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Veterans get £350k for monument to honour LGBT forces after Mirror campaign

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date25 April 2024
Publication titleDaily Mirror, The: Web Edition Articles (London, England)
Following pressure from the Sunday Mirror and charity Fighting With Pride FWP, Rishi Sunak last year apologised to the 20,000 service personnel who were jailed, dismissed for their sexuality or outed against their will before the gay ban in the military was lifted in 2000. The memorial is proposed to be situated in the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, a 150 acre site and part of the Royal British Legion, and will commemorate all LGBT service personnel, including those impacted by the ban

"We are delighted and proud to have the opportunity to create this important memorial, our work on it will start quickly,” Craig Jones MBE, Chair of Fighting With Pride said. "We're committed to delivering a fitting memorial, but a great deal of work remains to be done to lift the veterans most affected by the Ban from the poverty inflicted upon them after the loss of careers.”

Mr Sunak’s apology followed a damning report prepared by Lord Etherton, which detailed "a vivid picture of overt homophobia at all levels of the armed forces.” The memorial was one of the 49 recommendations in the report, all of which have been accepted in principle by the Government -including financial compensation for those whose careers were affected.

Mr Jones added: “Too many face crippling debt, poor housing, social isolation and live with poor health and wellbeing. 2024 must be the year in which all 49 of Lord...

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