Being there for them
It is our duty to remember and respect servicemen and women who have served so selflessly.
With the invaluable help of supporters like you, we are committed to standing by them in their time of need.
A D-Day hero — Bernard’s story
Bernard Morgan turned 100 this year. While his 100th birthday is an important date for him, another memorable day in his life came 80 years ago on 6 June, 1944. This was the day when Bernard — then an RAF Sergeant — landed on a beach in Normandy, along with thousands of other members of the allied Armed Forces, as part of the pivotal operation we remember as D-Day.
In this video, Bernard describes that unforgettable experience. Please take a minute to watch it, and to listen to him talk about his memories of being part of this historic event.
With your help, we will remember — and support — them
You have an essential
role to play in ensuring veterans and families get the help they need.
As we mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, we at RBL remain firmly committed to ensuring nobody who has served is left to face life’s challenges alone.
Of the veterans we support, many are living with dementia — this is why our Admiral Nurses service in partnership with Dementia UK is so vital. With the help of our supporters, specialist RBL Admiral Nurses like Paula up and down the country work with veterans and families affected by dementia, no matter when and where they served.
Through practical advice, emotional support and home visits, Admiral Nurses are a vital lifeline to hundreds of military families.
Will you support the Armed Forces community with a gift today?
“The role is challenging but very rewarding. We are privileged to be allowed into people’s lives at one of their most difficult times. We work with families to help them navigate their way through dementia.”
- Paula Smith, RBL Admiral Nurse
- 32 RBL Admiral Nurses look after the Armed Forces community
- 850 families are supported by RBL at any one time
- 944,000 people are estimated to be living with dementia in the UK. By 2050, this is expected to rise to 1.6 million
Figures taken from www.dementiastatistics.org
Need is on the rise
Everyone suffering with dementia deserves help. And for our serving and ex-serving men and women, our specialist teams are here to support them and their families. But right now, the need for RBL Admiral Nurses is on the rise, and we are struggling to cope with this growing demand.
Your help is urgently needed. Please give what you can. Your donation could support this vital service.
Donate
Navigating a new journey — Kevin and Sarah’s story
Kevin was a helicopter pilot in the Army Air Corps and a soldier for over 40 years. He and his wife, Sarah, were looking forward to retiring. But in the last years of his Service, he began struggling with stress and depression.
Sarah knew something was not right. She fought hard for over two years to get an MRI scan for him.
The scan confirmed the worst. Kevin was developing early-onset dementia, a life-changing condition that would only get worse. At that moment, Kevin and Sarah’s lives changed course — they felt their hopes for the future had been dashed.
Thankfully, as a military wife, Sarah was told about our RBL Admiral Nurses service, where she was introduced to Robert. He was able to visit Kevin and Sarah, providing them with specialist support and practical advice to help them through.
As Kevin’s condition worsened, Sarah began to worry about what might happen if she became ill herself and could not care for Kevin. Robert was able to allay her fears and helped her weigh up options.
“Just having a very friendly voice at the end of the phone when you’re absolutely desperate is worth its weight in gold.
Your donation could support families like Kevin and Sarah’s.
Donate nowHow your gift could help members of the Armed Forces community most in need:
RBL Admiral Nurses are dedicated medical professionals who, in partnership with Dementia UK, work closely with veterans and their families who are living with the consequences of dementia. As well as home visits and skilled assessments, these nurses provide information, practical advice and emotional support to carers and the families.
£10
Could go towards telephone support for a family who are caring for a relative with dementia.
32 RBL Admiral Nurses look after the Armed Forces community.
850 families are supported by RBL at any one time.
944,000 people are estimated to be living with dementia in the UK. By 2050, this is expected to rise to 1.6 million.
£15
Could go towards improving the quality of life of someone living with dementia and their carers through the support of our RBL Admiral Nurses.
46% of the ex-Service community are aged over 75, compared with just 10% of the population as a whole.* Between 2021 and 2023, over 2,400 families asked us for help.
*Source: RBL 2014 Household Survey of the ex-Service Community.
£20
Help is at hand — Chas and Diane’s story
Between 1959 and
1961, Chas served in the Royal Signals 225 Squadron in Germany. Six decades
later — with a loving wife, two sons, grandchildren and a great-grandson — all
seemed to be going well. Then, in June 2021, Chas was diagnosed with dementia.
The diagnosis didn’t just hit Chas hard. Soon, it was having a devastating impact on Diane too — she was becoming more carer than wife. “I’d always been an independent lady, but now, I couldn’t go out for more than a few hours.”
Luckily, after discovering that Chas had served in the Army, the NHS directed the couple to the RBL Admiral Nurses service. And they have been receiving specialist support from their nurse, Kate, ever since.
“Our RBL Admiral Nurse, Kate, is amazing when she comes to visit. She gives me such confidence.”
Kate visits the couple every six weeks to give them the specialist support they need. She provides a safe space for them to talk about their challenges and teaches them ways to cope with difficult situations they face. Diane is also able to contact Kate directly whenever she is struggling.
RBL is only able to
support families like Chas and Diane’s thanks to support from people like you.
Please donate what you can today.
Providing vital comfort — Gordon and Pat’s story
Gordon proudly served in the Royal Navy Ordnance Branch as a Chief Ordnance Artificer for over 20 years before retiring in 1972 to spend more time with his family. But sadly in 2019, his wife, Pat, was diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), causing a slow and continual decline in her mental and physical abilities.
Keen to be the best carer possible, Gordon reached out to RBL for support. We put him in touch with one of our RBL Admiral Nurses, Sharon.
“She was there to support me through the good and the bad. She understood Pat’s type of dementia, and that was really helpful,” Gordon says.
However, after a year of looking after Pat, the demands on Gordon became more and more difficult. He was going without sleep; he became depressed and even suffered a stroke.
Luckily, Sharon contacted his GP and arranged for medication on his behalf.
“I honestly don’t know how I’d have dealt with it all without Sharon. I dread to think what could have happened.”
Sadly, Pat passed away two years after her diagnosis. But thanks to Sharon, Gordon had the strength to give Pat the comfort she deserved in her final months.
RBL is
only able to support families like Chas, Pat and Kevin’s thanks to support from
people like you. Please donate what you can today.
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