Friday 15th September marked the official opening of Royal British Legion Industries’ (RBLI) two new apartment blocks in Kent, named Victory House and Invictus Games House. Situated on Hermitage Lane near Maidstone, the Houses have been built specifically for veterans who are wounded, injured, sick, or at risk of homelessness. They host 24 one and two-bed flats, all with special adaptations to make the lives of those with disabilities easier.
Our Charity provided a grant of £96,000 towards the building costs of the apartments; the first phase in RBLI’s initial plans to build a Centenary Village, which they aim to open in 2019 – their centenary year. Future plans include the construction of further accommodation, including three and four-bedroom houses to ensure Service families have a stable home, an assisted living scheme to offer help to more injured and disabled veterans, and a state-of-the-art community centre which will offer welfare, support and training.
The apartments will help change the lives of veterans like Alex Stringer (seen in the video above), formerly Royal Logistic Corps, who sustained life-changing injuries after stepping on an IED during a tour of Afghanistan in 2013. Alex says: “I came down to have a look and it was perfect for me…all the little things have been thought about: the hard floors in the hallways help wheelchairs, as do the lighter doors, wider frames and wet rooms. It enables me to get out and about with my kid, so it was a no-brainer.”
Sir Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence, officially opened the apartments on Friday morning, commenting: “During their service, our veterans have made enormous sacrifices to keep Britain safe and they deserve the very best support. These apartments will provide those veterans in need with a supportive community and purpose-built accommodation that will allow them to lead independent, fulfilling lives.”