News

Ray Parlour and the FA Cup aboard HMS Illustrious

The FA Cup and Ray Parlour climbed aboard HMS Illustrious today as more than 1000 tickets for the FA Cup Final were allocated to members of the Armed Forces thanks to the ongoing partnership between the Football Association and Tickets For Troops.

Four time winner of the FA Cup, Ray Parlour, took time to meet and speak with servicemen and women on board HMS Illustrious before presenting senior officers and crew with 185 tickets for the final this Saturday.

HMS Illustrious, together with HMS Edingurgh and HMS Blythe, are moored in the capital for 6 days of events to commemorate the longest military campaign of the Second World War, the Battle of the Atlantic.
ICC Champions Trophy 2013 announce partnership with Tickets for Troops

The England and Wales Cricket Board is giving over 1,500 free tickets to Tickets for Troops for matches in the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 taking place in England and Wales this summer. This is in addition to the ICC's already existing global charity partnerships.

Tickets to four games, including England vs New Zealand on 16 June will be distributed by the charity, which provides free tickets to members of the armed forces and those medically discharged since 2001 and has had over 120,000 servicemen and women register to make use of the service since launching in 2009.

"I am delighted that the ECB has chosen to support the charity and the British Armed Forces at the Champions Trophy this summer" said Director of Operations, Ross Barden. "Their generosity to Tickets for Troops is a clear symbol of their recognition and appreciation of the sacrifices, hard work and bravery our servicemen and women make on a daily basis. It is a pleasure and an honour to be able to help reward these extraordinary and courageous people."

Tournament Director Steve Elworthy commented: "The ECB and several Frist Class Counties are longstanding supporters of Tickets for Troops and we are proud to extend this relationship through this summer's Champions Trophy as a way for the game to demonstrate its support and appreciation of the dedication and commitment of the men and women from our forces."

"The England vs New Zealand fixture is on Fathers' Day and so we hope this will provide a fantastic opportunity for members of our the armed forces to spend time with their loved ones."

The ICC Champions Trophy, featuring Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies, will be played across three world-class venues - Cardiff Wales Stadium, Edgbaston and The Oval - over 18 days in this action-packed event from 6-23 June.
The FA Cup Semi-Final

More than 1,500 troops and their families attended The FA Cup Semi-Finals at Wembley Stadium last weekend thanks to the on-going partnership between The FA and Tickets For Troops.

Tickets were made avilable for both Wigan v Millwall (Saturday 13^th April) and Chelsea v Manchester City (Sunday 14^th April).

The FA has generously supported Tickets For Troops since the charity was set up in 2009, providing 500 tickets for every England International at Wembley Stadium. Tickets have also been donated for a host of other fixtures at the national stadium including Cup Finals and The FA Community Shield.

All four clubs in the semi-finals are also, in their own right, strong supporters of the charity and provide tickets to the scheme on a regular basis for each fixture played at their respective grounds.

The Chairman of the FA, David Bernstein, recently gave praise to the charity and partnership. He said: "l'd like to pay tribute to football's relationship with our armed services. They are historic and close friends of the game and I am delighted we can in our own small way repay their great service to us through initiatives such as Tickets for Troops."
Ballot Block Reduced From 2 Years to One!

We are delighted to announce that from today the period of time between successful ballot entries has been reduced from two years to one year. This means that if you have been successful in the most high profile events you will no longer need to wait two years before entering the ballot to attend another. The reduction will also apply to members who have
already been successful in a ballot and have waited over 12 months. These members will be able to once again apply for ballots with immediate effect.

The ballot system is in place to make it as fair as possible for the 120,000 registered members to attend some of the most sought after events that are on offer. Balloted events make up 25% of the tickets listed on the website and the remaining tickets are available on a first come
first serve basis.

Director of Operations, Ross Barden, explains, 'After nearly four years in operation and having distributed over 345,000 tickets to our members, it seemed like a great time to reduce the ballot block to one year. We realise that since Tickets For Troops was established in 2009,
most troops will have had an opportunity to attend some of the best events listed as ballots on our system, and we feel that it is time to allow servicemen and women more frequent access to our best events.'

Balloted events in the past have included The Brit Awards, The Skyfall Royal World Premier, England games at Wembley and The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.

If you would like to donate tickets to an event, please do get in touch by emailing info@ticketsfortroops.org.uk

Tickets for Troops is available to those currently serving or who have been medically discharged since 2001. For your chance to attend some fantastic events, visit www.ticketsfortroops.org.uk and register
March 2013 Update

2013 has got off to a brilliant start at Tickets for Troops.

