They need £12.5 million to revamp their sign-making businesses, as they say the building isn't accessible enough for those with physical disabilities.
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00:00A consultation launched by Royal British Legion Industries has shown big plans for the Charities
00:06Factory in Aylesford.
00:08They're hoping to revamp the site, which sees its employees, many of whom are war veterans
00:14and those living with life-changing disabilities, construct road and rail signs, which are used
00:20across the country.
00:22We have a lot of guys that suffer with mental health issues, so things like PTSD, and they
00:28carry that with them all day.
00:31They can have good days, bad days, but on some days it really is a struggle for them
00:37to get to work.
00:38The event saw the public come to the Capel Morris Centre to give their opinions on the
00:43project and what they hoped to see.
00:46After which, the RBLI will be putting this forward as an application towards Tunbridge
00:52and Morling Borough Council, with the hopes of transforming this space behind me to be
00:58fit for the modern day.
01:00In addition, the proposals also include the construction of a training and conference
01:05centre, as well as the employment of 80 more people to add to the 158 already working in
01:13Aylesford.
01:14Speaking to the company's managing director, he spoke about the problems current workers
01:20face.
01:21So, the current building has done us really well over the last 50 years or so, but it's
01:27an old building, it was built in the 1970s, it's not very environmentally sound, it gets
01:32very cold in the winter, very hot in the summer, and our veterans deserve a better place to
01:38work.
01:39So, the new factory is really important because it secures their work and it secures the right
01:45working environment for them for the next 50 years.
01:49The RBLI's planning permission will be submitted next month, with the goal of beginning construction
01:55in spring next year and moving into the new facilities in summer of 2027.
02:02Henry Luck for Cain TV, in Aylesford.