The Bermuda Legion has linked forces with overseas services after being formally invited to join the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League.

The Island’s charity for war veterans and their widows has also become affiliated with the Royal Canadian Legion’s Caribbean branch in an effort to boost its advocacy for the veteran community.

Bermuda Legion caseworker Carol Everson said that while the move was unlikely to bring in more funds for local veterans, it would bring benefits “much more valuable than money”.

“They now stand shoulder to shoulder with us in advocacy, and we get the chance to join in fellowship with other Caribbean legions,” Ms Everson said. “Some of the nations are poor, but others like Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Britain have very strong backgrounds of providing resources for veterans.”

In an effort spanning years, the Bermuda Legion had to provide evidence of good governance, plus financial statements of its welfare work.

“We’ve asked for help and support in maintaining our benefits for Bermuda’s war veterans, as most of our veterans are around 90 years old and many are in frail health.

“We’ve asked for help in protecting benefits and pensions which at this moment barely meet the most basic of their needs.

“We’ve still got about 230 veterans in Bermuda, plus some who don’t receive Government benefits, and we’re striving to protect the benefits that they only received a few years ago, having gone the better part of their lifetimes with no recognition.”

Ms Everson added: “One important thing to note is they don’t ask us to send any monies back to them.

“We send nothing out of Bermuda, and all our donated funds are spent on welfare and advocacy.”

Among the Legion’s hopes is to open “a nursing rest home specifically for veterans and widows”, she said.

“There’s a great need for good nursing homes, and a dearth of good care within them.”

Ms Everson said she’d also been invited by the Royal Scottish Legion to attend a summer training course on “well-being and befriending” — which consists of “going to people’s homes to check on them, making sure that they have medical and family support and that they’re not in want”.

And the group hopes to introduce a course to the Island, purchased from the US Alzheimer’s Association, that will train families in understanding the needs of elderly Alzheimer’s sufferers.

Additional courses would be aimed at “the more professional level”, Ms Everson said.

“All levels carry a certification that would be renewable every two years. Organising it will be a challenge, but we hope to be able to offer these courses, sponsored by the Bermuda Legion, toward the end of 2014 or early 2015.”