Chairman's Report

CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION Welcome to the British Legion (Kenya) website. As the incoming Chairman, I am delighted to be able to introduce our new website, designed to broaden understanding and awareness of the excellent, and frequently unsung, work carried out under the auspices of the Legion here in Kenya. We are established as a branch of the Metropolitan Region of the Royal British Legion and are a member of the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League in London. This gives us access to many of the Services Benevolent Funds and Regimental Associations. The Legion also works closely with a number of charitable organizations in Kenya from the League of Mercy to the Kenyan Regiment Association. The Legion is committed to the provision of welfare support to former Crown servicemen and women in need, and their immediate dependents, living in Kenya. We are guided in this work by adhering to the core values of the Legion of Reflection, Hope, Comradeship, Selflessness and Service. Of no less importance is the work we do in helping former Kenyan ex-servicemen and women in partnership with the Kenya Armed Forces Old Comrades Association. It is not widely known that a great many Kenyan soldiers, sailors and airmen served with distinction in many theatres of war. Some of these brave men and women are still alive in Kenya today and are in need of support in their old age. The British Legion (Kenya) is run by a volunteer Executive Committee who are charged to raise, invest and disburse sufficient funds to support our welfare work. We are also active in sponsoring a number of special projects to help old Askaris in meaningful employment. To support all this charitable work we get a number of grants from our partner organizations in UK and have interest from our investments, but our primary source of funding is through the annual Poppy Appeal here in Kenya. This is run in parallel with The Askari Appeal, which is Kenya’s national fundraising effort at the time of Rememberance. These generally take place during November, the traditional month of Rememberance around the world, and involves a wide range of sponsored activities, charitable events and corporate and individual donations. To support the Legion’s work, and sustain our welfare provision, we need to raise in the order of 2M Kenyan Shillings annually. As you can see our target is ambitious, but the need is there, and growing, as many old comrades are no longer able to work or look after their families with dignity, reasonable comfort or good health. The Legion website lays out what we do, who the personalities are, any forthcoming events and a regular Newsletter. Most importantly there is contact enquiry form for those who might be in need. It is often the case that it is a relative or friend who contacts the Legion to tell us of someone who is in distress. Hence we hope this website will reach out to the widest readership in our primary purpose of supporting those deserving cases, who have perhaps fallen on hard times. Thank your for your support and interest in the work of the British Legion here in Kenya. CHAIRMAN CAPTAIN ANDREW RITCHIE (RN) OBE