VETERANS of the Second World War and later campaigns will benefit from collections taken during July’s Year of Victories commemoration services and parades in Kent.

County-based Service charities have come together to collect and share donations following an initiative by the Lord Lieutenant of Kent, Allan Willett.

Rather than individual charities competing with each other at the same events, collections will be taken jointly under the banner of The Lord Lieutenant of Kent’s Veterans Appeal and shared out on a basis agreed by the charities concerned.

The main fund-raising effort will be during Veterans’ Awareness Week in July which includes a number of major events in Kent, building up to the national commemorations led by The Queen on Sunday, 10 July. The people of Kent are also being encouraged to take collections for the appeal at street and village parties.

Thanksgiving for VE (Victory Europe) and VJ (Victory Japan) Days begins with commemorations at the Capel le Ferne memorial on Sunday, July 3, to mark the 65th anniversary of the Battle of Britain – fought in Kentish skies – which made eventual victory possible.

The Lord Lieutenant has arranged for three commemoration parades of veterans – military and civilian – Armed Forces units and Cadets, followed by services of thanksgiving: on Tuesday, 5 July, in Rochester Cathedral, Thursday, July 7, at All Saints’, Maidstone, and Saturday, July 9, in Canterbury Cathedral.

The Lord Lieutenant said: “With surviving World War II veterans in their eighties or older, this is the last occasion on which many of them will be able to take an active part in commemorating a significant anniversary of their struggle to save us from tyrants and protect our freedom.

“We owe our World War II veterans – and veterans of many other campaigns – a great debt. But we must not forget that peace was not won by the Fighting Services alone. The emergency services were also in the front line of our Frontline County, as were many other Home Front organisations and individuals who played a vital role in sustaining the Nation to make victory possible.

“All of them – both military and civilian – demonstrated the wonderful Spirit of Kent that has seen us through so many challenges in the past. That is why I am promoting these charitable donations during the Year of Victories – and asking people to give generously at the commemorative events or during local street or village parties.”

The appeal will continue until the end of the year so that further collections can be taken at events marking the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.

The Lord Lieutenant has appointed a working group under Mr Jeremy Leigh Pemberton, a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, to organise his appeal.

It includes the Royal Naval Association, the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust, the Army Benevolent Fund, the Royal Air Forces Association, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, the Royal British Legion, SSAFA Forces Help, and Kent Community Foundation which will look after the interests of civilian veterans.

CONTACT FACTFILE:

Veterans’ organisations wishing to take part in the main parades should write to: Kent Veterans’ Week Office, Cathedral House, Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2EH.

To obtain collecting boxes, buckets, appeal labels and payment slips, contact: Group Captain Patrick Tootal OBE DL, Number 4, The Croft, Leybourne, West Malling, Kent ME19 5QD; telephone 01732 870809; e-mail: Patrick@setootal.freeserve.co.uk

The appeal will be administered by Kent Community Foundation, Office 23, Evegate Park Barn, Evegate, Smeeth, Near Ashford, Kent TN25 6SX, telephone 01303 814500, fax: 01303 815150, e-mail: admin.kcf@btopenworld.com