90th Anniversary Concerts for the Royal British Legion

THE British Association The Royal British Legion will celebrate its 90th anniversary with a benefit concert at the Auditorio of Diputación de Alicante on Saturday April 2nd. The matinee and evening performances will be held on Saturday April 2 at 12pm and 7pm with tickets costing €12 and €15 respectively.

Each concert will feature the same fantastic entertainment. Including from the UK, All Angels, the female soprano group, and Ruth Lorenzo, the X Factor finalist . As well as combined choirs from Spain with two hundred singers! The brass band , The Band, and the  Torrevieja Pipes and Drums.

The concert could not have been possible without the co-operation and assistance of the Diputacion de Alicante (Alicante Provincial Government) and as a sign of the mutual warmth and integration between our two communities in this shared event there will be a very special marching and rifle skills demonstration from the crack Spanish Army Display Team of the Legion Brigade of Almeria. Truly spectacular! They will be joined by a march of  RBL members and other military organisations with Standards flying.

Also present will be two Royal Marine veterans form the current Afghan conflict, who themselves have lost limbs in the fighting. Further there will be a Drumhead Service led by Bishop David Hamid, Bishop of the Diocese of Europe.

The event, which is the first of its kind to be organised outside the UK was announced at the Diputacion building in Alicante on February 7 by representatives of the RBL, Marisun Prieto, Diputada Residentes Europea of the Diputacion of Alicante and Paul Rodwell, British Consul in Alicante.

The concert has already attracted generous sponsors including NH Hotels Group, the Lions Association, Pellicer Heredia Solicitors, among others but “We would welcome other sponsors with open arms “ said Peggy Wyatt, Public Relations Officer for North District Spain RBL.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 966 860 735, by emailing rbltickets2011@gmail.com, and at RBL Branches.

The money obtained from the ticket sales of these benefit concerts will go directly to the Royal British Legion in Spain, which provides economic, social and emotional support to British citizens and their dependants that now live in Spain and who have served or are currently serving in the Armed Forces.

The concerts will be great fun. Some local town halls will be laying on coach transport so it is worth checking that out. They are in a great cause and deserve all our support.

Wars and conflicts have flowed incessantly. Many have fallen in defence of our country. And yet through all these dark times the Legion has been a constancy. Stalwart in its role of providing comfort and welfare to those gallant individuals in our armed forces who themselves risked all to protect us, and now deserve our protection in their own time of need. To support the cause of the RBL is the very least a grateful country can do. It is the least we as individuals can do.

Caption: Deputy for European Residents, Mª Asunción Prieto, and British Consul, Paul Rodwell presenting the event.

By Paul Deed