Honour Our Troops were appalled, as were the general public, to hear of the theft from the Chelsea Pensioners In-club safe on Remembrance Sunday 2010. Due to their loss and to contribute towards the Royal Hospital Chelsea’s refurbishment programme, Honour Our Troops chose to make their very first charitable donation to this cause.

Our donation to RHC could never have been made of course, without the events that have taken place and kind donations made by our supporters, for which we are extremely grateful.

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Here is copy of the letter of thanks from the Royal Hospital Chelsea along with a picture of three of their residents in their distinguishable scarlet coats – Denis, Sandy and Jim.

Thank you for your kind donation of £500.00 which will help to make a difference to the lives of our current and future Chelsea Pensioners.

Our duty today is to ensure that this institution which has been home to the Chelsea Pensioners for over three centuries, will continue into the next century and beyond. We have embarked on a major development programme to make the Royal Hospital fit for purpose.

Already through our supporters gifts we have managed to build and occupy The Margaret Thatcher Infirmary, which was built on time and to budget. The next step is to modernise the historic Long wards on which the majority of Chelsea Pensioners live in conditions that Wren would recognise if he were to return today.

Beyond that we are determined to establish an endowment to guarantee the long term survival of this important and much loved institution.

We are extremely grateful to you for your valued support. RHC Registered Charity no: 1076414
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Martin Dunford, the intrepid walker of the Hadrian’s Wall Coast to Coast fundraiser for Honour Our Troops back in May of last year, is at it again! Martin, an Army Veteran, is to do yet another Coast to Coast quest but this time with a difference – To cross the Highlands of Scotland via Canoe!

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On 26th May 2011, the team will commence their journey of 66 miles across the Highlands of Scotland from Inverness to Fort William, which they expect them to take approximately three days. Their adventure will be taking in the beautiful scenery along the Caledonian Canal, including crossing three large Loch's being; Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lochy, as can be seen in the picture below.

Martin had played with the idea for some time of doing a sailing or rowing challenge on the high seas and on completing his mammoth walk in May 2010, he immediately contacted H.O.T. regarding doing another fundraiser for the charity and discussed his ideas with our Fundraising Manager. Despite having reservations regarding Martin’s sanity! She gave him the thumbs up, but stressed it was imperative that all safety aspects must be looked in to prior to drawing up any further plans. Chomping at the bit, Martin came up with idea of canoeing across the Scottish Highlands and ran it past his younger brother, a Major presently serving in the British Army who thought this was a fantastic idea. A few days later he came back to Martin stating that the Army would support him with his challenge and that the Army would also like to have a team of canoeists involved in the challenge. Six personnel are now accompanying The Grand Splash team in single-seated canoes, with an additional group of Soldiers walking the route. The Army have offered to host and support The Grand Splash team throughout their expedition, which has been a great relief to Martin. This support from the Army now alleviates carrying out his own risk assessment and the organising of campsites etc.

Everything seemed to be going like a dream until sadly, Martin’s fellow paddler and long standing friend Mick O’Neill, who supported Martin throughout his previous C2C challenge, sustained a back injury and subsequently had to pull out. Luke, Martin’s 22 year old son jumped at the chance to step in! Luke also possesses the same adventurous spirit as his dad and had accompanied Martin on much of his training for the Hadrian’s Wall C2C challenge. Previously, Luke had offered to assist his dad with his latest fundraiser in any way he could be it as back-up paddler, cook or chief bottle washer! Due to Mick’s injury, Luke now had this fantastic opportunity to support his dad every stroke of the way. Mick is still continuing to support his long term friend in a number of ways, including driving the car to point ‘B’ to pick up Martin and Luke at the end of their long haul training sessions over the next three months.

Martin, who is fully funding the challenge himself, including having bought his own canoe, has chosen three charities to support this year. “We chose to fund Honour Our Troops again this year, because I was very impressed with the professional way that you helped me last year. We chose the ABF the Soldiers Charity, because as a retired soldier I know they help all ex-servicemen, not just those who have been involved in the Gulf War and Afghanistan and lastly, Diabetes UK.  This illness has blighted my family for many years and is another cause that is dear to my heart”.

If you would like to support Martin and Luke and donate to their three nominated charities, then please visit their Virgin Money Giving page via the link below and give whatever you can to the father and son team. A message of support can also be left on making a donation.

The patrons of The Princess public house in Rawdon, Leeds are staunch supporters of Troop related charities and organisations, raising this year alone in excess of an amazing £6,700 for three different Troops charities; including Honour Our Troops.
Their other chosen charities this year were SSAFA and The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, whom they support every year through the sale of The Poppy Appeal merchandise and donations.  A presentation day to all three charities was held at The Princess on Saturday 20^th November and was attended by Honour Our Troops Fundraising Manager, Sue Gow, SSAFA’s West Yorkshire Chairman Hon. Alderman Peggy White, OBE and Secretary Colonel Laurence Smith, MBE and also Poppy Appeal organiser and Secretary for Guiseley, Elsie Turner.

Ex-forces Personnel and committed organiser of fundraising for Troops, Peter Cannon, chose to support HOT and assisted Sue with the initial organising of a HOT Fun Day Golf Tournament held on September 24^th this year.

                                                                                  

The tournament was well attended with over thirty players and non-players alike, who were competing for the trophies which were kindly donated by Larkfield Glass Engraving of Rawdon. The tournament, which was hosted by John Reeve the Steward at Rawdon Golf and Lawn Tennis Club, was a huge success and all participants are now keen to make this an annual event!  Total funds raised from both this event and collection boxes in The Princess and presented to Sue Gow, amounted to £1,263.18!

                                                                                   

The fundraising continued in to the evening at The Princess, where monies were raised for SSAFA by way of an auction of military memorabilia, local services and VIP tickets for local sporting events. All items were kindly donated by pub regulars and the auction provided much entertainment due to some frantic bidding that was taking place!  Further funds were raised during the evening for SSAFA by way of a raffle and tombola, which were both run by Marion Cannon. The small local pub was packed to the rafters by regulars and non-regulars alike, who between them helped boost the annual fundraising total for SSAFA to a fantastic £4,163!

                                                                                 

But the fundraising didn’t stop there for The Princess and its regulars!  A further £1,354 was raised for The Poppy Appeal in a matter of weeks during November, through personal donations and the sale of poppy pins and other RBL merchandise.  

                                                                                

Honour Our Troops would like to say a huge thank you to the regulars, licensees and staff of The Princess for their on-going support and fundraising efforts for the British Armed forces and for HOT. In particular to those who haven’t been mentioned – Louis Swaine (ex-personnel/fundraiser and organiser), Adrian Dobson (Golf Tournament organiser), Simon Bache (organiser and photographer) and Ken Pugh who brought along his completely restored Ford Script Jeep that saw service in June 1942. Ken who is no stranger to HOT, was also a sponsor for the Honour Our Troops 500 Mile Walk back in January this year.

A Special thank you goes to Mr. Peter Canon (pictured below in his kilt), who has been a driving force all year round for the fundraising at The Princess,   whose on-going tenacity has been instrumental to the amounts raised.

                                                                              



                                                                             

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Lest We Forget.

As many of you will all know, Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday takes place this coming week.  Due to the more current intensive operations, this has sadly become a more current and poignant time for many in more modern times.

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No longer is Armistice Day synonymous with WWI and WWII, but sadly, the names of many young men and women are being increasingly added throughout the British Isles and to our Allies’ war memorials around the globe from conflicts in:

Afghanistan
Iraq
Bosnia
Falklands
Northern Ireland
The numerous peace keeping missions around the globe that are constantly taking place

Please also give a thought on this day to the many injured Personnel, which due to the miracles of modern day medicine are increasingly surviving their horrific injuries.

We also have the numerous casualties of war with the wounds that cannot be seen; as in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  This un-seen and sometimes ignored wound can spread like a cancer and may destroy not only the sufferer if untreated, but relations for and within their families and friends too.

There are also the many addictions that may manifest from this untreated wound and the inability for some to re-settle in to ‘normal every day life’. This inability to return to Civvie Street can conjure up further nightmares of living rough on the streets, carrying out crimes, which subsequently result in imprisonment.

Spare a thought also for the innocents of war:

The residents within the area of conflict
The wives, husbands and partners of the fallen
The children of the fallen
The mother, the father, the sister, the brother of the fallen

These are the forgotten victims of war and conflicts, who will grieve their loss for many years to come.

So wear your Poppy with pride as you bow your head on the 11^th hour, of the 11^th day, of the 11^th month and reflect for two minutes what has been sacrificed for our freedom and liberty.