JUNE UPDATE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
I hoped to be writing to you all following the easing of restrictions this month; and although that has not come to pass there is much to celebrate and look forward to. Our staff and volunteers have been busy putting together a host of events across September and October in particular, hoping to take advantage of society opening back up again, and we hope to see some of you there in person.
Otherwise we have been marking Armed Forces Day with a campaign to #SayThankYou to those who serve our country and the families that support them.
While the national Armed Forces Day event has been cancelled due to COVID-19, our family of staff, supporters, partners and volunteers are proud to be paying tribute to the Armed Forces at home, on operations and in their communities. You can read more about this below.
Finally, I would like to say congratulations on behalf of the charity to Sarah Adams, a long-standing and deeply valued ambassador of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, who has been awarded an MBE for services to the Armed Forces and their families; and to the Army Foundation College (AFC) Harrogate which has won the Carrington Drum for the fourth year running, a competition in which units challenge themselves to raise money for our Army family. It is entirely thanks to you all, our generous supporters, that we are able to continue ensuring soldiers, former soldiers and their families can avoid hardship and live with independence and dignity. Thank you.
#SAYTHANKYOU: ARMED FORCES DAY 2021
This Armed Forces Day, join us as we Say Thank You to the Armed Forces family for their commitment and service. Throughout the pandemic, many servicemen and women have worked quietly on the COVID-19 frontline – manning testing stations and vaccination centres, transporting PPE and supporting the emergency services – while others have been deployed overseas, separated from family and friends. Find out more.
OVER £136,000 AWARDED TO NINE CHARITIES IN JUNE
This month, we are delighted to award grants totalling over £136,000 to nine charities that provide varied and essential services to the Army family. This is just some of the millions of pounds we hope to disburse over the year to our partner charities and organisations.
From guiding injured servicemen and women along the road to recovery, to helping bereaved families cope with the loss of a loved one, these charities provide year-round, frontline support to those in need. Thank you to our wonderful supporters for ensuring we can continue to fund these life-changing services. Read more.
PODCAST: GENERAL TALK WITH NICK BASHALL
“It’s important to capture ordinary human beings who are principled, modest, proud, dealing with extraordinary situations.”
In this fascinating episode of our General Talk podcast, distinguished war artist Nick Bashall speaks candidly to podcast host Harry Bucknall about his experiences working with the British Army in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Listen now.
REGISTER FOR OPERATION BLETCHLEY!
This July, step into a world of wartime espionage and tackle Operation Bletchley! Your mission is to cover the miles, crack the codes and deliver the secret message before time runs out.
Choose from our brand-new 30-mile Cairo mission our 50-mile London mission or our 100-mile Paris mission. With three levels of code to choose from – junior, codebreaker and cypher expert – Operation Bletchley is the perfect way to explore the great outdoors while supporting the Army family. Register now.
Thank you for enabling us to fulfil our promise of being here for soldiers, for life.
Yours sincerely,
Major General (Ret’d) Martin Rutledge CB OBE
Chief Executive, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity