Lead Admiral Nurse, Paula Smith, and her team of nurses from the Legion’s Lancashire office organised the event at Blackpool’s Imperial Hotel to mark a successful 12 months providing support and advice to carers and families of those living with dementia within the Armed Forces community.

The service, in partnership with Dementia UK, currently operates in Lancashire and the West Midlands. During the last year, the Admiral Nurse team has helped 260 families in the North West by assessing their needs and providing them with specialist information so that they are fully equipped to care for loved ones with dementia.

The tea party provided much-needed relief for 110 carers and relatives as they enjoyed afternoon tea, entertainment from Albie Hilton Quartet and a guard of honour from local cadets.

One carer that enjoyed the event was John McCartney from Fulwood, Preston. John, 69, a former Major in the Army, cares for his wife Marie, 68, who has dementia. John contacted the Legion for help in March and Admiral Nurse, Rachael Clarke, has helped arrange hospital appointments, referrals to care services and also helped John to ensure that he was providing the best care for his wife.

John said: “I can’t thank Rachael and the team enough for everything they’ve done to help me support my wife. It took almost six years for us to get a proper diagnosis for Marie, which was quite a stressful time, so it’s great that Rachael has stepped in and took control of things for us now. The Nurses do a great job and this party gave us all the chance to thank them for their support.”

Laura Morton, Head of Care Services, said: “'Everyone enjoyed the afternoon and, on chatting with the carers and families, it was very apparent that the Admiral Nurse service is having a positive impact on their lives and enabling them to carry on caring for their loved ones at home.”

The Royal British Legion spends £1.6 million a week on direct care and support for the whole Armed Forces family, past and present. To qualify for support, the person with dementia or the carer needs to be a beneficiary of the Legion.

Jennifer Rowe of Kent, Chief Executive of the UK Supreme Court and a Trustee for the Legion for nine years ending in May 2013, received her CB for services to the administration of justice and to The Royal British Legion.

Meanwhile, the Legion's immediate past National Chairman, John Farmer, was made a Companion of the Order of the British Empire for services to ex-Service men and women.

Mr Farmer, of Suffolk, served as National Chairman from May 2010 until last month, when he handed the reins to John Crisford. He served in the British Army from 1958 until 1965, serving in Malaya, Singapore, Northern Ireland and Cyprus. His long association with the Legion includes 10 years serving as Trustee.

"I'm amazed and delighted to receive this honour," he said of his CBE. "It's the culmination of a life's work with Legion staff and volunteers – this recognition is as much for them as it is for me."

Alan Conquest from Cornwall was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of his voluntary service to The Royal British Legion and SSAFA Forces Help; while John Walker of Cheshire received his MBE for voluntary service to The Royal British Legion in Bunbury.

The following were made a Medallist of the Order of the British Empire (BEM):

John Allsop, a Royal British Legion official in Bordeaux, France, for services to the community in South West France.

Una Cleminson TD, a former Legion Trustee, for voluntary service to The Royal British Legion in Buckinghamshire.

Rosalin Emerson, a Poppy Appeal Organiser and Welfare Officer for The Royal British Legion in the Netherlands, for services to the community in The Netherlands.

Cyril Goulborne, for voluntary service to The Royal British Legion in Formby, Merseyside.

Christine Johnston, for voluntary services to the London Wetland Centre, Marie Curie Cancer Care and The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal in London.

Christopher Pool, former President of the British Hospital and Membership Secretary of The Royal British Legion in Montevideo, for services to the community in Uruguay.

Prince Charles visited Edinburgh House, the MOD’s only recovery centre in Scotland, and spoke with recovering personnel and veterans.

Pte Paul Lambert, 32, lost both legs and suffered severe internal injuries during his first tour of Afghanistan in 2009 with The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (1 SCOTS).

He spoke to the Prince about the courses at the centre that are helping him adjust to civilian life after eight years in the Army.

"I actually met Prince Charles when I was in intensive care, he came to see me," he said. "Today he was asking me how my rehab was getting on and how my prosthetic legs were coming on.”

Mark Steed, commanding officer of the centre, said the Prince of Wales continues to be a great supporter of the Armed Forces, especially those who are injured, wounded or sick.

