Make Do and Mend
Army Photographer 'Makes Do' With Winning Images
In her forthcoming photographic exhibition, 'Make Do and Mend', award winning Terriotorial Army Sergeant Alison Baskerville, 36, has captured images of these off duty moments. Sergeant Baskerville returned this summer from a tour in Afghanistan to win two categories, Professional Portrait and Professional Operational Image, in the Annual Army Photographic Competition. From 9 – 20 November, Gallery 150, Leamington Spa, is being transformed with pictures, props and materials that will give you a flavour of Army life on operations.
Sergeant Alison Baskerville served out in Afghanistan as a member of the Combat Camera Team which meant she was out on the ground, sometimes for days or weeks at a time, recording the 'on and off' duty moments of life in a tough environment.
"We see lots of pictures, photographs of soldiers living and working in the field but much of life on operations, as one soldier described it to me is '99% boredom and 1% chaos!'. I was intrigued to capture the other side of life in Afghanistan, the way soldiers improvise every day objects to make life more comfortable, how they cope with boredom, add humour and live through the separation from their friends and families. When you start looking, you suddenly see moments of thoughtfulness, how people spend their 'down time' and the interaction with the Afghan people." Said Sergeant Alison Baskerville.
"We are delighted that Sergeant Baskerville has chosen to support The Royal British Legion with her photographic exhibition. Her images are incredible and she brings an insight into the life of a soldier while he is away from home which will resonate with many of our servicemen and women and their families. It is also very poignant that the exhibition launches during this year's Poppy Appeal. In this, our 90th year, it is more important than ever that we recognise the commitment made by our military personnel." Said Russell Thompson OBE, Director of National Events and Fundraising at The Royal British Legion.
The 2011 Poppy Appeal is about standing shoulder to shoulder with our brave Armed Forces. We need your support to help our injured Armed Forces to recover and to regain their confidence through The Royal British Legion Battle Back Centre for sports and adventurous training.
More than £1.4 million a week or over £200,000 a day is spent by the Legion on its work helping over 160,000 members of the Armed Forces Family – serving, ex-Service and their dependants.
The photographic exhibition, 'Make Do and Mend' is showing at Gallery 150, Regent Court Shopping Centre, 9 Livery Street, Leamington Spa, CV32 4NP from Wednesday 9 November to Sunday 20 November. Opening hours Monday – Saturday 11am – 6pm, Sunday 11am – 4pm. Gallery 150 is run and showcased by Leamington Studio Artists (LSA) www.lsa-artists.co.uk
The Royal British Legion stands shoulder to shoulder with all who Serve. It is the nation's leading Armed Forces charity providing care and support to all members of the British Armed Forces past and present and their families. It is also the national Custodian of Remembrance and safeguards the Military Covenant between the nation and its Armed Forces. It is best known for the annual Poppy Appeal and its emblem, the red poppy. www.britishlegion.org.uk
The Legion has committed £50 million over ten years to pay for the creation and operation of The Royal British Battle Back Centre, and to fund operating costs of the Personnel Recovery Centres, including four recovery centres in the UK and a facility in Germany. The Battle Back Centre will be a centre of excellence for adaptive sports and adventurous training, which will help Service personnel recover after their injuries, by focusing on what they can do rather than cannot do.