The Royal British Legion is the nation's leading Armed Forces charity providing care and support to all members of the British Armed Forces past and present and their families. It is also the national Custodian of Remembrance and safeguards the Military Covenant between the Nation and its Armed Forces. It is best known for the annual Poppy Appeal and its emblem the red poppy -- www.britishlegion.org.uk.A FESTIVAL FIT FOR HEROES!
BLENHEIM PALACE DATE FOR SUMMER FESTIVAL CIRCUIT ANNOUNCED
LONDON -- The Royal British Legion today announced a major one off music festival to be held June 20th on the majestic grounds of historic Blenheim Palace in the beautiful Oxfordshire Cotswolds.
An event like no other on the summer festival calendar, Festival for Heroes will provide a fun family kick-off to national celebrations for Armed Forces Week honouring Service personnel past, present and future. The nation's first ever Armed Forces Day, supported by the Legion, takes place the following weekend on June 27th.
"We owe a huge debt to our brave Servicemen and women serving in places like Iraq and Afghanistan," said the Festival's director Jack Knowles, 20, founder of the Armed Forces social networking website Forces365.com. "We felt the best way to pay tribute to them was through a musical celebration to raise funds for a great cause like the Legion. Those attending will be part of history, and hopefully we can raise over £1 million."
British hip-hop and R'n'B artist Ironik appeared at the Legion's national headquarters to help launch the Festival, performing his summer of 2009 hit "Tiny Dancer (Hold Me Closer)", a chart-climbing single given a rare endorsement by Elton John. Other confirmed guests on the Festival card include BRIT Award winner and multi-platinum seller Gabrielle, live rockers The Automatic in their only festival date this year, Classical BRIT winners boy band Blake and special guest Lulu.
BRIT award winner Gabrielle said of her involvement: "I'm very honoured to have been asked to perform at the Festival for Heroes, it's an amazing cause and deserves as much support as possible."
Ironik was joined at the Festival launch by injured war hero Dave Hart, 32, of Devon. Mr Hart was serving as a Lance Corporal in the Territorial Army when in 2004 he and several of his colleagues in his battalion, The Rifle Volunteers, were involved in a suicide car bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan.
After waking up from a coma weeks later in Germany, the Legion stepped in to assist L/Cpl Hart through his recovery and eventual retraining. He is now in his final year of reading International Relations and History at Exeter University.
Flanked by two supportive female TA soldiers, Mr Hart said: "It means a tremendous amount to me knowing that those who serve and sacrifice are honoured and remembered by the British people. Let's pull together to ensure this concert is a great tribute to our British Armed Forces."
Also confirmed are GO:Audio, the smash hit dance group BootyLuv, electronic string quartet Escala (made famous by Britain's Got Talent), Ultrabeat with the massive hit "Pretty Green Eyes", and DJ Bodyrox appearing with solo artist Lucianna.
Many surprise VIP guests are still to come and will be announced through the Festival website at www.festivalforheroes.com.
"If there's a spiritual home for heroes, then it must be Blenheim Palace - the birthplace of Winston Churchill," said the Legion's Director of National Events and Fundraising, Russell Thompson OBE. "We’re proud to be part of this epic event and we hope that it will raise £1 million to assist us in our work caring and campaigning for the Armed Forces family."
For further information on the Festival, please contact Bethan Herbert - BHerbert@britishlegion.org.uk or press@festivalforheroes.com 020 3207 2237 / 07973 837 423
Details:
Festival for Heroes
Saturday 20th June 2009
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
Doors open Noon - 11 pm
Website: www.festivalforheroes.com
Tickets: www.seetickets.com/festivalforheroes
Phone: 0871 230 0010
