Prince Harry says be a Friend of the Forces
13 July 2010
Prince Harry commended the British public for its response to their Armed Forces at an awards ceremony on Tuesday to recognise those who support Serving personnel and their families.
Prince Harry presented a Youth award at the Friends of the Forces Awards and congratulated The Royal British Legion for the awards scheme to recognise those from across the UK who make an outstanding contribution to Service personnel and their families.
The awards are "an excellent idea," he has said of the national awards scheme, "and I'm very proud to be involved with them".
Hosted by historian and broadcaster Dan Snow, the awards recipients ranged from an 80-year-old political campaigner to two 12-year-old charity fundraisers.
They included the bereaved parents of a soldier posthumously awarded the George Cross for gallantry, who responded to his loss by helping others overcome the mental and physical wounds of conflict.
Winners were chosen from 450 nominations nationwide by a panel of independent judges, chaired by the Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup.
Sir Jock presented a special President's Award to BBC Radio 1 presenter Fearne Cotton and Richard Hatch of Forces broadcaster BFBS Radio to recognise a joint day of programming which put Service personnel in Afghanistan and 20 other countries around the world in direct touch with UK listeners.
During the May Bank Holiday, the BFBS studio in Camp Bastion linked live with BBC Radio 1 with messages, banter and a slice of Forces life in Afghanistan. BBC Radio 1 received over 25,000 texts and emails during the 10-hour link-up.
Lt General Sir John Kiszely, National President of The Royal British Legion, presented a second President's Award to the Portsmouth Herald's Tristan Nichols, who has reported with the Royal Marines from Iraq, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone.
He also launched an appeal in memory of local soldiers which has raised £54,000 to date, and has been made an honorary Royal Marine by Plymouth's 42 Commando.
"The media play an important role in supporting our Armed Forces," said Sir John. "Whether BBC Radio 1 and BFBS putting the British public in direct contact with its Armed Forces in Afghanistan, or Tristan Nichols reporting from hazardous conflict situations, they help to raise our awareness and appreciation of what the Armed Forces do on our behalf."
The Communities Award was presented to Bob and Jem Wright, who started the Mark Wright Project in Dalkeith following the loss of their son Cpl Mark Wright GC of 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment on active service in Afghanistan.
Other recipients included the Welsh Rugby Union for its support of Service personnel and charities, 12-year-old charity fundraisers Ben Coombes and Nathan Bull on behalf of the FitzWimarc School in Essex, and 80-year-old campaigner Stanley Power, who has lobbied the Welsh Assembly for better provisions for Service families.
Visit www.friendsoftheforces.org.uk for more details
Notes to Editors:
About the Legion:
The Royal British Legion is the nation's leading Armed
Forces charity providing care and support to all members of the
British Armed Forces past and present and their families. It is
also the national Custodian of Remembrance and safeguards the
Military Covenant between the nation and its Armed Forces. It is
best known for the annual Poppy Appeal and its emblem, the red
poppy. www.britishlegion.org.uk
About the Awards:
The Friends of the Forces Awards were launched in February
2010 by The Royal British Legion with the support of Prince Harry
to recognise those from all walks of life across the UK who have
made an exceptional contribution to the well-being and appreciation
of HM Armed Forces and their families.
Some recipients are available Wed 14 July for media
opportunities. Please contact PRO Rebecca Warren
for more information:
E: rwarren@britishlegion.org.uk
T: 0203 207 2239 M: 07824301072
About the Recipients:
BBC Radio 1 and BFBS Radio - President's Award
BBC Radio 1 and BFBS Radio joined forces on Bank Holiday
Monday 31 May for a live link up with listeners in the UK and
Service personnel across the globe. Live segments were broadcast on
BBC Radio 1 between 9am and 7pm, with BBC Radio 1 presenters Dev,
Fearne Cotton, Greg James and Scott Mills. BFBS presenters Richard
Hatch and Jessie Aru anchored the content from the
Afghanistan-based station. Soldiers based abroad had the
opportunity to request songs and broadcast messages to friends and
family back home.
Tristan Nichols, Portsmouth Herald - President's
Award
Tristan Nichols is the Defence Reporter for The Herald in
Plymouth. He was invited by the MoD and individual units to cover
operations and has reported from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Sierra
Leone. He has been shot at, slept in ditches, and endured
temperatures from -42 to +49 degrees. He has pioneered the use of
head cameras to expand his online coverage of conflicts, and
launched an Army appeal in memory of local soldiers which has
raised £54,000 to date. He was made an honorary Marine by
Plymouth's 42 Commando.
Stanley Power, Penygraig, Rhondda -
Individual Award
For over 30 years, Mr Power has worked as a volunteer
caseworker for a Forces charity and this year he lobbied the Welsh
Assembly to ensure that Service families were not having to pay
Council Tax on two properties whilst on service or living in
barracks. He has also worked to ensure that War Pensions are
disregarded fully by the local authority when calculating benefit
entitlement and helped to install the Army cadet unit in Treorchy
Comprehensive School. In addition, he gives his time every year to
arrange the memorial service at Cwmparc Primary School which was
bombed during the war.
Ben Coombes & Nathan Bull on behalf of FitzWimarc
School, Rayleigh, Essex - Youth Award
Pupils Ben Coombes and Nathan Bull organised a Christmas
raffle on behalf of The Poppy Appeal. They approached Harrods for
gifts, persuaded their families to donate prizes, and gave up their
lunch and break times to sell the tickets, raising an impressive
£240. They followed this up with a Charlie & the Chocolate
Factory-themed raffle and decorated the winning box of chocolates
themselves, raising about £200. The FitzWimarc School also built a
'Percy the Poppy Pupil' out of a wooden frame, chicken wire, and
600 poppies. Percy was used to raise awareness around the town,
appearing in the local press several times. The school also held a
'charity day', collecting £1,749.79. Pupils signed the petals of
poppies with a message to veterans, and 1,000 of them were made
into one giant collage.
The Mark Wright Project, Dalkeith, Midlothian -
Community Group Award
Founded by Bob and Jem Wright, the Mark Wright Project is
dedicated to helping ex-Service men and women, and their families
overcome the visible and invisible wounds of war and conflict.
Although devastated by the loss of their only son, Corporal Mark
Wright GC, Bob and Jem have sought to achieve something positive
out of their tragedy. The Centre at Hardengreen Business Park in
Dalkeith has been designed to be homely and welcoming and has a
very informal environment. The Centre also has two small
counselling rooms, a well equipped gym and a therapy room for
massage.
Welsh Rugby Union, Cardiff - Corporate Award
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) allow Forces charities to
collect and fundraise during key matches throughout the year, among
many other initiatives carried out in recent years as a show of
support. These include the Welsh team sending video messages of
support to Serving personnel in Afghanistan during the recent RBS 6
Nations campaign, inviting injured veterans and serving soldiers as
special guests of the WRU to Wales international matches and
hosting a memorial service and homecoming for the 2nd Battalion
Royal Welsh at the Millennium Stadium.
