Social Impact Report 2022-2023

REPORT

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION INDUSTRIES LIMITED IMPACT REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

2022 – 2023

I M PA C T

CONTENTS FOREWORD FROM OUR CHAIRMAN 3 INTRODUCTION FROM OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE

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OUR MISSION 7 WHAT WE DO 9 HIGHLIGHTS 2022 – 2023 11 ROYAL RECOGNITION: THE KING’S AWARD FOR ENTERPRISE

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RBLI WELCOMES... THE RT HON JOHNNY MERCER MP

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THE SUPPORT WE PROVIDE: LIFEWORKS

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HOW WE ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN: SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

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THE SUPPORT WE PROVIDE: EMPLOYMENT

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THE HOMES WE PROVIDE: ASSISTED LIVING

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THE HOMES WE PROVIDE CENTENARY VILLAGE

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THANK YOU 28 CENTENARY VILLAGE: HEAD WAY 29 CENTENARY VILLAGE: SAPPER HOUSE 30 THE HOMES WE PROVIDE: A NEW LIFE ON THE VILLAGE

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THE HOMES WE PROVIDE: EXTRA HELP THROUGH THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS 32 THE HOMES WE PROVIDE: MOUNTBATTEN PAVILLION

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HOW WE ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN: THE TELEGRAPH APPEAL

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HOW WE ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN: FUNDRAISING

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RBLI WELCOMES... HRH PRINCESS BEATRICE AND HRH PRINCESS EUGENIE

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THE DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE: CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES 41 SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM 42

FRONT COVER: Scotland's Bravest Manufacturing Company.

LEFT: A Royal visit from HRH Princess Beatrice and HRH Princess Eugenie. See more on page 39.

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Foreword from our Chairman

As you are undoubtedly aware, the past year has presented us, like so many other charitable organisations, with a difficult operating environment. The rising costs of energy, building materials, and staffing has made the task of sustaining our varied operations all the more demanding.

Steven Rowbotham I am delighted to introduce this year’s Impact Report with a profound sense of pride in the charity in facing extraordinary challenges over the last year. Everyone involved in the charity has not only persevered but has continued to expand our impact in ways that change lives.

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Our commitment to our beneficiaries remains steadfast, it has also been a year of particular hardship for them. Many of our nation’s older veterans have found the rising cost of living difficult, with the worry of heating expenses weighing heavily on their minds and the distressing decisions of “eating or heating”. We have moved as many isolated older veterans onto the Village as possible and all our homes are full.

Additionally, the increase in the number of homeless veterans, which began in the pandemic, has continued highlighting the vital importance of the emergency support and safe homes we provide.

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Our newly forged partnership with the national network of Op Fortitude represents a significant milestone, one that promises to open up even more pathways for our beneficiaries.

Additionally, our commitment to enhancing the mental health support we provide means that our Move On pathways are stronger than ever before.

Through the endeavours of RBLI, we have also been able to create additional jobs in our social enterprise, providing meaningful employment to those who have struggled to find work, perhaps for over a decade.

I am immensely proud of the positive impact we have made, not only on the lives of our beneficiaries but also to the broader community.

The recognition bestowed upon us by His Majesty King Charles III, through the King's Award for Scotland's Bravest Manufacturing Company, serves as a testament to

I am immensely proud of the positive impact we have made, not only on the lives of our beneficiaries but also to the broader community.

Steven Rowbotham

our dedication to providing opportunities and skills. This accolade has been a huge achievement this year.

Looking ahead, we remain resolute in our determination to provide safe environments and in our ethos of personal development for veterans through the expansion of our Centenary Village. We recognise the urgency of this endeavour and are committed to building new apartments and homes plus fitness, welfare, learning and training facilities at our Centenary Village as swiftly as possible.

I cannot emphasise enough my pride in The Great Tommy Sleep Out. This event, which has already proven to be a powerful force for good, as it highlights the reality of life for the estimated 6,000 veterans who are rough sleeping.

The funds raised through this event are channelled into practical assistance for veterans as we show them the opportunities and pathways to recovery and self-sufficiency. I am personally deeply passionate about growing this event and am heartened by the remarkable efforts that have already taken place.

I must thank our Trustees, whose unwavering commitment to both veteran support and disability employment has been a driving force behind our success.

Their vision and guidance continue to be instrumental in shaping the future of our organisation.

Lastly, I extend my deepest thanks to RBLI’s supporters, sponsors, donors, and the valued customers of BBMC and SBMC who understand the value of social enterprise. Your generosity and belief in our mission have been the bedrock upon which our accomplishments have been built.

STEVEN ROWBOTHAM RBLI Chairman 21 December 2023

None of these achievements would have been possible without the dedication, hard work, and resourcefulness of our Senior Leadership Team, employees, and volunteers. Their tireless efforts have extended the reach of RBLI to every corner of the United Kingdom, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of countless individuals.

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INTRODUCTION FROM OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE

One of the cornerstones of our impact lies in the national reach of our charity, as our Lifeworks employment and outreach programme is delivered in locations from Scotland to the South West.

Another moment of great pride for RBLI was being chosen for the Telegraph’s Christmas Appeal. This national awareness came during a particularly challenging winter for our nation’s veterans.

Lisa Farmer

We were quick to respond to the national census, which published the veteran population in England and Wales for the first time at the end of 2022. The programme reached over 1,000 veterans during the year, delivering coaching in some of the most deprived areas of the UK.

The outpouring of support and encouragement from readers all over the UK was truly heartening, and, through a series of 12 in-depth articles, it brought our important work to new audiences.

As I reflect on my first year as Chief Executive, I am filled with determination and gratitude for the incredible journey we have embarked upon together.

It has been a year marked by milestones, triumphs, changes and most importantly, the immeasurable impact we've had on the lives of those we serve.

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The Lifeworks team continue to work tirelessly to reach long-term unemployed veterans who find themselves isolated within their own communities. Reaching veterans grappling with sudden crises and the overwhelming pressures of cost of living, we are helping more and more to find the path towards a brighter future and greater independence.

During the past year our Lifeworks programme has been evaluated showing that 80% of veterans are in paid work or structured volunteering within 12 months of joining the programme. We are looking forward to sharing the full results later this year and it is fantastic to consolidate our national impact.

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It also generated referrals to RBLI’s emergency home, care, mental health and employability support like never before and I am incredibly proud of our frontline staff for the way they responded to the spike in national demand.

At our Kent HQ we completed a major phase of development at our Centenary Village. Sapper House, Greenwich House, and more family houses have delivered an injection of 40 new homes for disadvantaged veterans from anywhere in the UK. With building work continuing, we will be able to accommodate even more veterans next year. No other charity in the country is undertaking this scale of investment in homes at this time. We faced a cost-of-living crisis, with constant talk of the threat of recession, but we kept going.

I often say we are not building houses at RBLI – we are building a living community.

Lisa Farmer

The demand for RBLI’s homes is ceaseless. Just one example – during the year we have partnered with the NHS Stroke Unit in Maidstone to deliver vital care to people who are overcoming acute stroke. These residents need a community with an outstanding care team, where the ethos is all about mobility, active living and positive routines.

They need spaces with kitchens and bathrooms where their family can also be involved in their recovery. There isn’t enough affordable housing in the UK, the NHS is also crying out for more progression options like this, and we could be doing so much more here.

I often say we are not building houses at RBLI – we are building a living community. This success was brought to light by the Veterans Minister, Johnny Mercer, during his visit to RBLI in March, who described the community as “first class” and “exactly what veterans need”.

His words are also a testament to the pioneering nature of our diverse community, and our carefully integrated care and welfare services, when he said: ‘It's a revolution in veterans' housing and we need to use good models like this.’

You can read much more about this on page 8. It is the values we share that allow us to work together effectively across such varied programmes, and allow us to integrate diverse services around our beneficiaries. Holistic support doesn’t happen by magic; living our values is how we make it happen.

As we look forward to the future, I am filled with a deep sense of optimism and belief that RBLI’s values, lived every day, will deliver. Together, we will continue to build homes, create new services, and reach the furthest corners of the UK, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of the veterans who need us most.

