Reward and Recognition | Our Centenary

Since the Royal British Legion was founded in 1921, our members, staff, volunteers and partners have dedicated their time and effort to supporting the Armed Forces community and remembering their sacrifice.

To mark our 100^th birthday, we launched the Reward and Recognition scheme where everyone across the RBL family was invited to nominate people who deserved to be recognised for their significant contributions to our work.

The awards recognise the outstanding actions of individuals in five categories; service, collaboration, passion, excellence and valuing our people.

From the moment we launched the scheme, the nominations came flooding in and after a robust check on the quality and standard of submissions, we were left with over 400 tales of inspiration and determination from groups and individuals across the organisation, all of whom are equally deserving of recognition in our Centenary year.

Here we celebrate the contributions of our amazing RBL People who have helped to make our organisation the fantastic place that it is. Search by name or use the filters below to explore the nominees.

Phil Nixon

Phil has been with the National Memorial Arboretum since 2009 and is the most knowledgeable volunteer about the memorials. He has led numerous guided walks and buggy tours, and works tirelessly on the Collections database, both on site and from home. This involves many hours of photographing memorials and dedications, adding and editing data and cross-checking information against historical records. His selfless contribution to this upgrade has ensured the system is user friendly and accurate.

Ken Merriott

Ken has been Poppy Appeal Organiser for Newbridge Branch for the past 12 years, covering a wide area in the South Wales valleys. In that time, his dedicated work has increased the sums raised by at least 25%. In 2018, to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War, he organised a concert and dance, involving five schools, the ATC and the Newbridge brass band, and raised more than £2,000.

Ray Ferguson

Ray’s outstanding work in many official roles on behalf of the Ramsey (Isle of Man) Branch includes adapting key sections of the Armed Forces Covenant to make it specific to the Isle of Man in order to get the Isle of Man Government to sign up to it, serving on the Armed Forces Day committee and recruiting younger members. His booklet on the 1,200+ Ramsey service personnel who died in the First World War has been a big influence on the island's excellent Poppy Appeal collection sums. He also serves on the IOM War Pensions Committee.

David Simpson

David has been Chair of Yateley and Hawley Branch in Hampshire since 2005; he relaunched the branch after it folded in 1998. As well as his work on the Poppy Appeal and Remembrance – he collaborates with more than 20 organisations to run the service and parade – as a Hants County Councillor, he proposed a motion supporting the Military Covenant, established a cabinet post for military liaison and has supported veterans in claims against the MoD.

Barry Turner

Barry is a Case Officer who uses his vast knowledge and empathy to improve the lives of all those he assists. He has twice deputised for the Advice and Information Team Leader and is always available to offer advice and support to other staff. Barry also supports the RBL by helping count money raised during the Poppy Appeal's annual collection; and as a Legion Independent Examiner, checking local branches’ annual accounts.

Alice Driver

Alice is the driving force behind Bravo 22 Company, a UK-wide recovery-through-the-arts programme for wounded, injured and sick service personnel, veterans and their families. Thanks to Alice’s determination and dedication, the project, which is partnered by the RBL, has gone from strength to strength, providing participants with training and employment opportunities, lasting friendships and a boost in confidence, as well giving their military experiences a voice through art and performance.

Sarah Sturt

Sarah is an enthusiastic member of the RBL and has worked at branch, Area and County level in Buckinghamshire. She is passionate about helping the Armed Forces community and has completed many courses to assist her in encouraging fundraising and recruitment. Providing consistent support to members, she often contacts branches individually to offer mentoring and guidance. She has also been instrumental in raising money and has hosted garden parties to promote branch relationships.

Megan Harris

In 2019, in her role as In-Memory Manager, Megan arranged for 25 D-Day veterans and their families to attend Westminster Abbey Field of Remembrance. She organised travel and accommodation and enlisted currently serving Armed Forces personnel to act as chaperones, creating a unique opportunity for the veterans to pay tribute to their comrades. Outside of work, Megan campaigns for suicide awareness among the Armed Forces community and has been involved with the Invictus Games.

