To mark Remembrance Day in this especially poignant anniversary, we recall our members who were affected by the First World War and the benevolent fund that was begun to help them.
World War 1 changed the world forever ­and, as in every community, many Foresters members lost their lives. Rolls of Honour for Foresters Branches throughout the UK record the names of those who were killed, and in many cases those who were wounded or who served, as well.
Remembrance Day is, rightly, about those who gave their lives, but the war's aftermath was devastating for the families left behind too, with many struggling financially as well as emotionally after losing their main breadwinner.
We set up a Foresters' War Memorial Benevolent Fund in 1918, to provide financial assistance to members and their families who had been severely affected by the losses of WW1. As George Heath, the Foresters' President at the time, asked: "Could they imagine a better war memorial?"
The fund continues today in the form of the Foresters Child Support Fund, which can provide financial assistance for children who have lost a parent or are in otherwise difficult situations.
As we remember all those who have given their lives to keep the peace and freedom we enjoy in the UK, we hope they would approve of our own small memorial. It reminds us that benevolence is a fundamental principle of Foresters.
Find out more about the Foresters' Child Support Fund and our other member benefits. The membership benefits we provide aren't regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority and are regularly reviewed by us to ensure they are relevant to our members.
For more about commemorative WW1 events, visit www.1914.org.