Tonbridge MP joins locals for Normandy beach charity walk
The group will be trekking 100 kilometres across the beaches where the Allied forces landed during the Second World War, hoping to raise thousands of pounds for charity.
Transcript
00:00 In around two weeks time, six men from Tunbridge will be on their way to Normandy to take part
00:05 in a huge feat, three of which kicked off celebrations today at a nearby pub.
00:11 They'll be doing a 100km walk over five days, walking across Normandy's beach where the
00:17 Allied forces would have landed in 1944.
00:21 And this is all to raise money for veterans, including those who would have fought in the
00:26 Second World War, some of whom were related to those in the Tunbridge group.
00:30 "Well we're off to Normandy to commemorate the great generation that went to Normandy
00:37 in 1944 and defeated Hitler.
00:42 And at the same time we're also raising money for the Army Benevolent Fund, or the Soldiers'
00:48 Charity."
00:49 "The Army Benevolent Fund looks after my daughter when my son-in-law was killed in Afghanistan,
00:53 so I kind of feel it's payback time."
00:56 "And what about you?"
00:57 "Yes, I grew up next to Sandhurst, always involved with the Army and it's a great charity
01:03 so I want to put some work back for the guys that have given part of their lives or whatever
01:09 to the cause."
01:11 Joining for today's celebration was local MP and ex-serviceman Tom Tugendhart.
01:16 "Well it's certainly true that we've got to teach people about it, but we've also got
01:21 to see it for ourselves and I think that's one of the things that this takes us to, because
01:25 these guys are going to look at the battlefields, look at the sites, look at Pegasus Bridge,
01:29 look at those moments where young men, and they were by and large young men, had to take
01:33 extraordinary decisions at very, very short notice that risked their lives and sometimes
01:38 sadly cost their lives.
01:39 So remembering why young men took those decisions is incredibly important for shaping the way
01:44 we think about our present and our future."
01:47 The launch of the Grand Hike was kicked off at the Kentish Riflemen, which also has links
01:52 to the armed forces.
01:53 "Originally the pub was called the Red Lion, in the mid 1800s we then changed the name
01:59 was changed to the Kentish Riflemen, which we believe was basically through being a militia
02:04 recruiting post, so something just to give a bit more of a link to recruiting local people
02:09 into the local militia."
02:11 Before the group heads off to Normandy they're going to try and make one last push to raise
02:15 a bit more money for charity.
02:16 So far they've raised £10,000 but they're hoping to raise at least £15,000.
02:22 And all this money raised goes towards a charity which provides lifetime support for veterans
02:26 and their families as well.
02:28 Starting tomorrow they've got a fundraiser here at this pub where they're hoping to get
02:31 a little bit closer to that goal of £15,000.
02:35 Sophia Akin for KMTV in Tunbridge.