I begin by thanking our Grand President, General The Lord Richards of Herstmonceux GCB CBE DSO DL, for his message opening this Annual Report and for both his and Lady Richards ongoing, deep commitment to the League.  That ongoing guidance and influence has, once again, helped us maintain the Commonwealth Veterans Programme going forward beyond 2025.

This report covers the fifth and final year of the original Commonwealth Veterans Programme culminating in our fifth A grade.  For a challenging UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Aid programme this is a remarkable achievement.  An achievement which again would simply not be possible without the remarkable energy and dedication of you, the Member Organisations across the Commonwealth, and our small but perfectly formed London staff.  Since 2019, with UK Government and the Service Charities support, we have now succeeded in lifting out of absolute poverty, 7,290 veterans and their widows.  This is the quantitative impact of all our ‘aid’ and higher than our forecast of 7,000 back in 2018.  Indeed, the number of beneficiaries supported is greater than this as three of the countries we have funded are not in the Commonwealth Veterans Programme.  Together we have worked to reduce poverty and tackle hunger and malnutrition, in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.  This is an achievement which we should be proud of and demonstrates the power of UK Aid when working in partnership to deliver a programme across the Commonwealth. It also demonstrates vividly that we have not forgotten those who served our Nation many years ago, nor their widows.

As the Grand President has reported, a major achievement, and it has to be said a huge relief, in the last few months has been the successful award of a 3-year extension to our Commonwealth Veterans Programme funding out to 2027.  This will allow us to continue to support our veterans and widows with the enhanced 2 meals a day grants that they have benefitted from over the past 5 years.

Of the utmost importance now is we focus firmly on how we continue to support our beneficiaries beyond 2027.   We have, as you all know, begun planning options for our future beyond 2027 whether that be some form of merger, or a drawdown and closure of the League. Key to any successful merger will be to ensure that our governance and structures are resilient.  We have made progress in this area over the last year and have reduced the number of Trustees to 11 from 15 and the size of the Executive Committee to 12 from 21, composed of voting Trustees, to provide a smaller and more agile decision-making body.  This leaner and even more effective Board of Trustees is a significant step in the right direction and comprises Trustees elected by Founder Members as well as Trustees elected by the wider membership.  I should like to take this opportunity to thank a few individuals who after many years of dedicated service to the League have retired as Trustees: Colonel Mike Bowles; Colonel Paul Davis; Lieutenant Commander Martyn Hawthorn; Mr Andrew Holmes; Colonel Maggie Slattery and Brigadier David Williams.  I am delighted that all remain as Council Members for their respective countries so that we can continue to benefit from their wisdom.

Finally, I would like to thank the Senior Management Team, Executive Committee and the core League staff for their incredible commitment and wise council steering the League through a crucial period in its history.  I join the Grand President in looking forward to the 35th Conference in Ottawa in 2025 when I shall have the opportunity to thank many of you in person for everything you have done over the past 5 years enabling us to secure the Commonwealth Veterans Programme extension.

Mitch Mitchell