Charity Number: 210063
Contact: Shelley McKevitt-Batt
Address: RBLI, Hall road, Aylesford, Kent
Postcode: ME20 7NL
Phone: 01622 795 900
Website: www.rbli.co.uk
Email: enquiries@rbli.co.uk
Summary: Established in 1919, RBLI is an independent national charity provide crucial welfare support and homes to ex-servicemen and women and their families, as well as people with disabilities and people who are out of work.
The charity is based on its Aylesford village which houses more than 300 veterans and their families, through a range of assisted living, emergency and nursing care and independent accommodation. The charity employs a holistic wrap-around welfare programme, STEP-IN, which moves residents towards greater independence – irrespective of their challenges – through a goal orientated process.
At the heart of the village is a thriving social enterprise, Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company, which employs more than 100 people – 70% of whom are veterans, people with disabilities or both. As a not-for-profit BBMC is a socially thriving, commercially sustainable enterprise with an annual turnover of almost £6million. The company reinvests 100% of its surplus to offer greater employment opportunities to its beneficiaries. This successful model has recently been replicated in the form of Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company in response
RBLI also delivers a transformative employment support programme both across the UK and international, providing crucial CV and training support to veterans and their spouses. The course harbours tremendous results: 83% of those who attend move into employment, training or volunteering within 12 months, while 80% of those who graduate the programme have some form of physical or mental disability.
With 100 years’ experience of those most in need of support on their route to work, RBLI always supports people in the civilian space through a range of back-to-work and in-work support across the South East of England.
In line with the charity’s 100th year, a £14million campaign was announced for the Centenary Village – a project which will build a basis of care for another century: supporting hundreds of veterans every year for the next 100 years. This will see a range of specially-adapted apartments, assisted living accommodation, and independent housing centred around a community centre with a state-of-the-art gym and welfare support.