LISA FARMER RBLI Chief Executive 21 December 2023

None of this would have been possible without the support of the Office for Veterans Affairs and the incredible generosity of our charity’s supporters be they individuals, companies, or foundations here in the UK or around the globe.

To our Trustees, I extend my deepest gratitude for their steadfast commitment to the Centenary Village vision and the thriving community that will stand the test of time for the next 100 years.

I also want to thank the Senior Leadership Team, our employees and all our volunteers who dedicate themselves to our cause. Our impact is a direct result of the values that our people live every day. I couldn't be prouder of the time, energy and work that RBLI has invested in creating our values this year.

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OUR MISSION OUR OBJECTIVES

RBLI WILL... be regarded as experts in supporting veterans and people with disabilities into employment, through our award-winning employment services programmes and through our social enterprises across the UK.

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RBLI WILL...

RBLI WILL...

RBLI WILL... have a thriving village community and facilities in Kent that maintain our heritage and that are a national example of excellence in integrated care and welfare services.

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establish our national presence through partnerships and fundraising.

RBLI WILL... be an employer of choice with a fully comprehensive diversity and equitable culture embedded by a strong set of values.

be known as a national charity with a headquarters in Kent.

OUR VALUES Our values have been developed to underpin RBLI’s culture across the organisation and are at the heart of how we interact with one another, our customers and supporters, and crucially, how we interact with those who need our support.

Making an I M P A C T is a key part of our mission, having this word at the heart of our values is important to us as we aim to maximise the impact we have in everything we do.

To reinforce and embed the values, we have defined models of behaviours expected from our staff to ensure everyone is able to understand the importance and meaning of each value, as well as defining behaviours which would not live up to the values.

To drive this understanding and buy in from our staff we have been holding engagement sessions across the organisation and are updating our key HR processes to include the values, such as through our reward and recognition schemes, our personal development reviews and how we recruit colleagues.

We have also set up a team of staff representing different areas of the organisation who have been specifically tasked with identifying ways to embed the values through engagement with staff.

I M P A C T

INTEGRITY

We are proud of the how; committed to doing what’s best while maintaining transparency and respect at all times.

MOTIVATED

We are motivated to maximise value through challenging ideas, innovation and embracing change.

PEOPLE FIRST People are at the centre of everything we do; we care about those we support, our colleagues, our customers and our stakeholders.

ACCOUNTABLE

We are all responsible for our actions and we inspire each other to make decisions and take ownerships.

COMMUNITY We take pride in our inclusive and thriving community with its unique network of support.

TEAMWORK

We achieve our goals together through the strength of our collaboration and communication.

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WHAT WE DO Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) is a national charity that has been helping those in need for over 100 years, providing support to the Armed Forces community, those with disabilities and those who have found themselves unemployed.

Each RBLI division offers a service to help veterans live an independent life with whatever support they require resulting in the successful delivery of a full-care pathway on-site to help veterans of any age or background from across the three services.

SOCIAL ENTERPRISES

EMPLOYMENT SOLUTIONS

Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company refers to RBLI’s social enterprise factory in Aylesford, providing signs for road and rail, wooden products and fulfilment services, as well as our print, mail and fulfilment centre in Leatherhead.

Lifeworks is an award-winning employment support programme which equips veterans and their family members, as well as the loved ones of those currently serving, with the tools needed to find meaningful employment outside the Armed Forces.

Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company is RBLI’s award-winning factory in Renfrewshire, Scotland predominantly focusing on signage manufacturing and precision engineering.

The programme, free of charge to unemployed veterans, continues to grow with courses nationwide and, with a core of ex-Armed Forces personnel in place behind the scenes, the team truly understands the complex needs of our nation’s veterans.

As well as being market leaders in their industries, more than 70% of those employed across the Charity’s social enterprises are military veterans, those with disabilities, or both.

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RBLI is a charity that our whole nation can be proud of.

Steven Rowbotham, RBLI Chairman

LIVING RBLI's village in Aylesford provides 340 homes and, more than that, it offers a thriving community and a sense of belonging for veterans of all ages – whatever their level of need.

The Centenary Village is RBLI’s current capital project and the latest instalment of homes and facilities for our veterans. The first two phases have been completed, including an assisted living facility, move-on apartments particularly for younger veterans of more recent conflicts, and family homes.

The next phase is due for construction shortly and will incorporate additional homes and a community centre at its heart.

STEP-IN is RBLI’s unique welfare model providing veterans and their families with structured, holistic support tailored to their individual needs.

Whether it’s support with housing, drug or alcohol dependency, financial issues or relationship breakdowns, RBLI’s STEP-IN programme, and our dedicated Welfare Team, create a plan specifically to help with any challenges when veterans first join our village community.

Mountbatten Pavilion is RBLI’s emergency accommodation, often used as a ’stepping stone’ for single Armed Forces veterans. It enables residents to live in a safe environment whilst accessing training and welfare support from a dedicated team to lead independent lives with confidence in the future.

RBLI has two on-site assisted living facilities, Queen Elizabeth Court and Greenwich House. Both facilities are in place for those who have served in the Armed Forces, and their spouses, aged 55 and over, with on-site domiciliary care provided to help residents who need it whilst keeping their independence. Greenwich House is our new 24 apartment assisted living accommodation that opened as part of RBLI’s Centenary Village in 2022.

Bradbury House is our specialist nursing care home, now offering dementia care as of 2022. It provides longer term specialist support and care as well as shorter respite care packages. Appleton Lodge, opened by HM Queen Elizabeth II in 2019, is set amidst RBLI’s village and provides extra-care nursing with specialist staff on-hand with the dignity of the residents in mind.

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HIGHLIGHTS 2022-2023

141,000

1,557

signs were manufactured and sold by BBMC and SBMC combined, equating to 35,000m2

no-smoking signs manufactured by SBMC for Scottish Government/NHS Scotland

222,000

1,522

pallets produced by our wood division, including 65,000 for one customer

orders fulfilled by our print site in Leatherhead

Sales have been strong across the two signs divisions in Kent and Renfrewshire.

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In total, around 100,000 signs were manufactured and sold from BBMC in Kent, covering approximately 25,000m2.

A further 41,000 were made by SBMC made in Scotland, equating to just over 10,000m2.

Retail 13,485 new customers

visitied RBLI through the online shop

£300K revenue generated

through a new range of Remembrance products

£25k

generated through a new licensing agreement

Tommy Club is making an impact...

1384

900

36

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Bronze Tommy Club Champions

Veterans have been given employment help

New veteran apartments

Veterans supported out of emergency accommodation

Our Coronation range For the Coronation of King Charles III, we released a line of Tommy products that proved incredibly popular with people across the UK. Street parties provided the perfect opportunity for people to use our Tommy bunting and Tommy lamppost signs, or to show their support to the new King with a lapel pin or window sticker.

As RBLI is known as the home of the Tommy, many of the products were made in our Aylesford and R BLI

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Leatherhead social enterprise factories where we provide employment, training and welfare support to the country’s most vulnerable veterans and people with disabilities.

The range incorporated the Coronation logo, that was designed especially for the big day. All proceeds from the sale of the products went towards our work to help more veterans and people with disabilities.

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ROYAL RECOGNITION The King’s Award for Enterprise RBLI's social enterprise in Scotland becomes one of the first recipients of The King’s Award for Enterprise, for its commitment to promoting opportunity.

Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company (SBMC) has won The King’s Award for Enterprise – one of only nine organisations to be recognised since the new award was established following the passing of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. A total of 148 businesses have been recognised for their contribution to international trade, innovation, sustainable development and promoting opportunity (through social mobility).

RBLI’s Scotland operation in Bishopton, Renfrewshire was established in 2019 – modelled on the charity’s century of operation in Kent.

Now in its fifth year, SBMC has established a reputation as a leading social enterprise, providing employment opportunities for disadvantaged veterans, especially those with life-changing physical

and mental disabilities after serving in the Armed Forces.

Lisa Farmer, RBLI’s Chief Executive, said: “Our factories in Scotland, Kent and Surrey operate as a not-for-profit social enterprise with 100% of the surplus being reinvested back into RBLI’s wider operations to provide greater employment, welfare and housing opportunities to veterans and people with disabilities.”

Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company employs 21 people and 90% of its beneficiaries were unemployed when they started work at the factory. It specialises in the production of road and rail signage for the country’s highways and railways.

RBLI will be able to use The King’s Award for Enterprise emblem to promote its services to potential customers. The formal trophy will be presented by the Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire to the team and the RBLI’s management.

This award from His Majesty is a major vote of confidence in what Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company is doing to promote opportunity for our veterans.

LISA FARMER RBLI Chief Executive

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RBLI WELCOMES...

The Rt Hon Johnny Mercer MP RBLI plans the first female veterans' Move On house in the UK RBLI welcomed Veterans’ Affairs Minister The Rt Hon Johnny Mercer MP in line with the charity’s plans to build specialist femaleonly accommodation for ex-servicewomen and their families in need of support.

The Minister saw firsthand the work provided at our Centenary Village development which, when complete, will enable us

to support hundreds more veterans every year for the next 100 years.

The visit was Johnny Mercer’s first Ministerial return to RBLI since he launched the Office for Veteran Affairs in 2019 at our Aylesford village and was full of praise for the progress we have made, saying; "The last time I came here, this wasn’t built. RBLI are delivering, they are getting people off the streets, they are improving peoples’ lives and giving people that real sense of community.

You come to places like RBLI and you realise they are real leaders in this space.

It's a revolution in veterans' housing and we need to use good models like this to make sure we get it right.

BELOW: Johnny Mercer speaking with veterans Natasha Victor, Vicky McClennan and Sarah Mowat.

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The support we provide:

LIFEWORKS

Now in its twelfth year, RBLI’s Lifeworks course continues what the charity does best, to change lives and save lives of veterans and their families. Glen Taylor is just one of RBLI’s latest members of staff to have attended a Lifeworks course and found work and a life enhancing fresh start.

Sitting opposite Glen, your eyes are immediately drawn to the tattoos that adorn his arms. As Glen speaks about them you soon discover that they are more than simply ink, but images that show the family history he’s so proud of, and four generations of service in peace time and during war. A group of four people in uniform represents Glen in the RAF, next to his beloved grandmother in the nurse’s uniform she wore in Lincoln during the Second World War. Next is his great grandfather who served in Bomber Command as a tail gunner onboard the Lancaster in the Second World War, and his great great grandfather who served in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. As his great grandfather took him to visit RAF bases, Glen was always destined to join the RAF, but he initially went to work in a coal mine in Mansfield. In 1986 at the age of 19, he joined the RAF, becoming a fire fighter until he was blown down a set of stairs, breaking his neck. After a long period of rehabilitation in Headley Court, and possibly at Preston Hall in Aylesford Village, Glen eventually joined the railway where he worked for 25 years.

During his time on the railway, Glen drew on his RAF experience and training as he talked people out of committing suicide on the tracks.

It was after an operation when Glen was put on light duties which meant he was at home, rather than in work. Everything snowballed as he split from his partner and suffered with post operative depression that brought on PTSD. Then as Covid hit, Glen moved his beloved grandmother from Lincoln into his house in Kent to care for her.

“It was a perfect storm as I was a prisoner in my own home caring for my Nan who had dementia. Things got on top of me, and I started drinking. It was getting harder and harder. Involve Kent and RBLI came to my aid. Involve Kent is a charity for carers, and Annika and Mel at Involve Kent arranged for carers to come and help with Nan. They also asked if I’d contacted RBLI as they knew Lifeworks Referral Engagement Manager, Kerry Locke.

“That was the beginning as Kerry told me to get my bum down here. I did and had a good talk to Kerry and ended up in tears explaining what had

RIGHT: Lifeworks provides employment courses for Armed Forces veterans and their families all over the UK. LEFT: Kerry Locke, RBLI's Lifeworks Referral Engagement Manager and Glen Taylor Since this interview Glen has sadly passed away. He made a lasting impact on those who knew him during his short time at RBLI and will be missed.

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STEVE PARROTT

Glasgow

Darlington

Hull Manchester

Birmingham

London

Cardiff

Aldershot Exeter Plymouth

Aylesford Portsmouth

happened. Kerry said 'do Lifeworks' and I was a bit, ‘that won’t help me’, but it did.

"Kerry also told me about the job that was coming up in the Signs department at BBMC, and a month later Obi Ghalume, Managing Director of Social Enterprise - Operations contacted me to come and see him and David Church, Operations Manager BBMC. "They offered me the job and it has made a difference because I’m out of the house, not constantly indoors and the hours suit me. As my Nan has good carers if I don’t get home until 6.30pm that’s ok.

“The scale of the work we do in Signs is eye opening and I find myself explaining what the railway signs mean. Meeting new people is the hardest thing I’ve done, but I’m getting on with everyone, and there’s unexpected things like being asked to present a plaque and talk to people when they tour the factory.”

1,000+

Veterans supported last year

80%

Are in employment, training, or volunteering within one year of attending Lifeworks

79%

Of the ex-military personnel we help have a physical or mental health challenge

Steve Parrott, RBLI’s Head of Lifeworks who came to the charity after a 22 year full career in the Parachute Regiment said, “Lifeworks is presently going through a year long evaluation, but it’s been a successful year with more than 1,200 veterans connecting with the team. We’ve also supported 450 veterans towards employment. The Lifeworks programme is now national as the recent ONS Census showed areas that have a high concentration of veterans. This means we can now target those areas to help people there.

“I knew Lifeworks worked before I joined RBLI as my last role in the Regiment was as the Unit Welfare Officer, with responsibility for looking after the wounded, injured and sick personnel. When we put people through RBLI’s Lifeworks course you saw the positive difference in them when they exited before resettlement, as the training gave them the tools to enter civilian life and find a job, and the knowledge that the skills they had acquired during their service were valuable and transferable.”

"We have extended the reach of the Lifeworks service by adding an option for veterans to access Lifeworks remotely. In addition to our residential four-day courses, Lifeworks can now be delivered directly in a modular form to veterans who are unable to travel, or those who are already employed but seeking career progression advice."

The Lifeworks team has been forming new employment partners, which has resulted in more veteran-friendly employment opportunities being shared via the ‘Lifeworks Hub’. The ‘Lifeworks Hub’ is an online resource that can be accessed anytime, further supporting veterans in independent learning and/or training.

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Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome GARY JAMIESON, LEADING BY EXAMPLE. With responsibility for the Lifeworks programme in Scotland and the North East, Gary Jamieson’s role is an important one to help people regain their confidence, self-belief, find a job or volunteering opportunity, and their place in society. He is also responsible for making contacts to grow awareness and the reach of the Lifeworks programme in those areas.

Gary, who took RBLI’s Lifeworks course after he was wounded in Afghanistan while serving with the Scots Guards, initially ran a pub for just under two years after his rehabilitation. Realising there was no horizon for progression, as someone who likes to push himself, he gave up the pub to find a more challenging role.

Six months later, Gary joined SBMC in 2019 as a jet cut operator in the Signs department.

“I was trained on the machines, and enjoyed doing it, more for the fact it was a challenge because I was disabled. I wanted to see how far I could push myself and the factory seemed a good opportunity. The Army training played a part as the ethos is improvise, adapt, and overcome, and that’s exactly what I did.

“I was hesitant before going to work there as it was a factory job and I was disabled. I used the confidence and knowledge I learnt on the Lifeworks course.

Doing the Lifeworks course, I was still in a wheelchair as a triple amputee and thought – who would hire me? Mentally I was in a bad place, but when I finished the course and did the CV, I thought, ‘I can still do something. I do have something to offer’. So, that’s

what I tell people who take the course, that they count.”

At the end of his two-year contract with SBMC Gary knew that he wanted to work helping fellow veterans.

“Knowing how to write a CV is important, but the Lifeworks course is also about making people recognise how valuable the skills they learnt in the military are to the workforce, and how transferrable they are.

