Evesham’s Valkyrie bar opened two days early to celebrate the centenary of the Royal British Legion (RBL), a charity that helps former service members.

Men from nearly every branch were joined by the Mayor of Evesham, Sue Amor, to toast the occasion. The day marked one hundred years since the charity’s founding on May 15 1921.

Service members have been helped to find housing and jobs, as well as being provided with mental health services or, simply, someone to talk to. 

Steve Richford, who owns the Valkyrie bar along with his partner, Katrina Edwards, is a veteran of the Seventh Parachute Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery.

Richford served in Bosnia, Kosovo and has been on three tours of the Falklands.

He said: “Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on sometimes and one to laugh with. Squaddie humour is amazing. They’ll laugh about the most serious things in the world and we’ll cry about the stupidest things as well. We’ve all done stuff and seen stuff and been stuff which we don’t talk about. But we can just have a laugh together and that’s all we need.”

One attendee who agreed was Royal Artillery veteran Phillip Speed, who says he has worked with the Legion for almost eleven years. 

“There’s a need from those who are feeling alone to speak to people who just get that forces mentality. Meaning no disrespect, a lot of people don’t. So once you have that, then you can talk freely and feel understood."

However, there is some concern over the organisation’s future, especially after the death of the local chapter’s much-loved Vice President, Roy Bates, at the age of 89.

Danny Rollinson, Group 1 chair for the Vale of Evesham and chair of Bretforton RBL, said the Legion is looking for new soldiers to help keep their work going.

He said: “We’re trying to bring in the younger generation now. We are the older generation. Me being in my late seventies, we want the younger generation to take over from us to lead the Legion into the future. Because it’s all for their benefit and we will keep doing this for as long as possible.”

Fiona George, who coordinates Evesham’s Poppy Appeals, stressed the need for younger volunteers to help with fundraising.

She said: “The Royal British Legion is not some ‘old man’s club’. It is full of really young people who just want to have a good laugh, get on and raise money.”

“That’s what Evesham needs a lot more of, is people coming in on the youth side.”  The Valkyrie will host servicemen and their families at 7pm on Wednesdays.