FINDING AND THANKING OUR WORLD WAR II VETERANS
The Not Forgotten is seeking your support to find and thank our remaining World War II veterans, who have been denied their 75th anniversary celebrations by Covid-19.
While a sense of normality is returning for many, the harsh realities of the pandemic still exists for our veterans, who have been forced to spend VE and VJ Day at home. For our new centenary project, we will send up to 5,000 WW2 veterans a gift, to thank them for their service and the phenomenal generation they represent.
Your support will enable us to find as many World War II veterans as possible so that we can give them a bit of cheer at this extraordinary time, remind them their service remains valued, and that they are not forgotten.
The Not Forgotten was founded in 1920 to provide entertainment and recreational opportunities to wounded, injured and sick serving personnel and veterans with disabilities. Our founder, Marta Cunningham, declared that “... as long as there are sufferers so long will The Not Forgotten be needed”. One hundred years on we are proud and privileged to be still supporting over 10,000 beneficiaries each year.
Any veteran of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Merchant Navy who served during WW2 (1939 – 1945) and who lives in the UK is eligible to receive the gift box – known as the Forgot You Not Box. This includes those who served in the Commonwealth Armed Forces in support of Britain’s war effort and now live in the UK.
The boxes will start to be sent out at the end of October and will contain a variety of specially produced commemorative gifts. The aim is to bring the veterans a bit of cheer and to thank them for all they gave. It will also be an appropriate way to acknowledge 100 years of support by The Not Forgotten to those who have suffered and served their nation.
To register for the gift the veteran, or authorised member of their family or carer needs to send us the following information:
Full name - first name, surname and maiden name if appropriate
Service number
Military details – Arm/Unit of service and dates
Full postal address & Telephone number
Date of birth
Details of individual/organisation providing this data if not the veteran.
Details can be submitted online at https://thenotforgotten.org/how-we-help/forgot-you-not/
(which will go live on the 15 September 2020) or sent to info@thenotforgotten.org. This information will not be shared and will be deleted once the project is complete.
I do hope you can help us on this quest to recognise that great generation for all they gave.