"They take what they learnt for granted, and don’t tell the potential employer about the jobs they did in the Forces. It’s essential to and also tell them you’re a veteran. Veterans have the skills a civilian employer is looking for; timekeeping, passing on information, problem solving, they’re trustworthy, reliable, and organised. It’s also about a change of mindset as veterans don’t always think they fit in with

RBLI's Lifeworks course in Glasgow. From left to right: RBLI Referral Engagement Officer Scotland and North East Gary Jamieson, Thomas Neillings, Bob Dowdles, Ratu Vuniawi, Scottish Veterans' Commissioner Susie Hamilton, John Jamieson, Maurice Guenser, Paul Sweeney, William Darling, James Japp (RBLI Lifeworks Vocational Assessor) and Julie Scott (RBLI Training Manager).

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We would like to thank the following, as without their generous donations and support, we could not deliver Lifeworks. a civilian organisation, so it’s about getting them to realise they do.

“As someone who didn’t think they had anything to offer, and who learnt from the course, I can answer their questions. People may have been out of work for 10 years and they’ve lost their confidence, and you can help them to find their confidence through mock interviews and by giving useful feedback, and they leave the course different people.

When I joined SBMC I put myself down because I was disabled. I didn’t think about transferable skills, I learnt that on the Lifeworks course, so now I make sure people think about theirs.

“There are so many opportunities out there and you just need to ignite that spark as people have the ability, they just need the encouragement to recognise it.

That’s why I worked in the factory at SBMC and spoke publicly about being injured, to show that, yes,

I’m injured, and my mental health was affected afterwards, but getting the job made me feel part of society again. If I can do it, you can too.”

Gary joined the Lifeworks team in December 2022, and he has already secured the involvement of high profile supporters for the programme. Scottish Veterans’ Commissioner Lieutenant Commander (retired) Susie Hamilton attended the final day of the four-day course endorsed the programme, saying, “Veterans are a unique and often highperforming source of talent that Scotland needs, but some Service leavers can find it challenging to communicate the value and relevance of their military skills within the civilian workplace.

"Programmes like Lifeworks offer valuable support for veterans and their family members and can help them on the path to meaningful employment.”

Veterans don’t always think they fit in with a civilian organisation, so it’s about getting them to realise they do.

GARY JAMIESON RBLI Referral Engagement Officer Scotland and North East

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How we are making it happen:

OUR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE Social enterprises are an increasingly important part of the UK economy contributing £60 billion and employing nearly two million people in the UK alone, as they prioritise social or environmental goals alongside financial sustainability. This approach aligns with the growing trend of conscious consumerism, where customers increasingly seek products and services that align with their values and contribute to social and environmental well-being.

As customers see how our social enterprise in Aylesford, Leatherhead, and Renfrewshire, make a positive impact on the people who work there, while providing quality products that are equal to those produced by solely commercial manufacturers, they increasingly use their purchasing power to affect positive change.

NATIONAL HIGHWAYS AND AMEY LEAD THE WAY The importance of the move to buy social was highlighted by a consortium led by Malcolm Dare at National Highways as the group has committed to spend £1m with RBLI on it road signs.

Malcolm Dare, Executive Director of Commercial and Procurement at National Highways said of the

Social enterprises play a crucial role in addressing employment challenges for individuals who may face barriers to finding work in traditional workplaces.

A principle that has been at the heart of RBLI’s work since it was founded in 1919. Today more than 70% of people employed in our social enterprise in Aylesford, Leatherhead and Renfrewshire are veterans and people with disabilities, or both. Our social enterprise is one of the largest in the UK as we continue to lead the way in employing veterans and people with disabilities and producing the signs that the nation’s highways, byways and A roads.

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increase in business, “National Highways has developed a strong focus on social value via its procurement activities through to delivery on the ground. In 2021 we joined forces with Amey, Chevron, Colas, HTM Ltd, H W Martin and Vinci to support RBLI by committing to spend £800k for the financial year 2022/23.

Having achieved this, we are now targeting a spend of £1 million for the financial year 2023/24. As a sector with a strong ex-forces presence, we can directly see how our spend supports veterans who need help via the invaluable work that RBLI does. You just have to visit their facilities to realise the benefits that a social enterprise like RBLI delivers to society.”

RBLI’S SOCIAL ENTERPRISE RECEIVES FIRST KING’S AWARD FOR ENTERPRISE! In the past year there has been a lot to celebrate at our social enterprise and in Scotland, SBMC celebrated its fifth anniversary when it had the honour to become one of the first recipients of The King’s Award for Enterprise in the Promoting Opportunities category. SBMC was also awarded the Business Community Impact Award at the Soldiering On Awards in London. SBMC continues to grow, securing customers that include BEAR Scotland, Balfour Beatty, Amey, Refrewshire Council, Police Scotland, Forestry & Land Scotland, SEPA and the NHS.

I feel that I’m back to a military workplace and that I fit in as an individual and a team player.

Speaking of the impact SBMC has made to his life Carl Buller, who served in the Royal Navy Submarine Service for 23 and a half years, said, “I joined the Royal Navy in May 1986 and was medically discharged in December 2009 due to getting leukemia. I wasn’t able to continue my role in the forces in a wheelchair. Initially, they didn’t think I’d last longer than two weeks, but 15 years later, I’m still in remission and I’m just happy to be in a wheelchair.

“I joined the team at SBMC the week before the first lockdown in March 2020. I wanted another challenge as previously I’d been working in a call centre, but I was finding it hard to adapt from a Forces way of thinking to a civilian way of working. When I first came to SBMC, I didn’t have to adapt as I was with other veterans. Initially, I was in the Dispatch section, but as there is training and opportunity to do other work, I’m now in the signs department. Since I’ve been taken on by SMBC, I feel that I’m back to a military workplace and that I fit in as an individual and a team player.”

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POSITIVE CHANGE David Church, Operations Manager, said “More people are choosing to 'buy social' as they see the massive beneficial impact their custom has on people and on society. We know why we open the doors of our social enterprise each day; to give veterans and people with disabilities employment and purpose, and to manufacture high quality products that companies want to buy.

“The move to buy from social enterprise helps to address such social challenges as unemployment, lack of opportunity, isolation, lack of self-belief, self-worth, and selfconfidence. Buying from a social enterprise doesn’t just benefit the people who manufacture the products, as their families and friends see their growth as they become active members of society. Every person back in work saves society around £23,000 in benefits to the local economy and healthcare cost savings. Obviously, clients don’t buy from our social enterprise for purely altruistic reasons.

They buy from us because our skilled workforce and production capability ensures that the goods we manufacture are equal to any from purely commercial organisations.”

An increase in business has allowed BBMC to invest in new technology and equipment e.g. at our Aylesford factory. It has also led to the creation of new jobs. Veterans who have come through our Lifeworks employment support programme now work in the Signs department. Roles have been filled by veterans who were street homeless, and now live at Mountbatten Pavilion, our emergency accommodation for homeless and at-risk veterans.

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While our ethos is to provide work for veterans and people with disabilities, to ensure the longevity of the business, a robust operational strategy is in place to ensure our social enterprise is economically effective.

The way we manage operations ensures that we can withstand the impact of unexpected economic trends and world events. The cost of living crisis and the impact of the Ukraine war affected the timber department as timber prices rose and sales of pallets dropped.

However, 220,000 pallets were produced this year, with 65,000 manufactured for one client.

CREATING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR BRAVEST There are also opportunities for career progression as Purna Gurung, Surendra Ingham, Tirthraj Thapa and Anil Gurung, four Gurkha veterans were promoted this year.

Surendra Ingham moved from the Signs department to take up the role of Purchasing and Logistics Coordinator. The role allows Surendra to use the skills he learned during 20 years in the army when he was a motor transport junior assistant officer with responsibility for 1,400 officers and soldiers and their families.

Surendra who served in the 2nd Royal Gurkha Rifles, including five years with the Parachute Regiment, began his career at BBMC in April 2017 as a volunteer sign maker. Surendra served in Indonesia, followed by the UK, Kosovo, Brunei, and Macedonia, also completing four tours of Afghanistan. In Macedonia, he witnessed the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers when an American officer phoned his mother in

New York, and they watched on his phone as the second tower was hit.