Last month was the most successful February we've had to date with some fantastic tickets coming in. These included tickets for Scotland v Italy, X Factor Tour, Madagascar Live!, the Capital One Cup Final and one of our most popular events every year, the Brit Awards 2013. We've also seen a rise in theatre donations

As well as the ticket success, it was also announced the Tickets for Troops would be receiving £160,000 from the LIBOR Fund. TFT is one of four Forces Charities to be awarded this money and one of the first grants made from the £35million allocated to support Armed Forces charities from fines levied on banks following the LIBOR rate fixing scandal.

Now we are almost half way through March and things certainly aren't slowing down!

On the theatre front, the latest show to come on board is Viva Forever. Starting with a bumper allocation of tickets, the show will then provide tickets every week for a few months that will run on a ballot system. We've also received tickets for Joseph and his Technicolour Dream Coat in Aylesbury, War Horse, Soldiers Wives at Salisbury Playhouse and Singin' in the Rain.

The Royal Albert Hall have continued their fantastic support and we have 3 balloted shows later in the month with more in April.

We received tickets for the Wales v England game on 16th March. The much saught after tickets meant that we had nearly 3,800 troops enter the ballot - one of our most popular events to date. Aston Villa generously donated tickets for their game against Fulham in April.

We were lucky enough to be donated tickets to Kayne West's gig at the Hammersmith Apollo at the start of the month which was enjoyed by many troops. Ne-Yo is on tour with Tulisa and Concor Maynard and we've had tickets for Newcastle, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham and London.

Keep an eye on the website, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to make sure you don't miss out on all our fantastic tickets!
Viva Forever!

Tickets for Troops is delighted to announce that 'Viva Forever' is the latest theatre show to come on board and support the charity. Starting off with a bumper ticket donation from Monday 11th March, the charity will then receive tickets every week over the next few months.

The show is proving incredibly popular amongst the Armed Forces with the first allocation of tickets listed on www.ticketsfortroops.org.uk being snapped in minutes.

Ross Barden, Director of Operations for Tickets for Troops, said 'It's fantastic that we've been donated tickets to Viva Forever. We were getting a lot of requests from our members for this show so the fact that they are willing to donate these tickets to us is hugely appreciated. It is a real family show and we are so happy to be able to provide this opportunity for the troops to spend a lovely evening out with their loved ones.'

Viva Forever is the story of a young girl's journey as she's propelled into the superficial world of 'Starmaker', a TV talent show that offers the fame and fortune she thinks she craves. But life in the spotlight isn't everything it's cracked up to be, for the contestants, their families or even those who have the deciding votes. The show has had rave reviews already and is definitely not to be missed!

For your chance to go to Viva Forever or any other shows that the charity has tickets for, visit www.ticketsfortroops.org.uk.
TFT Allocated LIBOR Fund

Tickets For Troops is delighted to announce that it has been allocated funds from the LIBOR Fund. As a small charity which was only launched three years ago and relies on individual donations, this extra support will be a fantastic boost to the charity and allow it to continue providing the wide range of free tickets to major events to thousands of members of the Armed Forces in recognition of the enormous sacrifice they make on our behalf. To
find out more about the LIBOR Fund and allocation, please click here
TROOPS TO CHEER ON ENGLAND AT WEMBLEY

Five hundred servicemen and women will be at Wembley Stadium tonight (Wednesday 6^th February) to cheer on England as they take on Brazil. The tickets have been provided by The FA as part of their on-going partnership with Tickets For Troops.

The FA have supported Tickets For Troops since the charity was established in 2009, providing five hundred tickets for every England International at Wembley Stadium. Over 13,000 tickets have been donated for these fixtures to date.

Tickets For Troops patron and England Captain, Steven Gerrard said: "Young men and women are risking their lives every day and Tickets and Troops is a very simple way of respecting heir courage and their sacrifices."

The Chairman of the FA, David Bernstein, paid tribute to the charity at the recent launch of the 150^th Anniversary of the Football Association at the Connaught Rooms, in central London. Mr Bernstein said: "l'd like to pay tribute to football's relationship with our armed services. They are historic and close friends of the game and I am delighted we can in our own small way repay their great service to us through initiatives such as Tickets for Troops."

England manager, Roy Hodgson, showed his support saying "I have always been a great supporter of our Armed Forces and there is a strong connection between the England football team and the support of those that serve our country."

