Major from Madeley appointed 4 All’s Patron
From Madeley to Garrison Sergeant Major – that’s the journey of the man newly announced as 4 All Foundation’s new Patron.
Andrew ‘Vern’ Stokes OBE MVO DL is set to act as an ambassador for the charity, which supports the very communities he grew up in, and says he is ‘delighted’ about the appointment.
Having grown up in Madeley and attended the former BRJ School in Wellington, now known as Holy Trinity Academy, Vern enlisted in the British Army aged 16 and travelled the world, undertaking operational tours in Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia among others.
Vern trained countless soldiers at Sandhurst, taking on the role of Academy Sergeant Major (at the time the most senior post a soldier could attain) and being awarded a Meritorious Service Medal, True Englishman of the Year by the St George’s Day Society, and an OBE in the King’s first Birthday Honours list. Additionally, he has been appointed Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) and Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Shropshire (DL).
Over the past decade, he has held the role of Garrison Sergeant Major, planning and delivering State Ceremonial events as prestigious as Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance (for which he won a BAFTA), King Charles III’s Coronation, and the VE Day 80 military ceremonial events.
He says: “As a youngster growing up in Telford, I relied upon organisations offering similar opportunities to those that the 4 All Foundation now deliver.
“They shaped me, kept me occupied, gave me purpose and experiences that I still reminisce about, ultimately giving me the confidence to begin my career, and that is why I am delighted to be appointed as their Patron.
“The charity is helping people to find their feet, supporting their needs and building communities across Shropshire.”
4 All Foundation’s Director of Operations, George Hounsell, added: “There are a huge number of successful people who have connections to Shropshire, but when you consider the impact Vern Stokes has had in defending our country, organising some of the most important ceremonies of the past decade, and teaching the next generation of Army recruits, it’s hard to think of someone more inspirational to appoint as our Patron.
“We are extremely lucky to have Vern on board with the charity, especially given how incredibly busy he is – but his lifelong commitment to giving back to the community where he was raised is as admirable as his list of honours and awards!
“We hope many of the individuals within the communities of Shropshire who 4 All supports are able to look to our new patron as a shining example of someone who has a very similar background to them and has gone on to be one of life’s real contributors.
“The Foundation was set up to support communities in need within the county, and you only have to look at Vern’s OBE citation to realise how closely his ethos matches with ours. It says: confidante, counsellor and mentor to the most successful, but also the struggling and vulnerable, is one of his notable and praiseworthy traits.”
Visit 4all.foundation or search 4 All Foundation on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for more information about the charity
