Royal British Legion officers removed over charity's operation

Compliance concerns about a property sale, allegations of a loss charitable funds, and concerns about how Poppy Appeal donations might be spent were among allegations raised in Royal British Legion (RBL) internal investigations into the charity's operations in Northern Ireland. The internal documents, obtained by BBC News NI, reveal concerns across branches in Antrim, Tandragee, and Finaghy, as well as at district committee level. The investigations led to sanctions for some branch officers and the Northern Ireland District Committee being "removed from office" in 2024. The RBL said "there is still work to be done", but they are "confident progress is being made". Last month, it was reported that almost £100,000 of public money intended to provide activities for veterans, like craft, drama, and social meals to tackle loneliness was not spent how it was intended and used to refurbish a branch building in Tandragee. The Royal British Legion (RBL) Northern Ireland District Committee oversees about 70 branches and roughly 8,000 members, supporting veterans and serving personnel. It can also have a role overseeing local branches - these are called District Supported Branches (DSB) and t