Funds Meant for Veteran Activities Allocated to Royal British Legion Building Renovation

Internal documents from the Royal British Legion (RBL) reveal that nearly £100,000 of public funds intended to support veteran activities—such as crafting, performance, and communal dining to combat isolation—were redirected toward improving a branch’s physical infrastructure. A Tandragee branch received £140,000 from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (AFCF) to execute three initiatives, yet internal reports indicate only £41,000 was used for the approved projects.

Public Concerns Sparked Investigation

Concerns arose after several individuals reached out to BBC News NI about the allocation of funds. The RBL conducted its own review and declared the branch “formally closed.” The AFCF, a charity and public entity that disburses funds to aid veterans, stated the misuse stemmed from “poor skills and understanding” in managing public resources, not intentional deception.

The AFCF also noted that two projects were concluded successfully, while the third provided “positive outcomes” for veterans struggling with loneliness. In 2020, the Tandragee branch secured three grants totaling £140,000 from the AFCF. The application highlighted collaboration with the Tandragee Veterans Support Centre (TVSC), which shared a premises and volunteers. BBC News NI sought TVSC’s input but received no reply.

Grant Breakdown and Misuse

For the A Golden Stitch in Time grant, £31,000 of the £35,000 was allocated to property improvements, with the RBL noting only 10 veterans were trained instead of the proposed 40. The Stages of War initiative saw £34,000 of its £35,000 grant diverted to building upgrades, with the RBL finding “no outgoings in accordance with the funding requested.” Meanwhile, £8,000 from the Tackling Loneliness program was sent to the Lyric Theatre, while the remaining £34,000 was used for property work.

“We realized that the grants were provided mainly to provide activities but we spent most of the funding on capital… and accept that the grant was not spent as offered.”

The RBL’s headquarters initiated an investigation after detecting grant money being transferred to TVSC. The internal inquiry, disclosed to BBC News NI, confirmed that just £41,000 of the £140,000 had been directed toward the approved initiatives, with the rest allocated to “refurbishing a property that the branch had leased.” The majority of the funds were channeled to “building contractors and material suppliers.”

During an inspection, it was noted the installation of a “fully serviced bar with stock” had occurred, though neither organization possessed a license to serve alcohol. Correspondence from the AFCF highlighted concerns regarding “capital costs” instead of the intended schemes. The email noted the AFCF is open to public and governmental oversight, as it distributes public funds.

The AFCF appointed a mentor to monitor the remaining funds and requested a letter of assurance from the branch, allowing them to “draw a line under the inappropriate use of funds to date.” The signed assurance letter admitted, “We recognized the grants were intended primarily for activities, yet most funds were invested in capital projects…” The letter stated any remaining resources would be applied “directly in line with the original application.”