"A lot of what we try to do is to build the self-confidence and self-esteem of people and I think for them to see a person like Prince Charles taking an interest and having an opportunity to chat really does boost their self-esteem," he said.

Edinburgh House opened in August 2009 and has residential accommodation for 12 personnel, with further capacity for up to 15 day attendees. The Legion took over the running costs of the centre in 2011 with the Army continuing to provide staff. The Legion is giving £5 million to fund the centre in Edinburgh until 2020.

Click here for more information about the Legion’s Personnel Recovery Centres.

Riders will honour the fallen by travelling the repatriation route through Carterton in Oxfordshire between 9.00am and midday. The act also aims to thank residents for the respect they show our heroes and support offered to bereaved families at repatriations.

The 24-mile ride will start at Dalton Barracks near Abingdon and pass Britannia Gate at RAF Brize Norton before heading onto the Repatriation Memorial Garden in Norton Way, Brize Norton. 

Founded in 2010 by two biker enthusiasts, the ride previously went through Royal Wootton Bassett, and this year's ride will be the first in Oxfordshire.

The Royal British Legion's Head of Fundraising Events, Teresa Greener said: "We're encouraging everyone to come out and line the route to support over two thousand motorcycle enthusiasts on this year's Ride of Respect. It will be a display of solidarity with members of the community in honouring those who bravely gave their lives in Service to our country."

"The Ride of Respect will be raising vital funds for the Legion. We spend £1.6 million each week providing practical, direct support to all members of the British Armed Forces past and present, and their families, so the money raised from the Ride of Respect will make a huge difference to the lives of those in need."

One of the riders taking part is John 'Fozzy' Foster, whose 19-year old son Private Robbie Foster, of the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in August 2007.

John said: "It took some time for me to come to terms with what had happened to Robbie, but I found comfort in the number of friends and supporters who turned up to Royal Wootton Bassett for Robbie's repatriation. There I met members of The Royal British Legion's Riders Branch, and their presence had a big impact on me so I joined up.

"This will be the first Ride of Respect I'm taking part in, and I'm honoured to be doing it in Robbie's memory. I have a big flag on my bike to remember him and I'm sure the event will give me a lot of comfort."

Ride of Respect merchandise can be bought directly from the Legion's online Poppy Shop at www.poppyshop.org.uk.

Further details on the ride and how to take part can be found at here.

Forces Sauces, with bottles shaped like soldiers, will be sold in Tesco supermarkets. Corporal Ketchup and Brigidier Brown will lead the charge as the first two condiments in the range.

The charities expect the range to be a substantial income generator, tapping into a market that generates almost £200m revenue a year for the condiments sector. Forces Sauces will retail at £2.19 with at least 6p per bottle supporting the charities' beneficiaries. Royalties will be shared equally between the two charities.

The brand is the brainchild of veteran Bob Barrett, who turned to Stoll for support in 2004 after he found himself penniless and homeless. He was provided with accommodation and supported through treatment for cancer after being diagnosed that same year.

Stoll and The Royal British Legion have worked together for many years on an apprenticeship programme that turns veterans into chefs. Subsequent to receiving Stoll's support, Barrett was inspired to launch the Beef Kitchen, a social enterprise training kitchen for ex-Service personnel, in 2005. The kitchen prepares and sells food in mobile catering units with all profits donated back to Stoll. The new sauces range is an extension of the veteran's determination to give back.

The Charity Partners - Stoll and The Royal British Legion

Stoll is a London-based charity, which for almost a century has been helping and housing Britain's veterans from the First World War to the unique challenges of today's conflicts, and The Royal British Legion has been providing welfare, comradeship, representation and Remembrance for the Armed Forces community for over 90 years.

Working in association with Stoll for many years, apprenticeships supported by The Royal British Legion have trained veterans into chefs - whose culinary skills serve to generate income to develop programmes that can change more lives. And it is through this virtuous circle that Forces Sauces was born – inspired by Stoll Veterans determined to give back.

Stoll and The Royal British Legion will share royalties from the sale of Forces Sauces equally, in recognition of the collaboration that supported the foundation of Forces Sauces and to support broader practical help across the Armed Forces community nationally.

