00:00 In around two weeks time, six men from Tunbridge will be on their way to Normandy to take part
00:05 in a huge feat, three of which kicked off celebrations today at a nearby pub.
00:11 They'll be doing a 100km walk over five days, walking across Normandy's beach where the
00:17 Allied forces would have landed in 1944.
00:21 And this is all to raise money for veterans, including those who would have fought in the
00:26 Second World War, some of whom were related to those in the Tunbridge group.
00:30 "Well we're off to Normandy to commemorate the great generation that went to Normandy
00:37 in 1944 and defeated Hitler.
00:42 And at the same time we're also raising money for the Army Benevolent Fund, or the Soldiers'
00:48 Charity."
00:49 "The Army Benevolent Fund looks after my daughter when my son-in-law was killed in Afghanistan,
00:53 so I kind of feel it's payback time."
00:56 "And what about you?"
00:57 "Yes, I grew up next to Sandhurst, always involved with the Army and it's a great charity
01:03 so I want to put some work back for the guys that have given part of their lives or whatever
01:09 to the cause."
01:11 Joining for today's celebration was local MP and ex-serviceman Tom Tugendhart.
01:16 "Well it's certainly true that we've got to teach people about it, but we've also got
01:21 to see it for ourselves and I think that's one of the things that this takes us to, because
01:25 these guys are going to look at the battlefields, look at the sites, look at Pegasus Bridge,
01:29 look at those moments where young men, and they were by and large young men, had to take
01:33 extraordinary decisions at very, very short notice that risked their lives and sometimes
01:38 sadly cost their lives.
01:39 So remembering why young men took those decisions is incredibly important for shaping the way
01:44 we think about our present and our future."
01:47 The launch of the Grand Hike was kicked off at the Kentish Riflemen, which also has links
01:52 to the armed forces.
01:53 "Originally the pub was called the Red Lion, in the mid 1800s we then changed the name
01:59 was changed to the Kentish Riflemen, which we believe was basically through being a militia
02:04 recruiting post, so something just to give a bit more of a link to recruiting local people
02:09 into the local militia."
02:11 Before the group heads off to Normandy they're going to try and make one last push to raise
02:15 a bit more money for charity.
02:16 So far they've raised £10,000 but they're hoping to raise at least £15,000.
02:22 And all this money raised goes towards a charity which provides lifetime support for veterans
02:26 and their families as well.
02:28 Starting tomorrow they've got a fundraiser here at this pub where they're hoping to get
02:31 a little bit closer to that goal of £15,000.
02:35 Sophia Akin for KMTV in Tunbridge.
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