When Surendra joined BBMC he suffered from anxiety and panic attacks, was permanently dizzy, and couldn’t sit for more than an hour. He initially volunteered for 30 minutes or one hour a day, gradually building up his time until three months later he could work for three hours a day. Overcoming the anxiety and panic disorder Surendra took a full-time post at BBMC in 2020 before lockdown. Today Surendra works full-time and roars to and from work on his motorbike.

TOMMIES IN THE NATION’S HEART Within our retail division our Tommy silhouettes are a best seller that can be seen at locations across the UK from Land’s End to John O’Groats. Tommies are proudly displayed at War Memorials, public spaces and in private gardens.

Surendra said, “The new role is familiar as it’s similar to the work I did in the Army. It’s an enjoyable and challenging role and working here helped to get over the anxiety and panic issues. I look at the guys who have been wounded by IEDs and they just get on with it, and that’s what I do.”

4,226 5ft Unknown Tommies sold 78 Unknown Tommies sold 4 generating £91,799 in revenue

IN THE LAST YEAR OUR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE HAS PRODUCED: • 141,000 signs were manufactured and sold by BBMC and SBMC combined.

• 1,557 no-smoking signs were manufactured by SBMC for the Scottish Government/NHS Scotland.

OUR WAR ON WASTE We believe that all companies have an important part to play in preserving our environment and there is an active strategy in place to significantly reduce our carbon footprint. Where we are not reasonably able to achieve a zero carbon footprint, we aim to offset this through a number of initiatives so that we can become a fully carbon neutral organisation.

Recycling processes are in place for the recycling of excess or waste materials. Where recycling is not feasible waste is shredded, bailed, and used for low carbon electricity generation. In recognition of this we have gained a number of ISO certifications.

An increase in orders has enabled BBMC to invest in new equipment and reduce its environmental impact as a new router and idigital printer produce less waste. Following a lucrative contract from Network Rail to produce and engrave its Health & Safety track signage BFBS invested in a mechanical engraver. This has also enabled BBMC to hire a new person to operate the engraver.

• Sales have been strong across the two signs divisions in Kent and Renfrewshire. In total, around 100,000 signs were manufactured and sold from Kent’s BBMC, covering approximately 25,000m2, with a further 41,000 made in Scotland at SBMC equating to just over 10,000m2.

• 1,522 orders fulfilled by our print site in Leatherhead.

• 222,000 pallets produced by our wood division, including 65,000 for one customer.

• SBMC was one of the first organisations to win the coveted King’s Award for Enterprise.

• SBMC’s biggest single sign contract last year was for Scottish Government/NHS Scotland “No Smoking” legislation.

• 1,557 signs were manufactured, delivered, and installed on every NHS Scotland hospital and clinic site in Scotland, this included the mainland, Hebrides, and the Northern Isles. The signs were manufactured in August 2022 and installation completed by February 2023.

• In total, 900 tons of signs were produced – that’s the weight of three Boeing 747s.

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The support we provide:

EMPLOYMENT A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE CAN THRIVE As an equal opportunities employer, RBLI is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader.

It is our aim to help more people with disabilities, and more unemployed veterans to secure dignified paid work through our social enterprises and employment programmes.

To ensure we support our people properly, Phil Wilkinson, who served in the Royal Navy from 1977 to 2000, took over from Tim Brown as Job Coach in May this year. Phil is responsible for working with RBLI’s supported employees in BBMC, in the Fulfilment department and the factory.

After a 23 and half year career that began in Plymouth at HMS Raleigh at the age of 16 and a half, Phil served onboard a range of ships including destroyers, frigates minesweepers, fishing protection vessels, and for five consecutive years onboard HMS Endurance, sailing to the Atlantic each September and arriving back in the UK in May. During his time in the Antarctic the only sound he heard in the ice-covered continent was his heartbeat.

Leaving the Royal Navy after completing his full service in 2000

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as a Leading Seaman Seamanship Specialist, Phil worked for the Port of London Authority, drawing on his Service skills until he became redundant.

Aged 59 it seemed time to take early retirement, but when the dual global disasters of the covid pandemic and cost of living crisis hit, he realised it was time to return to work. It was during his job search that Phil discovered RBLI’s Lifeworks programme when an RBLI ad for the course appeared on his Facebook page.

Continuing Phil said, “After seeing the Facebook ad everything happened very fast as I emailed the Lifeworks team and following a conversation with Marcia in the Lifeworks office she enrolled me on the course at Aylesford for the following week. During the course Tim Brown told us about his role as Job Coach, and as he wanted

to concentrate purely on Lifeworks it would shortly be advertised on RBLI’s website. I monitored the website and applied as soon as the role was live. I got an interview with Robert Lappin at SBMC and David Church at BBMC, and thankfully landed the role.

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“It’s an interesting job and good to have a routine again, and my wife’s happy that I’m out of the house and back to myself as the job reignited a spark that I’d lost.

Having served for over 23 years in the Royal Navy you get used to routine and it’s hard without one. No two days are the same, it can vary from helping to write PDRs with the people I have responsibility for who are on the Government’s supported employment scheme. It can also be helping them to set goals, but as I’m also here to support them generally, that support could include arranging an eye test. Or finding a chemist that’s closer to someone’s home so they don’t have to travel for five miles to pick up a repeat prescription.”

RBLI re-awarded with IIP accreditation

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colleagues voted for RBLI's values

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instant rewards given to colleagues by their peers

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The homes we provide:

ASSISTED LIVING RBLI has two on-site assisted living facilities, Queen Elizabeth Court, and Greenwich House. Both facilities are in place for those who have served in the Armed Forces, and their spouses, aged 55 and over, with on-site domiciliary care provided to help residents who need it whilst keeping their independence.

ANN'S STORY Ann Daniels believes that when she moved to RBLI’s Village she landed, in her own words, with ‘her bum firmly in the butter’. It was a long journey from her birthplace in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and not the easiest of starts when she moved to the UK, but Ann found a welcoming home at RBLI’s Village where she continues to thrive.

A self-proclaimed bookworm, when a 16 year old Ann read a book by a missionary in India, she immediately thought that would be her path. Filled with excitement at the prospect of a life of service for a greater purpose, Ann knew that she first had to train as a nurse.

Ann began her nursing training in the 1950s in a hospital in Rhodesia's capital city, Sailisbury – now called Harare. She arrived in December not knowing a soul, and within the week had forged lifelong friendships with Lesley Gregory, Helen, Kay, and Judy.

Years later, Lesley would lead Ann to RBLI’s Village – where today they live in separate flats in Queen Elizabeth Court.

Although the group remained firm friends, their lives took different paths as Leslie married and moved to Zambia, and Ann joined Helen and Kay in England.

Registering with the Men and Women’s Temperance Nursing Agency in London’s Baker Street, Ann’s work too her around the UK, when it provided some memorable experiences.

After two years, Ann returned to her homeland where she married, raised a family and continued her nursing career. However, as the years passed it became difficult for Ann to stay in Zimbabwe, which was becoming increasingly unstable. She eventually took the difficult decision to leave the place that gave her so many rich and poignant memories.

She decided to move to England just as the banks in Zimbabwe collapsed, robbing Ann of her life savings and investments.

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To make matters worse, when she arrived in the UK, she discovered that her identity had been cloned and someone had been claiming benefits using her name and National Insurance number for many years.

Ann’s son helped from Zimbabwe, and she found people to stay with, but it was an uneasy time until Lesley, Ann’s lifelong friend, acted as the catalyst for a permanent home. Lesley invited Ann to stay with her and her husband Neil at Prince Philip Lodge in RBLI’s Village. Lesley also arranged for Ann to meet with Matt Baker, their Welfare Officer.

As Ann’s late husband had served in the British Army in Rhodesia, she was eligible for support from RBLI and was offered accommodation at Mountbatten Pavilion, where she lived for a year, before moving into Prince Philip Lodge.

Later Ann moved to a ground floor flat in Queen Elizabeth Court where she can fully indulge her passion for gardening.

“I’m so grateful for this place and I’ve received so much support and kindness that I didn’t expect. I was given a garden flat because the Welfare Officer saw me gardening at Prince Philip Lodge and knew that it gave me so much pleasure. Gardening is also a way

I’m so grateful for this place and I’ve received so much support and kindness that I didn’t expect.

