Royal British Legion Industries is a national charity supporting the Armed Forces, people with disabilities and people who are unemployed. Their mission is: “improving lives every day by inspiring those we help and supporting them to find work and lead independent lives.”

During September 2019, Be Military Fit (BMF) joined forces with the Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) to create “Britain’s Bravest Military Challenge.” We worked with military leaders to create an authentic experience.  Participants took on demanding military-based challenges and training drills, requiring them to dig deep in a series of fun but physically demanding physical and mental challenges.

Twenty BMF Parks took part across the country and raised £19,000.

How did it start?

2019 is Royal British Legion Industries 100th year of providing support so we wanted to do something special, especially considering Be Military Fit has a 20-year strong military heritage.

Objectives

To generate charitable funds through a bespoke BMF event for RBLI to help them continue their amazing work. Also, to encourage people to participate in physical activity and reach new goals.

Why is this project important?

• Many of our instructors and team members at Be Military Fit share a military heritage, therefore, we wanted to engage them with something close to the heart.
• Military affiliated charities are important to the armed forces covenant. We wanted to assist this aspect by building partnerships and generating mutual support of each other’s brands.

Supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This project supports six of the 17 UN goals.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being — By encouraging people to participate in physically and mentally demanding activities, the project promotes healthy lifestyles and well-being among its participants.

SDG 4: Quality Education — The project raises awareness about the challenges faced by military veterans and the importance of supporting their transition to civilian life, contributing to social education.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth — RBLI’s mission to help people with disabilities and those who are unemployed find work and lead independent lives directly addresses this goal. The funds raised through the event support RBLI’s efforts in achieving this mission.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities — The project supports RBLI’s work in assisting people with disabilities, military veterans, and the unemployed, reducing inequalities faced by these groups in society.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities — By organising the event in 20 parks across the UK, the project promotes the use of public spaces and fosters a sense of community among participants.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals — BMF and RBLI have formed a strategic partnership to support a shared mission of assisting military veterans and promoting health and well-being.

Project resources

The event ran as an original Be Military Fit operations session with a twist. Twenty BMF parks participated in the event across the UK. Our instructors were a key resource in ensuring the project was a success as this was close to the heart for them.

BMF also invested in the promotion of the event through multiple marketing channels, running within the normal BMF sessions, encouraging participants to engage and fundraise as well as securing non-members fees.

Project results

We raised £19,000 across 20 UK parks.  These funds can be used to support military veterans as they transition to civilian life. We wish to thank the BMF community for supporting a fantastic charity.