Colin Coney

Once attending the Ayrshire Welfare Centre himself for support, Colin now helps the Welfare Services team to assist the local Armed Forces community. He covers reception at short notice, helps at fundraising and publicity events, and also runs a quiet drop-in group, which provides stable support for numerous veterans. Over lockdown, Colin maintained his commitment to this by phoning members individually every week to keep up spirits and check on their needs.

Steve Munday

After Chief Petty Officer Steve Munday was ‘voluntold’ he would be attending London Poppy Day in 2012 – resulting not only in heavy collection buckets but an opportunity to explain the RBL’s work to many people – he strove to promote it within the Navy to increase the important presence of uniformed personnel. His enthusiasm and perseverance have led to a sharp rise in service volunteers at London and Bristol Poppy Days in the past few years.

Derek Tilney BEM

Derek has been Chairman of Malmesbury Branch in Wiltshire for 45 years and is the ‘face’ of the RBL locally. He has demonstrated great leadership in serving the community in many ways, including supporting RBL care home Dunkirk Memorial House, for example replacing its summer house; running a shoebox appeal for the local Gurkha Logistics regiment who were deployed in Afghanistan; and establishing relationships with schools, frequently giving talks about the RBL.

Lynn Andersen

Lynn has analysed, designed and delivered the Poppy Appeal for Bloxham & District Branch, Oxfordshire, for 15 years, martialling volunteers from six villages and increasing the amount raised year on year, resulting in record collections. She hasn't let bereavement and ill health stop her, and her knowledge, enthusiasm, energy and approachability have attracted new members to the branch.

Ieuan Roberts

A member of the RBL for many decades, Ieuan has been Treasurer, Chairman and President of Llanfair Caereinion and District Branch in Wales. He steered this rural branch in a very positive way, despite challenging times; provided a comfortable location and refreshments for meetings; ensured that Remembrance has been kept alive in the community and taken a leading role in services; and raised substantial sums for the Poppy Appeal.

Forget-Me-Nots Council

At St Bartholomew's C of E First School in Somerset, the Forget-Me-Nots School Council, led by Alice Samuel, has shown fantastic initiative in helping the children learn more about those living with dementia. Working with members of the RBL’s Crewkerne Branch, Alice discussed the condition with the children and explored the role of Admiral Nurses. The team helped the children create ‘fiddle cushion’ gifts for patients of the memory clinic, while Alice also made face masks to raise money.

Christine Cobbold

Christine is PA to the Head of the Poppy Appeal, and has been a key contact for staff, volunteers and the public for more than 30 years. She has supported more than 200 cyclists on the Pedal to Paris and has volunteered on the Festival of Remembrance event, helping with the Muster, managing the transportation of guests from the hotel to the Royal Albert Hall and delivering key event material.

Anne Lewin

Anne is the Registered Manager at Dunkirk House. She and the other care home managers have shown exceptional leadership during the pandemic, doing whatever was necessary to keep residents as safe as possible. They have dealt with the impact of Covid-19 including significant staff shortages, providing nursing care personally and staying in the homes themselves. They established innovative ways of maintaining contact between residents and loved ones, providing reassurance in the most difficult of times.

Tina Wright

Tina is a Registered Nurse at Maurice House, who has shown exceptional commitment over the past year, especially during the home’s Covid-19 outbreak. She picked up extra shifts, kept families up to date and encouraged staff to give their best at all times, while her exemplary end-of-life care ensured that residents died with dignity and in comfort. In her limited time off, Tina baked treats for her colleagues and residents to help keep morale up.

James Castle

In 2018, Poppy Appeal Organiser James organised a Great War Walk for the Cowden, Hartfield & District Branch in East Sussex, and invited the community to take part; a poppy commemorating each local man who fell in the First World War marked the route. His walk along Hadrian's Wall to raise money so he could attend the Great Pilgrimage 90 as Standard Bearer is one of many ways he has stimulated interest in the RBL.

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Reward & Recognition