ANN

ROD & VERONICA'S STORY for me to give something back to RBLI. I don’t have money to give, but I can work in the communal garden here. I get delight from it and other people can enjoy the garden. I miss Rhodesia terribly and after I die, I’ll return there, but I couldn’t wish for a better place than to live here.”

Another way Ann gave back was through volunteering with a literacy project in a local primary school children.

“For many years in Africa I worked with beautiful children who had special needs. I wanted to volunteer with children who had special needs here, but unfortunately there wasn’t the opportunity.

"At Mountbatten Pavilion I spoke with a lovely lady called Jane who worked there who told me about a volunteering opportunity at Aylesford Primary School. It wasn’t with special needs children, but to help children get their reading up to scratch.

So, for 10 years I went there from 1pm to 3pm and it was a delight to see their progress. That continued until lockdown, and I loved it. Again, it was another way to say thank you and give something back.”

When Rod and Veronica Eldridge moved into Queen Elizabeth Court (QEC) they had suffered 19 months of abuse from a neighbour that had caused Veronica’s weight to plummet.

Rod, who served in the Royal Engineers Regiment for 18 years, was working as a Security Guard and stood up to the neighbour. However, the endless verbal abuse, threat of physical abuse, and ceaseless noise from music blaring at all hours ultimately became too much.

“When we bought our maisonette, we did so much to make it home, but the abuse from the neighbour was too much. I had a Ménière's attack that the paramedic recorded as stress-induced and it caused other health problems that I must now live with. Thankfully Dr Andrews, a consultant I saw recommended us to RBLI. Rod was so strong throughout and if he hadn’t phoned when he did I don’t think I’d be here today."

After a short stay in Queen Elizabeth Court, Rod and Veronica moved into a new two bedroom apartment in Greenwich House, in RBLI’s Centenary Village.

Sitting in their luxurious flat, a dazzling Veronica said, “It was a wet, miserable day when we moved in but as we walked through the doors it immediately felt like home. Lynda Smith, the manager there welcomed us, and it was as though somebody had taken you in their arms and said, ‘It’s gone now. It’s all gone,’ and every bad moment the neighbour had put us through disappeared.

"We’re safe here, the staff are all wonderful, we have good neighbours and we’ve made friends at QEC and Greenwich House. Everything is perfect.”

Love, support and care – it's all here.

VERONICA RBLI partner Barratt Developments supported vital accessibility improvements at QEC garden R BLI

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The homes we provide:

CENTENARY VILLAGE Work continues at Centenary Village where, with the generous support of our donors, we have made a £22m investment.

Residents moved into their new homes in July 2022 where 40 new homes, including a 24-apartment assisted living accommodation for veterans over the age of 55 at Greenwich House, 12 apartments for younger veterans at Sapper House, and four family homes, are already occupied.

To mark the next stage of construction, the spade, last used by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, was put in the ground this year by Barney Haugh CBE, Director of Grants & Welfare at ABF The Soldiers’ Charity with Lisa Farmer, Chris Blundell RBLI Trustee, Nick Baveystock RBLI Centenary Village Development Committee and RBLI’s veterans Callum McCloskey, Ashley Morgan, and Falklands veteran and RBLI Ambassador Steve Hammond.

The next stage at Centenary Village will include The ABF Community Centre, which will house the Sir Donald Gosling IT Learning Suite. There will be a state-of-the-art accessible gym, community café and to encourage employability a shared workspace hub.

The ABF Community Centre will also provide a base where RBLI’s welfare staff will work with veterans and their families. Meeting rooms there will provide a central space for RBLI’s training staff to deliver its award-winning Lifeworks employment support programme that helps veterans and families members of serving Armed Forces personnel into meaningful employment.

The turf cutting also marked the start of construction on the country’s first women-only house of multiple occupancy and further move-on apartments for homeless veterans.

Above: General Sir Gordon Messenger KCB DSO OBE ADC outside Greenwich House standing on the left of Royal Marine veteran George Bradford with RBLI's veterans, RBLI's Registered Domicilary Manager Lynda Smith and Veronica Eldridge.

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We’re undertaking this extensive programme of works to ensure that RBLI will be here to support hundreds more Armed Forces veterans and their families for at least the next one hundred years.

LISA FARMER Chief Executive, RBLI

THANK YOU With strong demand for homes at our Village, that’s outstripped by available housing stock, we cannot build homes fast enough and we still need to raise a further £900,000 to finish construction.”

We were overwhelmed with the generosity of our partners with particular thanks to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, The Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust, The Michael Uren Foundation and The Lawson Trust who all gave towards the Centenary Village development to enable us to move ahead with the building programme.

Further support for the Centenary Village came from The Gosling Foundation for the new IT learning suite, with Frank Brake Charitable Trust and Peter Cruddas Foundation supporting Greenwich House.

We would further like to thank The Royal Engineers’ Association who provided support through their innovative welfare partnership.

Above: Turf cutting for the ABF Community Centre and the latest ariel view of the Centenary Village site.

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Centenary Village

HEAD WAY Head Way is a development of four houses recenty completed within the Centenary Village and is already providing vital homes to veterans and their families.

Head Way is named after Michael Head – a valued member of our Development Board, supporter, and donor to Centenary Village who sadly passed away in 2021 but leaves a terrific legacy.

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Michael was a successful businessman who dedicated his retirement to supporting local causes, including RBLI. As a keen Royalist, he was delighted to be introduced to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth when she cut the turf for RBLI’s Centenary Village development in 2019.

Head Way would not have been possible without Michael's support and it was an honour to host his family and friends at the official opening.

Centenary Village

SAPPER HOUSE Opened in 2022, Sapper House contains 12 apartments for veterans and their families, particularly younger ex-service personnel of more recent conflicts, and help provide Centenary Village residents with their first step towards independence.

Sapper House lies in the heart of the Centenary Village and forms a vital part of our vibrant veteran community.

We are most grateful to the Royal Engineers’ Association who made a major commitment to build Sapper House recognising the social safety net RBLI offers to their members from all over the UK.

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The homes we provide:

A NEW LIFE ON RBLI'S VILLAGE VICKY'S STORY

My name is Vicky and I am a veteran and a resident here at RBLI’s village in Aylesford. I was a combat medic for 19 years and served on the front line in Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan, providing medical support to soldiers and civilians caught up in conflict.

I was forced to end my Army career early after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For me, it was devastating not being able to complete my full 22-year service and I found the transition into civilian life particularly challenging – I simply wasn’t prepared for it. I’m from an Army family, so military life is really all I have known since childhood.

After being medically discharged, I was suddenly faced with having to find a new home, a new job and a new life – all whilst struggling with PTSD.

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Despite wonderful support from my partner Sarah, I couldn’t get past an overwhelming feeling of exclusion and loss. It really side-swiped me.

That’s why I want to explain to you how RBLI has provided such a lifeline for me – and so many veterans like me. This wonderful organisation, supported by generous supporters like you, has helped me and my family to move forward when I really needed it. I cannot thank you enough.

VICKY

Retired Sergeant, Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), and RBLI village resident.

EXTRA HELP THROUGH THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS We would like to thank ABF The Soldiers’ Charity for their generous donation that enabled us to replace the windows on our properties at London Road East.

The new windows were in response to the cost of living crisis. The money to replace the windows came from a special fund to help veterans who were not able to cope with energy bills, and rising food prices. It has helped families, veterans and people with disabilities, and older veterans who live at London Road East.

The installation went smoothly, and the product is top quality. We are already feeling the benefits and are looking forward to a comfortable winter. Thank you so much RBLI and ABF." Another resident who is happy with their new windows as she can no longer hear the wind and rain is Lydia, who is pictured with her children George, Alice, and their dog Buddy.

Steve, who has benefited from the new windows said, “We have just had replacement windows fitted that were organised by RBLI and funded by ABF The Soldiers' Charity.

Above: Lydia, George, Alice and Buddy the dog outside their house with new windowns at London Road East

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The homes we provide:

MOUNTBATTEN PAVILLION We are delighted to have been awarded a £254k grant by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust for our welfare STEP-IN programme that supports veterans who were street homeless, or at risk of homelessness, to independent living.

