Wigan veterans will set off from Wigan Town Hall to walk
80 miles over four days, arriving at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire. The walk, leading up to Remembrance Day, will culminate with the laying of a wreath of poppies, a solemn and respectful tribute to the fallen. This endeavour has been supported by Greenmount Projects, the main sponsor of the event, whose CEO Mike Sharkey will be joining them on the 4 day walk. The team’s goal is not only to remember the past but also to address the pressing needs of today and tomorrow. The harsh reality is that there has been a 14% increase over the past year in the number of ex-service personnel experiencing homelessness. These men and women, who once put their lives on the line for their country, now face unimaginable hardships. The funds raised through this walk will go towards providing crucial support such as shelter, clothing, medication and education, helping veterans get their lives back on track through the Royal British Legion. VIDEO CREATED BY GREENMOUNT PROJECTS.
80 miles over four days, arriving at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire. The walk, leading up to Remembrance Day, will culminate with the laying of a wreath of poppies, a solemn and respectful tribute to the fallen. This endeavour has been supported by Greenmount Projects, the main sponsor of the event, whose CEO Mike Sharkey will be joining them on the 4 day walk. The team’s goal is not only to remember the past but also to address the pressing needs of today and tomorrow. The harsh reality is that there has been a 14% increase over the past year in the number of ex-service personnel experiencing homelessness. These men and women, who once put their lives on the line for their country, now face unimaginable hardships. The funds raised through this walk will go towards providing crucial support such as shelter, clothing, medication and education, helping veterans get their lives back on track through the Royal British Legion. VIDEO CREATED BY GREENMOUNT PROJECTS.
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NewsTranscript
00:00I'm Gary Jones and I serve with the Duke of Lancaster Law Enforcement.
00:10My name is Greg Walsh and I serve with the Queensland Crew Regiment.
00:14We are all Wigan Council employees and we are going to be walking the 80 miles.
00:19The reason why I'm doing it is because people tend to forget that when people sign on that
00:27dotted line it's a lifetime commitment and they're signing to defend and sacrifice their
00:34own life for the country and there's approximately about 16,000 ex-servicemen and women on our
00:40streets.
00:41There's been a 14% increase over the last 12 months and they need help, these people
00:46need help and the more we can raise and donate to the British Legion they can get out there
00:54and help these people.
00:56One of the main reasons is for a good cause and the money will be put in good use for
01:03the forgotten people and people who need it in support and another reason for myself it's
01:10a challenge I want to set myself and do for myself mentally for me and I think achieving
01:15that will be a big achievement.
01:17And if anybody sees us come across and make a donation, if you want to walk with us feel
01:24free.
01:25Or beat your own if you're driving past us.
01:29All we want is as much awareness and support from everybody, it would be great for everyone
01:34to support this cause.
01:35Because we've all got a connection won't we although I know we're all ex-services but
01:40I mean at some point you can go and see every family this country's got, relatives, grandparents,
01:45great grandparents, they've all committed during other conflicts, First World War, Second
01:50World War.
01:51Why would you forget that?
01:56I'm Andrea Yates and I served with the TA in the RMLY D Squadron based in Wigan.
02:05Yeah Andrea Yates I served, I joined when it had just transitioned from DLOY to the
02:12RMLY.
02:13It's road mercy in Lancaster and Yormley based in Wigan.
02:16Obviously it's 80 years, it's a big occasion this year, the D-Day landings and then obviously
02:23Gaz has come up with this really good idea of let's walk 80 miles.
02:27I just think it's a fantastic cause to support the British Legion with what they're doing
02:32and you know it's a special year so it's an honour really to have been asked to take part
02:37in this and I'm really looking forward to it.
02:40It'll be really hard, it will be hard, so it's 80 miles over four days.
02:45Them gentlemen who've allowed us to do this now 80 years on, I think they've worked a
02:52lot harder than what we're going to be doing over four days.
03:04My name's Steve Keneally, I'm the Poppy Appeal Manager for Merseyside in West Lancashire.
03:09The RML generally support for the armed forces community, whatever the need, wherever it's
03:17needed.
03:18The way it's categorised is serving personnel, reservists, veterans and the families of all
03:24the people that I've just mentioned.
03:27The RBL was set up in 1921 and it was in response to soldiers that had come back from the First
03:33World War that were homeless, couldn't feed themselves, didn't have clothing, so it was
03:39set up to provide a support network for them.
03:452024's Poppy Appeal this year is about the psychological scars, sometimes the scars we
03:51don't see.
03:52That mental health awareness is absolutely central to what we're trying to do and your
04:00poppy shows that you care.
04:02All the funds raised will go and help people that are suffering through the psychological
04:08scars of service and warfare and peacekeeping and all the things that they've taken part
04:13in.
04:14The 80 miles for 80 years walk that Gary and his team are doing is arduous, it's difficult,
04:22it's also going to be in November so it's going to be cold, probably wet because it's
04:26the UK.
04:27What I would say, if you do see anything where there's a QR code or there's a link or the
04:34Just think about people being out on the streets, just think about people being cold, tired,
04:40wet, hungry, a little bit disillusioned with what's going on.
04:45If you can, just donate.