For more information, please visit www.forcessauces.co.uk  

For further press information, samples or imagery, please contact Cubo PR:
Jessica Choux – jessica.choux@cubo.com – 020 7612 1160
Clare Leckie – clare.leckie@cubo.com – 020 7612 1168

On one of the hottest days of the year, Charles Byrne, Director of Fundraising, and a team of 14 colleagues braved the heat to complete the second annual trail event, which started and finished in Keswick.

The team was joined by more than 1,000 runners to run either 11km or 22km through the Cumbrian countryside and the Legion was chosen as the beneficiary charity for a second year.

On the day, Team Legion and 100 other runners wore their Legion vests and t-shirts with pride to unite in support of the charity’s work helping the whole Armed Forces community, past and present, and their families.

Every competitor was timed up and down a huge hill - going up was called ‘King of the Hill’ and coming down was the ‘Demon Descent’! One Legion runner ran the entire race carrying a flag which read ‘Lest We Forget’.

Charles Byrne, Director Fundraising, competed the 11km distance in 58 minutes. He said afterwards: “The challenge was fantastic and it was great to see so many people supporting the Legion, including some very impressive Service personnel running with their Bergens. I’m very proud of Team Legion- everyone had a great time, despite the scorching heat – and we certainly want to be back again next year. Feedback from other runners was very positive – it was great to see everyone united in their support of our work helping the whole Armed Forces community.”

Congratulations and thank you to everyone who ran for the Legion.

The Baton, which is crafted from the handle of a used military Medical Emergency Response Team stretcher from Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, symbolises pride, hope, courage and suffering. Its message is one of gratitude and support for the men and women of the Armed Forces community and its primary aim is to raise and maintain awareness about the sacrifices British Armed Forces make for their country.

A team of  runners carrying The Baton in relay will set off from the Britannia Gate, RAF Brize Norton, at 6.00pm on Saturday evening to run approximately 106 miles non-stop through the night and arrive at the Arboretum as close to midday as possible on Sunday.

RAF Brize Norton, 'the Gateway to Afghanistan', is chosen by The Baton as a start point because repatriations and injured forces return there, while the National Memorial Arboretum, as the UK' year round centre of Remembrance, is an equally poignant and fitting destination.

Former Olympic gymnast and Sky Sports presenter, Suzanne Dando, who is a trustee of The Baton charity and will be among those running as part the relay team, said: "It’s a great honour for me to be taking part in The Baton relay again this year. Starting from RAF Brize Norton is both significant and moving, while completing our run at the Armed Forces Memorial, within the grounds of the National Memorial Arboretum, reminds us of the sacrifices made by our Armed Forces and the importance of continuing to support them and their families."

Alan Rowe MBE, founder of The Baton charity, said: "The Baton's cause is to remind us all of the effects of Service life, not just on the serving person, but also on their family and friends - all of whom will carry memories forever.

"We will be Tweeting our progress throughout the night - @thebastionbaton – and our hope is that people will show their support for our dedicated team of runners by stopping to give us a smile and a wave if they see us on route or even to meet us at the Arboretum if they live nearby."

For more information about The Baton Remembrance Run please visit their website.

The National Memorial Arboretum is open daily from 9.00am to 5.00pm and is free to enter, although donations are appreciated. For enquiries email info@thenma.org.uk or call 01283 792333 or visit their website - www.thenma.org.uk.

Media Contact
Kate Habberley, The Royal British Legion
T:  07943 333362 E: kate.habberley@talapr.co.uk

During her time as Monarch, her support for the Legion and our Armed Forces has never wavered and we thank her for her continued support of our work helping Service personnel, veterans and their families.

Her accession to the throne 60 years ago marked the start of her support for the Legion as she agreed to continue the patronage of her late father, King George VI, to the charity. Since then, The Queen has regularly attended the Legion's Festival of Remembrance, which commemorates and honours all those who have lost their lives in conflicts.

Her support has also been present on key dates in the Legion's history. On the charity's 50th anniversary in 1971, The British Legion became The Royal British Legion after The Queen signed the Royal Charter, and for our 90th anniversary Her Majesty agreed to pose for a portrait by Darren Baker, commissioned by the Legion.

