Gift a Wreath 2025

Our veterans laid 26 "Gifted Wreaths" across the country this Remembrance as part of our 'Gift a Wreath' campaign.

Remembrance is a special time for veterans, their families and those in active service. It is a time to come together to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. 

Each year we support blind veterans in making the journey to march past the Cenotaph in London, but we also recognise that many veterans choose to mark the important occasion by taking part in events close to home surrounded by loved ones and fellow veterans. 

Wreaths are provided to these veterans so they too can play an active part in Remembrance. 

The money raised by our 'Gift a Wreath' campaign not only helps us to provide these veterans with a wreath but also ensures our ongoing support to blind veterans in their communities. 

Among the organisations that signed up to the campaign this year were Thea Pharmaceuticals, interior designers HomeSmiths, who assisted in the refurbishment of our Rustington Centre, technology firm Sopra Steria and The Rise Tenant’s Association. 

Thea Pharmaceuticals 

Thea Pharmaceuticals commitment to our ‘Gift a Wreath’ campaign for the fourth year running is part of their ongoing support for us since 2015. This year they gifted ten wreaths to mark ten years of support. 

As well as gifting wreaths for our blind veterans to lay, staff from Thea also laid their own wreaths in support of our blind veterans and one wreath was gifted to a primary school to ensure the younger generation our given the opportunity to mark the occasion. 

The Rise Tenants Association 

Blind veteran Lee, 49, was honoured to lay a wreath in his local community this year that had been gifted by his tenant’s association. He says:

"Remembrance is a moment of reflection to remember what people went through and it's important to keep that going. Laying a wreath on behalf of Blind Veterans UK is very humbling and it means a lot to do that in my local community."

HomeSmiths 

HomeSmiths Health Care Interior Designers gifted a wreath for the third time this year. They worked closely with our charity on the refurbishment of our Rustington Centre. 

HomeSmiths gifted a wreath that was laid by Second World War veteran Nancy during the Remembrance Service at our Rustington Centre. 

104-year-old Nancy joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in February 1942. She was selected for Officer Cadet Training and commissioned in August 1943 and was then stationed at a gun site in Swansea until the end of the war. 

Individual gifters 

Gift a Wreath is open to individuals as well as businesses and organisations. One of these gifters, Jacqy, took part in our campaign for the second time and was happy to learn that her wreath was to be laid by RAF veteran Bernard. She says: 

“I was pleased to support any veteran in being able to be part of the act of Remembrance but as my father served in the RAF during the Second World War in ciphers, I was very happy to be matched to Bernard.   

“I was touched to learn that Bernard had asked about my father so he could include him in the people he thought of while laying his wreath. 

“I was very lucky to have him for a father and am so pleased that my gift will be helping to ensure he is remembered as well as those who are important to Bernard. William Edward Beston ‘Ted’ RAF 1940 – 1945.”