For Ivan, a Chelsea Pensioner, community is not an add-on to service; it is the reason the service endures.

Remembrance holds special significance for him, turning memories into shared purpose and ensuring no veteran is left standing alone.

Ivan said: “I’ve been invol ved with the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall twice. Whenever I put my scarlets on for it, or in general, I grow six inches. Remembrance is always important, but to attend as a Chelsea Pensioner makes it even more special.”

Retired British Army veterans, like Ivan, are known as Chelsea Pensioners and live at London's Royal Hospital Chelsea, where they find care, camaraderie and support within a historic community.

Ivan spent 17 years in the British Army, most of them with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, su

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