I am really pleased to announce that we will be taking "The Baton" with us this year
The Message
Everything we are about is summed up in the message contained within The Baton itself:
The Baton is a symbol of national conscience – of pride, hope, courage and suffering. Most importantly, it is a message of gratitude from those who wish to support the brave men and women of our armed forces who regularly risk their lives so that we may live with freedom of choice, peace and safety.
The Baton has been crafted with care and respect from the handle of a stretcher; a stretcher used in battle to carry the wounded and those in need, It has now returned home from Helmand Province in Afghanistan to a new role in recognition of those who have paid and those who are ready to pay, the ultimate price with their lives.
As the Baton has already done we must give our support… as those who carried the stretcher have, we must show our concern and compassion in all that they do and for their families and friends… as our brave men and women have, we must stand firm, we must not falter lest those who wish to change our future, our traditions, our way of life, win.
Are we doing all we can to ensure the continued delivery of that support?
We are a good and caring nation. By our deeds, words and consistent pressure on our leaders, we can and must show our support, appreciation and be loyal to those who loyally serve, in times of peace as well as war.
To the men and women of our armed forces… be assured of our pride, respect and thanks, for your professionalism, humanity and dedication to the task. Even though you may be serving in the furthest corners of the globe you will always be in our thoughts and prayers… out of sight will never be out of mind.
The primary mission of The Baton is to raise and maintain awareness within the British public about the reality of life for service personnel and their families in the British Armed Forces and to ensure that they are given the level of support that they are rightfully due.
The Baton’s aim is not to compete with existing forces charities – rather we aim to complement the activities of those charities by focusing on raising awareness about the issues, so providing them with additional support and backing.
The mission statement of the Charity is…
To promote the efficiency of the armed forces of the Crown; and
The relief of members and former members of the armed forces of the Crown, and their dependents, who are in need through measures including but not limited to:
The promotion, protection and rehabilitation of the health and well being of those who have been wounded or injured, physically or psychologically, whilst serving in the armed forces;
The provision of grants to other charities which assist members and former members of the armed forces, and their dependents; and
The raising of awareness and education of the public in the deeds, sacrifices, and role of the armed forces.
Our Objectives
The Baton is designed to represent the nation’s support for our forces and as a symbol of our national conscience. It contains within it a message – to the people of this country and to our armed forces themselves.
