The Royal British Legion Industries company, also known as the RBLI, was set up a hundred and five years ago.
Its workers make plenty of items including road and train signs that are used across the country.
Henry Luck reports.
Its workers make plenty of items including road and train signs that are used across the country.
Henry Luck reports.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00It was the end of the First World War, and many veterans needed help returning to civilian life.
00:06Royal British Legion Industries, known as Industrial Settlements Incorporated before 1944,
00:14started helping those discharged from service with their first sign-making factory, opening in 1964.
00:23Now called Britain's Bravest Manufacturing,
00:26the business makes signs for use on roads and train tracks, even creating the RBLI's signature
00:33Tommy figures. And this is an example of what Britain's Bravest Manufacturing makes
00:39right here in its factory in Aylesford, as a quarter million of signs like this
00:45are transported and used across the UK. The work of the company has been recognised by
00:51important UK figures, such as the late Queen Elizabeth II.
00:56Well, yeah, I was here when the Queen visited back in 2019 to celebrate our 100th anniversary.
01:03It was a very proud day. I got to meet her, along with a lot of the staff got to meet her as well.
01:07So that was, yeah, we feel very proud and privileged to be able to get some real high
01:12profile visitors, and let's hope that we get some more in the future. You never know,
01:17the King might decide to come and visit. So let's wait and see.
01:21Today, Britain's Bravest has a team of over 100 people, many of whom are disabled.
01:27I was injured in Afghanistan on my second operative in 2012. I was retired and
01:36I'm working in the Royal British Legion Industries since then. And there are lots
01:42of other veterans who work with me together and serve with me together as well. So very
01:48pleased to work in the factory. It's a proud moment for me.
01:54With much success in the past, what does the future hold?
01:58We're entering into several new markets. One is house builder signage. That's all of the sales
02:03and marketing signage. And then the construction signage, so safety signage, wear a hard hat,
02:10goggles and so on. And then hoardings. So you're now seeing hoardings not only for houses, but
02:16in city centres, where there's city centre development. Hoardings are used as a communication
02:22vehicle. So that's very much a natural extension of our capability. And we're moving into both
02:27those markets with some success. Over 100 years later, Britain's
02:32Bravest Manufacturing is still going strong, pointing many veterans in the right direction.
02:39Henry Luck for KMTV in Ellesford.