06 May 2020
This Friday, 8th May, is VE Day – Victory in Europe Day. It was on this day 75 years’ ago that the Second World War officially ended in Europe.
Across Europe there will be commemorations for VE Day, although sadly these will not be the celebrations originally planned due to our current situation.
We’re proud that FirstPort has among our ranks a large number of ex-service personnel – those who have served their country through the Military, Police, Fire and Rescue Service, and National Health Service.
So we wanted to share some information with you about the Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) and what they are doing to commemorate VE Day.
The RBLI is fundraising to continue its fantastic efforts running a social enterprise factory called Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company (BBMC). This provides care and assisted living for older veterans, accommodation for families, adapted homes for veterans with disabilities, and emergency accommodation for homeless veterans. RBLI’s integrated village in Aylesford, Kent, is a national leader in veteran care. They are also helping injured, disabled and unemployed veterans all over the UK through LifeWorks which is an outstanding employability programme helping 83% of veterans into work or training within one year.
RBLI is separate to The Royal British Legion and receives no financial support from the annual poppy appeal, meaning they must raise their own funds to deliver care and employability support.
We are supporting the RBLI and the great work they do to support veterans and their families, and would like to share this with you too. If you’d like to commemorate VE Day and support the RBLI, you can buy one of their VE Day commemorative products here: https://rbli.co.uk/veday75.
You may recognise their commemorative military figures, known as Tommys. These are displayed in the reception areas of our offices and many communities around the country first bought these to commemorate 100 years since the First World War. These Tommys are made by veterans employed by the RBLI in the UK. Each purchase of one of the commemorative military figures assists with helping a veteran into employment, such as working with BBMC or accessing employment courses.
As well as commemorative products, the RBLI has also shared a family entertainment pack for VE Day. Click here to download
We hope you enjoy your bank holiday weekend commemorating VE Day.