The Queen officially opened the charity's new headquarters, Haig House, in 2009 and her presence at memorial ceremonies over the years shows her dedication to remembering and honouring the sacrifices of our Armed Forces.

Chris Simpkins, Director General of The Royal British Legion, said: "Congratulations to HM The Queen on the anniversary of her coronation. Her Majesty has been a strong figurehead and a constant source of strength for those who serve our nation, and we are grateful for the time she has dedicated to the Legion as our patron during her 61-year reign."

Jumping under his Poppy canopy, Major Alastair Macartney, 37, leapt to victory in one of the most extreme and dangerous competitions in the world.

The Army Officer battled against 47 competitors from 16 different countries, leaping from the 236m Istanbul Sapphire Tower in the middle of the City's bustling business district. With calm precision despite a range of turbulent conditions he used his military skills to dominate the World Cup.

Major Macartney, who works at the Joint Air Delivery Test and Evaluation Unit at RAF Brize Norton, was flying a canopy emblazoned with poppies. He is the Team Leader of Jump4Heroes, The Royal British Legion Extreme Human Flight Team, and was raising awareness for the fantastic work that the charity undertakes for Servicemen, past and present.

Major Macartney said: "I was up against the best extreme sports athletes in the world. My military background helped me stay calm during some intense and turbulent weather conditions. Knowing that, by winning, I would raise awareness for The Royal British Legion helped to keep me going."

Competitors had to freefall from the roof of the tallest residential building in Europe before deploying their parachutes at the last second and piloting to a precision landing. There were no injuries or incidents during the event which has been running for the last 4 years.

View the Jump4Heroes team "flying" the Eiger in the video below.

The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest continuous military campaign in the Second World War and May 1945 was when Germany's submarine fleet suffered heavy losses in the Atlantic.

Around two dozen Royal Navy and international warships  mustered on the Mersey from Friday 24 May. Around 250,000 people flocked to the Liverpool waterfront and city centre for a raft of activities including:

• a veterans parade
• a special band concert by Her Majesty’s Royal Marines at the Philharmonic Hall
• a 40s themed party at St George's Hall
• a fly past
• a fast roping rescue style display on the river involving the Royal Marines
• a Service of thanksgiving at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral on Sunday, followed by a parade from Rodney Street which will feature platoons from the Merchant Navy, RFA, the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force.
• coordinated departure of visiting ships on Tuesday 28 May between 10am and 2pm.

The Princess Royal, accompanied by her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Commissioner of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, laid a wreath at the Liverpool Naval Memorial to commemorate the 70th anniversary prior to the Sunday service.

The Legion's National President, Vice Admiral Peter Wilkinson CB CVO (pictured left), attended Battle of the Atlantic commemoration events.

The Royal British Legion, in conjunction with Seafarers UK and Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity, and sponsored by Typhoo!, hosted a Veterans Welcome Centre in the atrium of the Port of Liverpool building over the weekend from 12 noon to 4pm each day.

At the Pier Head, a Mobile Display Unit was set up to promote the Legion’s services…and encourage donations. On the day, generous visitors to the commemorations donated more than £2,000 to help the Legion continue their support for the whole Armed Forces community.

Gillian McKinnon, Area Manager for The Royal British Legion in Merseyside and Cheshire was thrilled with the success of the day. She said: “The Battle of the Atlantic commemorations was a great success and we raised a total amount of £2010.00 over the Bank Holiday weekend which will go towards the Merseyside Poppy Appeal. At least 500 people on Saturday and Sunday stopped to either donate, chat or pick up freebies between our Mobile Display Unit and marquee. Everyone was really nice and said some lovely things about the Legion, it was all very inspiring.”

Gill added: “We would like to say a big thank you for the volunteers who helped out over the weekend. Our volunteers Samantha Kay, Sharon Skipper, Michael Quinn, Bob Hughes, Jim Ryan, Cyril Goulbourne, Jim O’Neil, Ronnie Lewis, Linda Thornhill, Paula O’Brien, Tony Forsyth and Mr and Mrs Corrine Robinson.

For more information visit the Royal Navy Battle of the Atlantic site or It's Liverpool website.