SSAFA – The Armed Forces Charity

Posted on by Sofia Soares
ssafa

Today, on 25th June, we celebrate Armed Forces Day; a day of recognition and support for all the men and women who form the Armed Forces community: from currently serving troops to Service families, veterans and cadets. SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity is an organisation that has been supporting armed forces personnel and their families for over 130 years. With a volunteer network that reaches into every county in the UK, and 11 countries around the world, SSAFA is the UK’s oldest national tri-service Armed Forces Charity.

We are proud to be associated with them, and here, we take you through a short history and look at the work of this vitally important charity.

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The Importance of Royal Maundy

Posted on by Sofia Soares
Circulating Coins

Royal Maundy is the tradition of the British Monarch ceremonially distributing small silver coins, known as “Maundy Money”, to elderly recipients. It dates back as far 600 AD and its origins lie in the story of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples after the Last Supper. The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin word “mandatum”, meaning the command that Jesus gave to his disciples to “love one another”.

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The Changing Faces of Coin Portraiture

Posted on by Sofia Soares
coin portraiture

In an age filled with television, social media and all of the technology we could ask for, it’s hard to imagine a time where people couldn’t ‘virtually’ see each other, including their own Monarch or leader.

However, centuries ago most people would have only seen the face of their leader on a coin, with the obverse side depicting the image of a monarch or leader for thousands of years. We’ll be taking a look back at coin portraiture throughout the ages, and how dramatically this has changed.

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Six Facts About King George VI…

Posted on by Sofia Soares
King George VI

As we celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, it’s worth remembering that this was sadly brought about by the death of her father, King George VI on 6th February 1952. Remembered for ruling through the Second World War, George only reigned for 16 years, but in those years, he became one of the more notable monarchs in modern British history.

King George VI, previously known as Prince Albert, Duke of York, could not have foreseen he would become our monarch but the shock abdication of his brother, King Edward VIII, meant that ‘Bertie’ was forced to assume the role on 11th December 1936. From his poor health, to the almighty perils he faced during the War, there was certainly more to George VI than his notorious stammer.

We’re taking a look at six facts that you may not know…

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