More support for mental health than ever before.

This major grant from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust will be used for work with veterans at Mountbatten Pavilion, our 28 bed emergency accommodation for homeless veterans, and those at risk of becoming homeless.

Lisa Farmer, CEO of RBLI said, “We are grateful to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust for its substantial grant of £254k, which will enable us to increase our support to homeless veterans throughout the UK. The fund has been established as part of a programme of work to solve veteran homelessness over the next year. The resource will be used directly to offer emergency accommodation and

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welfare support to veterans who are either currently homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.”

At Mountbatten Pavilion veterans go through the charity’s STEP-IN programme of structured coaching – designed to help them back to independent living within 18 months. Each veteran is supported by a member of staff to identify life goals in independent coaching sessions. Staff then design a programme of support to fit with their personal goals to enable them to overcome any challenges.

John Cowman, Director of Living and Welfare at RBLI, welcomed the news and said, “Our sector -leading service at Mountbatten Pavilion in Aylesford, helps homeless veterans from across the UK to access the accommodation and the support they require to achieve stability, good physical and mental health, employment and, ultimately, independent living in the wider community. Specifically, the fund will be used to enhance the mental health interventions required to kick start this journey to independence.”

Our partnership with PTSD Resolution and our Op FORTITUDE partner, The Riverside Group, will be central to the success of the enhanced support.

JOHN COWMAN

Director of Living and Welfare at RBLI

In the last year, 90 volunteers supported RBLI for a total of 3,600 hours.

THANK YOU

Volunteer's story ROGER JUDGE

RBLI’s emergency accommodation has an established pathway with housing providers nationwide, including The Riverside Group, who as part of Op FORTITUDE, an important initiative from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, are working together to speed up access to emergency accommodation in every corner of the UK. RBLI can move homeless veterans in within 24 hours of referral. This relationship will see RBLI extend its reach across the UK as well as being able to advise and work with others to support homeless veterans.

PTSD Resolution is a partner in RBLI’s STEP-IN programme, delivering a 12 week counselling intervention course at Mountbatten Pavilion, as the grant will also be used to pay for PTSD Resolution to provide more counselling and therapy sessions.

As part of Op FORTITUDE, a free Veterans UK hotline is now in place to support veterans in distress – including help with emergency accomodation and welfare.

The helpline is 0808 1914 218

Volunteers are the backbone of any charity and Roger Judge is no exception. He visits Mountbatten Pavilion at the least once a week as a befriender to talk to the veterans who live there.

Although Roger didn’t serve in the Armed Forces, he speaks the same language – his 32-year career as an Export Sales Manager took him around the world, often working with the military.

When Roger was made redundant, he felt as though his arms had been cut off, and it was then a friend advised him to try volunteering. As soon as he came to Mountbatten Pavilion he felt right. The veterans who live there also felt he was a good fit for them.

“I worked all my life without even a day off sick and carried on working for five years after being diagnosed with MS. I travelled overseas a lot but found it hard to be on a plane. Since losing my career, the best thing I ever did was come to Mountbatten Pavilion, as straight away I thought, ‘They’re my kind of guys, they speak my language’. It’s when the banter stops, that’s the problem.

“Living with MS, volunteering here stops me feeling sorry for myself as you have good conversations and a laugh. I also like to listen to people, and you do a lot of that too, and if it’s right, give advice. You have to be a straight talker.”

One person Roger talks to at Mountbatten Pavilion said, “Slowly but surely Roger and I chatted and talked, and we’ve had some decent one to ones. I feel comfortable talking to Roger as he encourages me when I’ve been down as he recognises the real person, not the troubled person. If I’m having a bad time Roger doesn’t judge, it’s a little friendly word of advice.

“I’d recommend anyone to volunteer as I don’t know what I’d do without coming here to talk to the guys.”

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How we are making it happen:

THE TELEGAPH APPEAL We were extremely proud to be selected as the focus of the Telegraph’s 2022 Christmas Charity Appeal. The Telegraph highlighted many of the struggles faced by veterans after leaving the armed forces and how our dedicated unwavering support helps those in need.

As part of the campaign, Daily Telegraph journalists visited to interview veterans who have benefitted from our support. The articles cast a light on the veterans who have so courageously fought for our country but needed our expert help to re-engage with civilian life. A total of twelve articles explored the immense efforts of other veterans to help their comrades make that adjustment, through RBLI.

Those who featured in the articles included RBLI residents, ambassadors and employees who took part in the campaign to share their stories to encourage people to donate to us.

Their accounts helped the Telegraph’s Christmas Appeal raise a total of £145k and reach an audience of almost 6 million people.

Importantly, The Telegraph Christmas Appeal also triggered a growth in demand for emergency accommodation for veterans, with 22 referrals in a single day.

BELOW: An extract from an interview with The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC, featured in the Daily Telegraph as part of their 2022 Christmas Charity Appeal.

Lord Dannatt: ‘I am haunted by the legacy of the wars that happened on my watch.’

Of the emotional price, he says: “You learn to cope with that. Fortunately, my makeup is such that these things don’t affect me overly. I manage to keep fairly objective about it. But other people, their makeup is that they take it very much to themselves, and that’s where the mental-health issues start.”

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problem. “We are all different and we all cope with circumstances in a different way.”

He is also keen to stress that we shouldn’t think that everyone who joins the military then develops a mental-health

I ask if he has any personal experience of losing a colleague to suicide. “Yes, I do,” he says. The female warrant officer who was his PA in his last job as Chief of the General Staff had “a chestful of medals” and was married to someone else in the army, who also had a chestful of medals.

They took their lives together.

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“She had developed cancer and, being logical, military people, they worked out that the only way they could stay together and die together was to take their own lives together,” states Dannatt with held emotion.

“Absolutely tragic. And that shouldn’t have been the answer: more help should have been available.”

currently completing a £22 million extension to its village in Kent, which provides nursing care, assisted living, family housing and emergency accommodation for veterans. “One of the reasons we were so excited to be picked for The Telegraph’s Christmas Charity Appeal is we need just one more million to complete the funding.”

Both had left the army when it happened and Lord Dannatt says the MoD took the view that those suicides were not their problem. “Actually, that’s not right. Both had served full careers and it was the way they analysed problems that had led them to the deduction that to keep control of their lives, the only way was to take their own lives.”

Raising vital funds goes hand in hand with raising awareness: simple recognition of the special nature of the work that service people do on behalf of their country goes a long way. “The period of [service in] Iraq and Afghanistan involved large numbers of casualties,” says Lord Dannatt. “These people need help now, but it’s also going to be needed in 10, 25 and 35 years. Their needs will change, but we’ve got to be there for them.”

It is why he is so passionate about the work of RBLI, for being a bulwark for struggling veterans. The charity is

I just think it’s stunning that, if a veteran needs help, RBLI will do everything they can.

We have to help. That’s why it’s a privilege to support RBLI. RAJ BISRAM

Military veteran and celebrity antiques expert

LEFT: Veterans and RBLI residents lent their voices to the appeal alongside celebrities including Founding Patrons, Raj Bisram, Jools Holland and Mark 'Billy' Billingham.

BELOW: An ariel view of RBLI's state-of-the-art Centenary Village, providing a pathway of care for veterans of all ages.

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How we are making it happen:

FUNDRAISING

With £4m raised by our supporters it’s been a good year for our fundraising activities, and we have plans to grow them in the coming year. We were delighted to welcome supporters back in person for some new challenges.

10,000 Steps

Tommy Club

In January 2023, we invited people to kick off the New Year by fundraising for us by walking or running 10,000 steps across the month. As people were keen to ring in an active new year, this proved an incredibly popular event that raised £75,000.

After launching in 2020, the Tommy Club continues to go from strength to strength.

In 2022 we increased the number of Champions by 67% and are extremely grateful for their donations and significant fundraising efforts.

The Great Tommy Sleep Out returned for a fourth year in March 2023, with over 3,000 individuals and groups sleeping outdoors across the UK. The event raised over £450,000, a 27% increase from the previous year. We have ambitious plans to grow the Great Tommy Sleep Out this year.

