Letter to the Editor: The Royal British Legion has been supporting Service men and women, ex-serving personnel and their families since 1921. And we're not going anywhere
Founded in the aftermath of the first world war, the Royal British Legion (RBL) has been a constant presence for our Armed Forces community for over a century and today is woven into the fabric of British life.
The Armed Forces community remain at the heart of everything we do, and we owe it to them to be the very best we can, to have enduring impact, and to ensure their unique contribution is not forgotten.
As “Custodians of Remembrance”, we support local towns and villages to remember all those who have fallen in conflict and our annual Poppy Appeal raises invaluable funds to allow us to continue to support the military community of serving personal, veterans and their families (our beneficiaries), no matter where they are across the world. Last year the Poppy Appeal raised a staggering £51.4 million.
Our dedicated RBL Helpline provides the following services to our beneficiaries:
- Access to specialist services for social and financial support, recovery services and RBL care homes.
- Guidance and advice with homelessness, mental health problems, domestic violence, drug and alcohol addiction and employment.
Whatever your circumstances, we’re here to help make sure that you can access the support you need to get your life back on track. You may also be referred to RBL’s support team by another organisation. In this case we will work together to ensure you receive the help you need. The Helpline (0808 802 8080) is available from 8.00am till 8.00pm 7 days a week and calls are free.
Also, our network of local branches offers members the opportunity to meet in friendship and to provide branch community support through trained supporters who can offer low-level social support through telephone calls, home or hospital visits to lonely or isolated beneficiaries.
To find your local branch please visit the RBL Northants County webpage at: https://counties.britishlegion.org.uk/counties/northamptonshire/local-rbl-branches/
Anyone can join the Legion; in fact, a majority of members have never served. If you would like to join the Royal British Legion, please search RBL membership on your browser where you can join on-line and select which branch you would like to be a member of. Membership starts at £22 per year.
Steve Thatcher, RBL County Secretary
Email: [email protected]