International Churchill Society Recognises the Chelsea Pensioner Veterans of WWII

Pensioners Honoured at the Royal Hospital Chelsea

On 13 November 2019, Jennie Churchill, the great-granddaughter of Sir Winston Churchill and on behalf of the International Churchill Society (ICS) presented 41 ex-servicemen Chelsea pensioners, who are veterans of WW II, with a specially designed commemorative coin in recognition of their service. The Royal Hospital Chelsea (RHC) will also be presented with the ICS’s annual ‘Winston S. Churchill Leadership Award’.

The ICS commemorative coins were designed and hand produced by seasoned British silversmith Christopher Hamilton and are individually engraved with the names of each one of the 41 recipients.

General Sir Adrian Bradshaw KCB OBE, Governor of RHC, said, “This is a very meaningful and appropriate recognition from the International Churchill Society to honour all those here at the Royal Hospital Chelsea who have served their country during the Second World War. I am delighted that both the ICS and the RHC are represented on the commemorative coin. We at the Royal Hospital are honoured to receive the Winston S Churchill Leadership Award in recognition of all that we do on behalf of our British Army veterans.”

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Jennie Churchill will present both the leadership awards and the commemorative coins in the Great Hall at the RHC prior to a reception attended by many supportive dignitaries, Members of Parliament and military personnel past and present. General Sir Adrian Bradshaw KCB OBE, will accept the ICS’s annual Winston S. Churchill Leadership Award’ on behalf of the RHC.

Jennie Churchill said, “It is an absolute privilege to present these commemorative coins to such worthy recipients and to present the Royal Hospital with this much deserved Leadership award. My family are immensely proud that ICS should choose to recognise such dedication and duty and I am truly honoured to play a role and be part of it.”

The ICS and the RHC have built a relationship through Chairman, Laurence Geller CBE, who is pioneering specialist dementia care through his Loveday care homes with sites in around London, including Chelsea and also through his Chancellorship of West London University, which is providing all level courses for people to start careers in dementia care.

Laurence Geller CBE, Chairman of the ICS said, “This is just a small but heartfelt recognition for those prepared to give the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and democracy and as Chairman of ICS, I am proud to do so. What this generation did for us all vindicates all that we should do for them now, we owe it to them to make every day so much better.

I have dedicated a great deal of my life to improving care for the elderly which is also exemplified by the amazing work by the RHC who’s three centuries of housing veterans who served their nation has provided inspiration to so many throughout our land. I am delighted that my own organisation is cooperating daily with the RHC to improve the lives of the Chelsea pensioners who live with the dementia, a disease for which there is no known cure yet could be contracted by one in three of us in our nation.”

Laurence Geller CBE added. “2019 marks the 75th Anniversary of D-Day and, on this occasion as well as honouring the RHC we are also honouring those veterans of WW II who gave so much not just to this country but to the cause of freedom and democracy throughout the world. We, as well as so many future generations, owe them a debt of gratitude which can never be repaid.”

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