Normandy 2009 appeal

[ArtistsRifles]

Got this tonight from the association and thought it was a worthwhile cause. Posted it here in case anyone else agrees and would like to support the effort.

D-Day Anniversary 2009 - Normandy Veterans
It is estimated that 1,000 D-Day veterans across the UK would wish to attend the 65th Anniversary Commemorations in Normandy in June 2009, but with the soaring cost of living and no government grants, it is simply out of reach of many of our remaining veterans.
Many of the D-Day veterans are in their 80's and 2009 is the last time they will visit Normandy in meaningful numbers. They will tell you how important it is to them, not only to meet up with their surviving comrades, but to have a chance to pay their respects to those who did not make it home, of whom there are thousands.
The Normandy veterans Association has launched a fundraising campaign to raise £300,000, this would pay for the £400 costs per veteran for those who did wish to travel.
We are helping the Normandy veterans Association with their PR for this event and in other ways, but if you can help in any way, by sponsoring a veteran or in any other way, please contact them.
If you can help, please contact:


Mary Mills-Brown
Friends of the Normandy Veterans Association
22 Shipbourn Road
Tonbridge
TN10 3DN
01732 361149

[ford 369]

come on folks dig deep if every body makes a donation it may not reach £300000 but every little helps and clearly the government no longer care about our veterans or our history.I for one will be in Normandy next year and would hate to not see the vets there

[Jack]

It has to be our duty to do this.


Thanks for the post Neil and this is something that I have thought about for a while.

I don't ever read newspaper but someone gave me this story last month - think it was in the Telegraph...so I read it and I sat here and thought something needs to be doen about it.

Mrs Beckett told me to get off my arse and get something done about it so I called the Friends of the Normandy Veterans Association and left a message. They did kindly get back to me but I haven't had the time of late to sit down and work something out - something HMVF can do.


So here is what I think we should/could do:

We (HMVF)should 'adopt' some veterans that are paid for by us. For every £400 we can raise/donate we can get these heros to Normandy - this isn't a big ask.

I am publically going to state that I will personally donate £400 to get one of these guys there. I do not expect folks to follow that but we can as a group find another £400 to make sure that another vet gets to Normandy. Perhaps we give ourselves a target to reach - £4000 = 10 vets.

HMVF has a bank account and can post the amount we recieve with a daily running total. All of this can be done.

I am no organiser in this sense so we need to setup some sort of steering group or something like.

I will give this some more thought but I am not around again today but please discuss what we can do or ideas that we can use to make sure we make a difference and to make sure we give something back.

Lets do something that we can all be proud of.


Jack.

[rosie]

Well done guys

Agree with you Jack about adopting Veterans, I will donate some money (would love to match yours Jack but alas cant) please can you let me know bank details as soon as its all up and running

[Jack]

You are a star Rosie and welcome aboard and all we have to do is look at it as a 'couple' of gallons of fuel as and when we can afford to do so.

I am going to discuss this with the rest of the team as they are more methodical than I so we can get this right first time around.

[Bodge Deep]

Good plan.. like it

money where our... erm... money is good idea...
Let me know if you need artwork posters pdfs etc Jack... got a couple of ideas...

[Jack]

Ok what we can do is for every £400 raised send it direct to NVA.

I would like to have the names and details of the men that we can sponser. We can ask for thier pictures their stories and memories and may be meet them in Normandy and keep their stories on here for ever.

How special would that would be.

[Tony B]

Will be in Normandy for 2009 at Ver Sur Mer Goldbeach. Good idea.

[ArtistsRifles]

Great idea Jack!

We're away till the 21st so - ahead of planning - count us in as donators this way. Was going to do it direct but a forum effort is much beter!!

[private mw]

great idea ,,,,if i won enough on lottery would pay for them all .......