Yesterday (Friday 5th December) saw the launch of the “Veterans Toast” by Veterans in Action (VIA) to help raise funds helping those who are suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The Veterans Toast was written by Avril Young from Dundee after a small brief given to her by Billy MacLeod, the founder of VIA. Avril had written a poem for VIA before called ALIVE to represent VIA’s ALIVE Program.
What she came back with (see below) is a really powerful poem capturing the mood and sentiment that was hoped for by Andover based charity.
All funds raised from The Veterans Toast will go directly to help those who suffer the effects of war or who find the transition to civilian life difficult by investing on VIA’s ALIVE Program to enable more veterans to take part in different part of the country.
Taking Part
To take part in the Veterans Toast:
- Download the toast from the VIA website or copy it from the opening video
- Get someone to film you reading the toast
- You chose which drink you would like to do the toast with whether it be a cup of coffee, bottle of water, soft drink or alcoholic drink and make a respectful TOAST to those friends or family who may have made the ultimate sacrifice or fight a daily battle due to their service using the script
- You raise a toast at the end to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice or who are still fighting daily battles due to their service
- You donate the cost of the drink you have toasted with to Veterans In Action using Just Text Giving, Virgin Money Giving or Paypal (details of these are on the Veterans In Action website)
- You nominate 3 more friends to do the Veterans Toast
- You upload the video to You Tube and share on social media to help the Veterans Toast go viral
You can find more about the Veterans Toast and the VIA at the links below.
Links
The Veterans Toast Script
My name is XXXX XXXXXXX and I am raising this TOAST in memory of those who have lost their lives in the service of the country and to those who still fight the daily battle due to their service.
THIS GLASS I RAISE BEFORE ME
IS TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED
FOR EVERY BROTHER AND SISTER
A RECOGNITION IS DESERVED
SO, I DRINK THIS IN THEIR HONOUR
AND FOR BATTLES THEY STILL FIND
THAT REPLAY THROUGH THEIR MEMORY
IN A HIDDEN, TORTURED MIND
HERE’S TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU
FROM EVERY LAND AND COAST
I SALUTE YOU ALL MY BROTHERS-IN-ARMS
AND RAISE THIS VETERANS TOAST
I donate the cost of this drink to Veterans In Action to enable them to help more veterans who suffer and I would like to nominate XXXXX XXXXXXX, XXXXXXX XXXXX and XXXXXXX XXXXXX to carry out the TOAST
