From Charles Byrne

Dear Members,

Thank you to everyone for all your hard work over the last months, weeks and days preparing for and delivering this year’s Poppy Appeal and Remembrance period. And I know for many that your work continues to be just as busy. The levels of support I have seen from the public, from volunteers and members and from partners has been superb.

I want to share with you information about Our Purpose, our five year strategy and the Veterans Gateway programme.

We do a huge amount at the Legion and not everyone understands the range of all our work so it is important that we are all clear about what we do, why do it and how we can each play a part.

So we have taken time to consult with trustees, staff, members and the general public to build a shared understanding, a shared purpose. 

We are at the heart of a national network that supports our Armed Forces through thick and thin – ensuring their unique contribution is never forgotten.

Inspired by those we support, our aim is to offer the breadth, depth and quality of service they deserve. We cannot do this on our own.

Our new five year strategy follows simply from this. Central to our strategy is collaboration between members, volunteers, staff and our many partners. Given this I am delighted to announce that with our principle partners at SSAFA, Combat Stress, Poppy Scotland and Connect Assist, we have been awarded a £2 million grant from the MOD to establish the Veterans’ Gateway programme. The programme will provide a single point of contact to ensure that all British Armed Forces veterans, wherever they are based, can get help quickly and efficiently from whichever organisation is best placed to provide it.

Please click here to watch a video in which I summarise our strategy and provide examples of what it will mean for us. In addition we are developing a number of resources for you, about Our Purpose and our strategy, which will be distributed through your branches.