The Tommy Club is a key source of fundraising income and we have plans to increase the number of Tommy Club Champions by over 60%.

ABOVE: Harry Kane, Tommy Club Ambassador.

BELOW: Tommy Club membership packs being prepared by Britain's Bravest Manufacturing Co.

TOP LEFT: 11-year-old Joshua completed his second Great Tommy Sleep Out in his back garden. TOP RIGHT: Fundraisers took to canvas all over the country for the Great Tommy Sleep Out. BOTTOM: The Chairman’s Great Tommy Sleep Out 2023

"It was minus 2 degrees that night. I was awake at 6am, cold and shivering, but proud of myself that I'd done the night.

I eventually got up and went indoors, put the kettle on and stood shivering while the water boiled. Then it hit me. The people we are raising money for were still out there, freezing, and wet. It was a very humbling experience."

A Great Tommy Sleep Out participant 37

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The London Landmarks Half Marathon One of the best half marathons, our supporters signed up to run through the closed roads in central London from Pall Mall to Downing Street, via London’s most iconic landmarks.

£4 million

raised through fundraising in the last year

£500K

raised by The Great Tommy Sleep Out.

27% up on the previous year.

£145k IMAGES TOP AND ABOVE: Chloe Wadhams and Ash Alexander-Copper running for RBLI.

Ride With A Veteran Now in its sixth year, 40 cyclists took part in our Ride with a Veteran bike ride. This year 40 cyclists set off from our Village in Aylesford, to cycle the 150 miles to Ypres in Belgium. Organised by Penny Dyson and Major Brendan Touhey MBE (ret'd), it was another incredibly successful year.

The ride was officially launched with a motivational speech on the start line by injured Gurkha veteran, Hari Budha Magar (pictured below), who summitted Everest this year.

raised by the Daily Telegraph Christmas Appeal

67%

increase in Tommy Club membership

We would like to thank everyone who has supported us by taking part in our events. We would also like to thank our generous donors and everyone who has left us a legacy as they leave a gift in their will to RBLI.

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RBLI WELCOMES...

HRH Princess Beatrice and HRH Princess Eugenie In November 2022 we were honoured to welcome HRH Princess Beatrice and HRH Princess Eugenie to mark Remembrance alongside veterans at RBLI. Inspired by the ‘incredible veterans’ supported at RBLI, the Royal sisters toured the village, meeting staff and residents. At BBMC's factory, they were presented with bespoke signs from the factory’s team of veterans and people with disabilities. They also met beneficiaries of the charity’s Lifeworks programme.

The Princesses then visited residents at RBLI's assisted living facility, Queen Elizabeth Court, before placing a wreath in the Garden of Honour during a moving ceremony.

After the visit, Princess Eugenie wrote on her Instagram; "It was such an honour to visit the charity with my sister earlier this week. The charity provides vital care, welfare, and employment services to Armed Forces veterans across the UK. We met incredible veterans who have completed RBLI’s Lifeworks employability programme.

It was wonderful to see the programme in action at the charity’s social enterprise factory which provides meaningful employment to veterans."

We visited Queen Elizabeth Court, to meet some of the lovely residents who call it home; many of whom have served our country with distinction. I also met Vi, who told me she served with my late Grandmother, which brought me such pride.

HRH PRINCESS EUGENIE

TOP LEFT: The Princesses touring the factory with veteran and BBMC employee, Anil Gurung. TOP RIGHT: The Princesses placing wreaths in RBLI's Garden of Honour.

BOTTOM: HRH Princess Eugenie with Appleton Lodge resident, Vi. 39

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The difference you make:

CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS BABCOCK

Thank you to Babcock’s team who volunteered with us for Be Kind Day when they spent the day stripping one of our houses on the Village and committed time to our Queen Elizabeth Court Garden.

BAE SYSTEMS APPRENTICES 2022/23 We would like to make a very public thank you to BAE Systems Apprentices for the work they did on our Garden of Honour and the Chelsea Flower Show Garden at our Centenary Village.

BAE Systems apprentices at The Chelsea Barracks Garden at the Centenary Village with centre RBLI Ambassador Steve Hammond and far right RBLI's Corporate Partnership Manager James Fletcher.

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES LORD KING OF LOTHBURY KG GBE DL

BLAIR GULLAND

PRESIDENT

Blair has been a practising solicitor for over 45 years and is a Trustee of many other charities including Benenden Almshouse Charities and the Michael Yoakley Charity.

STEVE ROWBOTHAM CHAIRMAN Steve has a comprehensive background in the defence industry having worked in this sector throughout a career spanning over four decades, now as Non-Executive Director of General Dynamics UK Limited having previously been their Chief Operating Officer.

BRIGADIER DAVID INNES

FRANK MARTIN DL

Sarah is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, working for an awardwinning private house builder, having been an Associate Director in private practice previously, acting as a development consultant to the public and private sectors.

VICE CHAIRMAN Frank is a former Deputy Lieutenant of Kent and former Chief Executive of Hornby Plc where he committed to building an international brand while maintaining its Kent roots and heritage.

Currently High Sheriff of Kent, Nadra is the Executive Chairman of the National Care Association and was awarded an OBE for her work in social care over 30 years.

Chris is recently retired following a 45-year career in housing and is a Fellow of both the RICS and the Chartered Institute of Housing. He has had four Director level positions in mid-sized and large housing associations in London and the southeast.

DR PAUL EDMONDSON-JONES MBE Dr Edmondson-Jones was awarded an OBE having spent 23 years as an Army Doctor. He is currently Chief Medical Officer at Staffordshire & Stoke-onTrent Integrated Care Board.

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Alistair served in the Royal Navy, during which time he was appointed Equerry to HRH the Prince of Wales and then worked in the City for a leading international law firm.

BECKY WOOD

CHRIS BLUNDELL

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ALISTAIR WATSON

NADRA AHMED OBE DL

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David is now retired having spent 34 years serving in the British Army as a Royal Engineer and 15 years as a Chief Executive in the charity sector.

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Becky is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and has significant transactions experience in both private and public sectors having spent the last 20 years working in and leading complex transport infrastructure programmes.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM LISA FARMER

LOUISE GIBSON

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR OF FUNDRAISING AND MARKETING

Lisa was appointed Chief Executive at RBLI in 2022 having joined the organisation as Director of Strategic Development in 2015 with over 20 years of experience in fundraising, marketing and business development.

Louise joined RBLI in March 2023 with over 25 years’ experience in fundraising in charities, most recently with the RAF Benevolent Fund. She has a Masters in Charity Marketing and Fundraising.

HELEN BIDGWAY

GHALUME OBI

DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE & CULTURE

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISES – OPERATIONS

A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Helen joined RBLI in 2022 with over 30 years of experience in Human Resources at a senior level in the charity and education sectors.

Obi has held senior positions within the manufacturing sector with companies such as Morrisons, Saint Gobain and UCC Coffee and joined RBLI in February 2023.

JOHN COWMAN

SUSAN STOKER

DIRECTOR OF LIVING & WELFARE

DIRECTOR OF GOVERNANCE, COMPLIANCE AND BUSINESS SYSTEMS

John became a Director at RBLI in 2022 after holding the position of Chief Operating Officer at the Royal Mencap Society where he oversaw and supported a range of activities for people with learning disabilities.

MIKE DIXON DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND PERFORMANCE Mike joined RBLI in October 2022 having worked for over 30 years in senior leadership positions with blue chip organisations in both the commercial and not for profit sectors. A Chartered Accountant, Mike has also performed non-executive and Charity Trustee roles and is currently a Trustee of Age UK.

Working at RBLI since 2019, Susan is an expert in assurance processes, specialising in corporate governance, risk management, and internal control with over 25 years’ experience across both the private and public sector.

MICHELLE YORK MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISES COMMERCIAL Michelle joined RBLI in March 2023 having previously held several senior positions within the manufacturing sector, most recently with Nuneaton Signs, another social enterprise in the manufacturing sector.

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RBLI.CO.UK Company Registration Number: 00158479 Registered Charity Number England & Wales: 210063 Registered Charity Number Scotland: SCO48795