of the Legion’s year-round work and support for the Armed Forces family.

Attendees are drawn from the wider Service community, many of whom are still serving, alongside families, friends and ex-Service people for whom the Army vs Navy game is an annual pilgrimage. The match is one of Twickenham’s most competitive encounters with both teams determined to win the coveted Babcock Trophy.

The Combined Services Under 23 team will open proceedings in the stadium wearing Legion branded kit playing against a composite Oxford & Cambridge Universities team. Following that match and immediately before the main fixture, the Military Wives Choir, who topped the charts with their Christmas number one ‘Wherever You Are’, will make a guest appearance. Legion volunteers will also be at the event in force, fundraising around the ground.

Prior to the main event, the Army and Navy veterans (over 35s) and Ladies teams will play their annual matches at the nearby School of Military Music at Kneller Hall and the Legion will also be there to support them.

To buy tickets or to find out more information visit the official website.

After telling you about the great blogs of Letters to Nowhere and Driver Ross over the past few months I have another one for you today - Not the London Marathon.

Not the London marathon is an on-going account of Chris Jones’ efforts to fundraise for the Legion. Initially Chris had a place in this year’s Virgin London Marathon but when various things prevented him for taking up his place Chris didn’t give up and instead set himself the daunting challenge of completing a cross-country marathon on Dartmoor using his hand-cranked bike. The map below shows the route he will be taking.

Chris is an ex-soldier who was discharged in 1998 after being injured in service and has received help from the Legion.

To read more of Chris’ story in his own words and to follow his progress in the run up to his challenge visit his blog, Not the London Marathon 2o12.

The St George’s Day Gala at the Royal Albert Hall is always a popular event and today we have a special ticket offer for Royal British Legion supporters.

The event is presented by John Humphrys and features the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and Royal Choral Society.

Performances on the day will include:

WALTON Crown Imperial
ADAMS The Holy City
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS The Lark Ascending
ELGAR Nimrod Enigma Variations
HOLST St. Pauls Suite Finale
HANDEL Zadok the Priest
Hallelujah Chorus Messiah
COATES The Dam Busters March

The gala will also feature readings from Henry V and the unforgettable poems of Wordsworth and Betjeman.

No St Gerorges Day event would be complete without renditions of Rule, Brittania!, Land of Hope and Glory and a host of other English favourites.

The event is on Sunday 22^nd April and, if you book before the 15^th April, Legion supports will be eligible for £5.00 off ticket prices. All you need to do to take advantage of this special offer is to quote ‘British Legion offer’ when you book via the Box Office on 020 7838 3109 or, if you prefer to book online, enter 9843 when prompted.

Terms and conditions: This offer is subject to availability and does not apply to tickets already purchased and excludes the lowest ticket price. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer and closes on 15 April 2012. 

This Sunday Alan Higgins will be at The NMA to talk about, and sign, his book ‘Tommy at Gommecourt: A Biography of a WWI Soldier’.

‘Tommy at Gommecourt’ is the diary of Alan’s grandfather, Tommy Higgins, who served in the 1^st/5^th North Stafford Regiment during the First World War.

Through Alan, Tommy describes the life and battles of WWI with vivid detail. These include going over the top at Gommecourt, the battle of Bucguoy in March 1917 and a harrowing 16 months as a prisoner of war.

Tommy Higgins had an eventful and challenging life from the day he was born. As a baby he was left on the doorstep of Police Sergeant Higgins’ home in 1889. Sergeant Higgins took Tommy in and raised him as his own son. In his mid-twenties, after marrying, Tommy had a son, Alan’s father. It was while working in Shelton Bar that the Great War changed the course of his destiny. Tommy was one of the lucky ones who survived.

The event will take place on Sunday 26^th February between 1100 and 1500. There will be two 30 minute presentations at 1130 and 1330. There is no booking required and the event is free to attend.

For more information click here

We have a small number of places available for the adidas Silverstone Half Marathon on 11^th March.

The adidas Silverstone half marathon takes place at the historic Silverstone motor racing circuit. Brought to you by the team responsible for the Virgin London Marathon this race has quickly become a popular event both for new and seasoned runners. The (relatively) flat circuit makes it an ideal choice for a first half marathon whilst established runners use it as a training run ahead of the longer Virgin London Marathon in April.

Public entries for the race have now closed so running for a charity is the only way to get a place on the start line. Places are £25 registration and any sponsorship would be appreciated.

If you’re interested in running for the Legion email flyons@britishlegion.org.uk for more details.

Representatives from HM Armed Forces will be honoured today at Buckingham Palace.

Lance Corporal John Watson, of the Royal Marines, and Major Daniel Reeve, of The Rifles will receive the Military Cross for services in Afghanistan.

Captain Steven Jones, of the Army Air Corps, will be honoured with the Air Force Cross and Lance Corporal Sebastian Wyton-De Lisle, of the Royal Signals, will receive the Queen’s Gallantry Medal.

Super mum and army medic, Lieutenant Colonel Sharon Stewart, was also recently awarded one of nursing’s highest honours, a Royal Red Cross (Associate).

A Royal Red Cross is awarded ‘for exceptional service to military care to individuals who display extreme courage and devotion to their duties.’

Congratulations to everyone; hold your heads high and represent the nation with pride.

Tributes to fallen airman Ryan Tomlin, 21, from Hemel Hemsptead have begun pouring in. As always, our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time.  

Another life lost too soon defending our great nation- RIP

Legion Never Forget Tribute Funds are there so you can create a special place to remember a loved one you’ve lost.

Valentine’s Day must be a very difficult day for those whose partners are serving abroad while the rest of the country is celebrating. Our thoughts are with those of you who are waiting for your partners, husbands and wives to return home safe and sound.

Luckily for one of our Military Wives Choir members, Laura, her wait is over with husband Jamie now at home to celebrate Valentine’s Day together.  Jamie was away for 7 months last year so you can be sure they will be making the most of this special day!

Read Laura and Jamie’s full story.

 

I’ve just been reading a quirky story this morning of Sapper Edward Sigrist, 27, from Essex, who kept a daily record of his experiences in France and Belgium from 1917 to 1919 on toilet paper!

His diaries have finally been translated from an archaic form of shorthand by Pamela Dunmore, one of just a few people still able to read the script. Apparently it can take up to three days to transcribe one piece of toilet because the symbols have faded so much.

The diaries tell stories of night bombardments as Sapper Sigrist worked on the makeshift railway lines that were used to supply the frontline trenches.

Hopefully the completed diaries will be on display somewhere soon. Watch this space!