Plymouth’s Armed Forces Day Fundraising Pin Badge Design Winners Announced

14th June 2017

The winner has been chosen in this year’s competition to design the fundraising pin badge for Plymouth’s Armed Forces Day.

This year’s winner was six year-old Sophia Broome from Yealmpstone Farm Primary School. Sophia’s wonderful design includes military figures and was selected from hundreds of entries from schools across the city.

Sophia said: "My daddy works for the Royal Navy and I wanted to put him in the middle of the badge but I know we have three Armed Forces, the Royal Air Force and the Army who all work for the Queen".

The badges will be on sale throughout Armed Forces Week, from the Tourist Information Centre on Plymouth’s Barbican and on Armed Forces Day, Saturday 24 June, from the Military Kids Club (MKC) Heroes tent. Priced at £2.50 each, all the money will go to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. Last year the badge raised more than £2,500.

Area Manager for The Royal British Legion Susanne Archard said: “Congratulations to Sophia for her winning design. It’s really important to the Legion to be able to reach out to children of military families as part of the lifelong support we offer those in the armed forces or who have served. This badge competition really helps service children understand they are part of something bigger, and the generous donation of the funds from the sales of the badge will help the Legion provide essential support to those who need it. I’m excited to know that so many will wear the badge at armed forces day, raising awareness of the great work of MKC Heroes. I know I’ll be first in the line to get one!”

The competition is sponsored by the Military Kid’s Club (MKC) Heroes, a tri-service children and young people's voice group, formed in Plymouth. Plymouth MKC Heroes is the biggest cluster in the country with over 60 member schools.

MKC Heroes Trustee, Pete Ogburn, said: “MKC Heroes have sponsored this competition for several years now. It is a pleasure to receive all the entries and see the creative designs our young people come up with.

Sophia has created a fantastic design and I am sure it will raise lots of money for the Poppy Appeal.” Sophia won £75 for her badge design with the runners up winning £50 and £25, respectively. Sophia will receive her prize at the Plymouth Guildhall on Monday 19 June from Lord Mayor, Councillor Wendy Foster.

She will join other civic and military dignitaries at a special ceremony at 10am to raise the Armed Forces Flag, marking the official start of Plymouth Armed Forces Week.

This year’s Armed Forces Day takes place on Saturday 24 June in association with Babcock and is expected to welcome over 45,000 visitors to Plymouth Hoe, for what promises to be a spectacular event.

There will be military parades, exhilarating arena displays, interactive activities, exhibitions, live music and military bands, military vehicles, static helicopters and a thrilling air display with a dynamic mix of Jet Fighters and daring aerobatic acts.

The lively outdoor evening concert will see performances from The Band of HM Royal Marines Plymouth, The Harmonettes, Joey the Lips and headline act Toyah Willcox.

The full programme is now available at the Tourist Information Centre and online: plymoutharmedforcesday.co.uk