Military Memories: Military Memories is a anthology of poems written by the forces community. The poems illustrate the journey taken by those who join ... families’ lives and also the trauma we face.

Product Information

Then the next day my amazing brother died. I was completely consumed with that, nothing else mattered.

This award honours a person who has overcome significant challenges, injury or disability, and whose ongoing or past outstanding achievements are an inspiration to others within the Armed Forces community. Gina won through a public vote. The English Veterans Awards round off a South West double header for September, as the day before the first Troops into Transportation, Logistics and Engineering Event takes place at The REME Museum, MOD Lyneham, some 33 miles up the road from Bristol and the awards.The book, titled ‘Military Memories’, is a collection of poems written by veterans, serving personnel, families of those who have served, and the wider forces family. I’ve been uniform since I was 13. I joined the Army Cadets which was the root of it all. From there I became an adult instructor, and then joined up officially aged 19 after my A-levels. I did 11 years, mainly in the Royal Signals. I left in 2006. My bike and exercise is really important to me. I didn’t realise that it was a coping method to be honest. When I didn’t have it for those few weeks – I felt like my legs had been chopped off – I didn’t have an outlet.” Over 650 guests gathered at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge on Thursday 27 October 2022, with 610 guests seated for dinner in addition to some amazing acts, Military hosts and the Soldiering On Awards team. The 12th annual ceremony was the biggest in the Soldiering On Awards’ history as finalists from the last two years, who had been restricted to virtual celebrations, were invited to join their 2022 counterparts to celebrate with representatives from all three services, military charities, and corporate supporters.

In the meantime, I was diagnosed with PTSD and I was due to get some support, but my brother got diagnosed with cancer. I lived in Sussex, but he was in the Wirral, so I went up and be there for him and to help with his care. That’s when I started cycling. I needed something to help me and take my mind off things. In 2022, Gina undertook an ambitious 50k for 30 days challenge that saw her run, cycle, canoe, and trek 50 kilometres every day for 30 consecutive days. She completed a total of 1,500 km amidst record high temperatures to benefit SSAFA and Sporting Force. “What makes me get on the bike every day is knowing the good that these two amazing charities do,” she says. The Winners will be chosen by our Independent Judging Panel. The Judging panels names and profiles will be released over the coming weeks. After the loss of her brother, Gina began to write poetry, and in the years since has created and curated a book of poems, called Military Memories, written by veterans, serving personnel and their families which tell the stories of their lives in the services, to raise money for SSAFA.Sadly, the Royal Air Force Hawker Siddeley Nimrod she was due to be on suffered an in-flight fire and crashed. All fourteen crew members died. I've been in uniform since I was 13,” Gina recalls. “I joined the Army Cadets which was the root of it all. From there I became an adult instructor, and then joined up officially aged 19 after my A-levels. I did 11 years, mainly in the Royal Signals. I left in 2006. NatWest is honoured to be supporting the 2022 Soldiering On Awards in recognising truly inspirational people and teams, profiling the outstanding achievements of current and former service men and women, their families and all those who support the Armed Forces Community.”– Julie Baker, Head of Enterprise and Climate Engagement and Partnerships, NatWest

Gina walked away from the accident with minor injuries, but her bike was written off in the accident. SSAFA supported Gina and sourced funding to provide her with a new bike so she could continue to cycle following the death of her brother. The book, titled ‘Military Memories’, is a collection of poems written by veterans, serving personnel, families of those who have served, and the wider forces family. The profits of ‘Military Memories’ will go towards a number of military charities, including SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity. SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, is proud to announce that four of it’s supporters were in the winner’s enclosure at the English Veterans Awards, held in Bristol, on Thursday.The poems illustrate the journey taken by those who join the Armed Forces, showing a lighter side to our families’ lives and the trauma we sometimes face. A path taken by many, told by so few,” Gina shares. “It’s a lifetime of memories shared in one little book.” Profits from the book were generously shared between SSAFA and the military charity Sporting Force.

A special thanks also has to go to the Corps of drums of the Welsh Guards who were there supporting in their famous red Tunics and bearskins. My family are military, so I had heard of SSAFA through my childhood and when I was a cadet. A few years ago, my partner and I ran a team-building day in Brighton for teenagers that had lost their brothers and sisters in the Army, sponsored by the charity. But I didn’t realise the extent of what they did. I thought it was more for families than service personnel.Gina Allsop, a Royal Signals veteran from Rottingdean near Brighton, will donate profits from her book titled Military Memories to a number of military charities.