SLA Alliance Announces RBVE as its Charity of the Year, Strengthening Commitment to the Armed Forces Community
The Strategic Alliance Framework (SAF) delivering the Ministry of Defence’s Single Living Accommodation (SLA) Pipeline announces Royal British Veterans Enterprise (RBVE) as its first Charity of the Year for the framework, marking a major new partnership to improve outcomes for veterans and the wider Armed Forces community.
The SLA Alliance – comprised of Bowmer and Kirkland, Kier McAvoy, Kier Metek, Laing O’Rourke and Reds10 – was created to accelerate the delivery of high-quality, sustainable single living accommodation for Service personnel across the UK. As part of its commitment to Social Value, the Alliance has established a dedicated Social Value Group to coordinate community impact, with support for the Armed Forces Community identified as a top priority for 2026.
RBVE, formerly Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI), provides life-changing employment, training, housing and support programmes for veterans and those with barriers to work. Selecting RBVE as the Alliance’s Charity of the Year will strengthen collaboration across the group and deliver tangible, measurable outcomes for veterans nationally.
The selection of RBVE demonstrates how the Strategic Alliance Framework can leverage cross-industry collaboration to create lasting social value alongside major public sector infrastructure delivery.
The Alliance’s partnership with RBVE will focus on three core workstreams designed to maximise social impact:
- Social Enterprise
All Alliance contractors have now registered RBVE as a supplier and begun procurement through Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company (BBMC) – RBVE’s social enterprise employing veterans and people with disabilities.
This includes sourcing site signage and hoarding, enabling meaningful employment opportunities while supporting high-quality production.
- LifeWorks employment support
The Alliance will provide direct support to RBVE’s LifeWorks programme – a specialist employability service for veterans – by:
- Hosting LifeWorks events on Alliance sites and within contractor facilities
- Providing team members to support mock interviews, mentoring, and employability workshops across the UK
- Events and fundraising
Throughout the year, all Alliance contractors will take part in fundraising challenges, awareness events and volunteering activities in support of RBVE’s vital work. This includes participation in RBVE’s flagship national campaigns and bespoke Alliance-led initiatives.
Paul Ruddick, Chairman of Reds10, said: “Reds10 is proud to be part of an Alliance that not only delivers high-quality accommodation for serving personnel, but also demonstrates a deep commitment to supporting veterans. RBVE’s work has a transformative impact on the lives of thousands of people each year, and we’re delighted to strengthen our partnership with them through this cross-industry initiative.”
Laing O’Rourke’s Defence and Security Sector Leader, Adam Birley, said: “The work we’re delivering as part of the alliance will help to transform the lived experience of our service personnel. Which is why we’re delighted RBVE has been chosen as Charity of the Year. This new partnership means we’ll be able to extend our support to veterans and the wider Armed Forces community through the incredible work of the charity.”
Simon Edge, DIO Framework Manager at Bowmer + Kirkland, said: “The RBVE is worthy of this recognition, we are already working closely with the charity’s BBMC division, who are producing signage for our ongoing projects with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, This partnership reflects our commitment to creating meaningful, lasting impact for veterans while delivering critical infrastructure for the Armed Forces.”