"These young men and women, who serve us in such a dedicated, courageous and loyal way, should make us all feel very proud."
Tickets For Troops Ambassador Samantha Cameron has lunch at Wellington Barracks as she presents BRIT Awards 2013 tickets to servicemen and women

Tickets For Troops Ambassador Samantha Cameron paid tribute to servicemen and women, as the charity offers tickets for the Brit Awards

Today (Monday 28th January) Samantha Cameron visited the Wellington Barracks in London to present soldiers with tickets for The Brit Awards, on behalf of the charity.

Mrs Cameron joined soldiers for lunch before awarding tickets to those servicemen and women nominated by the station commander, Major Alexander Spry, for their immense dedication and bravery.

While at the Barracks, Mrs Cameron also met troops currently receiving care and support at the London District Personnel Recovery Unit.

Samantha Cameron said: "It is such a privilege to meet these young men and women who have been so courageous in the line of duty and are so proud to serve their country.

"I am honoured to be an Ambassador for Tickets For Troops- a brilliant charity that works to give a little back to those who give so much."

The BRIT Awards Limited has been a huge supporter of the charity providing 200 tickets for each show since 2010.
Ideal Home Show 2013 supports Tickets for Troops

The Ideal Home Show has teamed up with Tickets for Troops for the fourth year running, to provide tickets to the 105^th annual Ideal Home Show at Earls Court London, this March.

All service men and women will once again be able to take their families to the event on any day they wish throughout the 18 day show which runs from the 15^th March - 1^st April 20123.

Tickets For Troops Chairman, Lord Marland said:""The men and women of Her Majesty's Armed Forces are doing such an extraordinary job during these difficult times and we are so grateful for the wealth of support Tickets For Troops has received from the Ideal Home Show who have demonstrated their appreciation in such a generous way."

Lee Newton, CEO of Media 10the event owners commented:"The Ideal Home Show had traditionally been a British institution with strong connections to the British armed forces. Today, we continue to honour this association and look forward to once again opening our doors to our service men and women."

This year's show will see the largest selection of brands across seven dedicated sections including;Ideal Home Improvement, Ideal Interiors, Ideal Gardens, Ideal Food & Housewares, Ideal Gadgets, Ideal Shopping and Ideal Womanas well as a wide range of full scale model houses in ourIdeal Show Homesection.

The event will be brought to visitors by our celebrity Ambassadors which this year include:George Clarke, Suzi Perry, Alan Titchmarsh, Gregg Wallace, Melinda Messenger and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, who will all be at the event offering expert advice to visitors across the 18 day show.

The Ideal Home Show 2013 will open its doors for 18 days from the 15^th March - 1^st April 2013 at London's Earls Court from 10am - 6pm daily and late night Thursdays until 9pm.
British Racing continues its support for Tickets for Troops following record-breaking year
- Servicemen and
  women took advantage of over 8,500 free Racing tickets in 2012
- Troops will have
  access to some of British Racing's biggest days in 2013
For the fourth year running, Tickets for Troops is delighted to announce the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) its continuing to support the charity following a record-breaking year in 2012.

Last year over 8,500 tickets were used by members of Tickets for Troops - an increase of over 30% on 2011 - giving servicemen and women, and their families, the opportunity to enjoy a free raceday.

2013 promises to be another great year for the partnership with racecourses once again showing substantial support for the scheme. Not only are tickets available for over 1,000 fixtures, but also for some of Racing's premier events, including all five days of Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood, The Derby and St Leger, and popular days at Aintree, Chester and York.

Robin Mounsey, Media Manager for the BHA, said:

"For the fourth year running, we are proud that British Racing is able to play a role in showing appreciation for the courageous men and women who serve our country. Last year was an exceptional year for the partnership with a record number of troops making use of the scheme to go racing across Britain. We are grateful to our racecourses for their generosity, and hope that like last year, plenty of troops will enjoy a well-deserved day at the races."

Richard Johnson, second winning-most Jump Jockey of all time and Tickets for
Troops Patron, said:

"Once again I am thrilled at the level of support British Racing has shown to Tickets for Troops, and I am delighted that I will be continuing my involvement in 2013. It is pleasing that British racecourses are prepared to support such a worthwhile scheme in order to show Racing's gratitude for the work that our brave servicemen and women do each day."

Lord Marland, Chairman of Tickets for Troops, said:

"We are delighted that the partnership between Tickets for Troops and British Racing is continuing in 2013. Last year was a hugely successfully year and members of our Armed Forces enjoyed many great days out at racecourses up and down the country. 2013 looks set to be an even better year and we are looking forward to the relationship going from strength to strength, with troops being able to go to some of the best events that Racing has to offer. Thank you to all who have made this happen."
QPR & MK DONS SUPPORT OUR TROOPS

QPR FC have teamed up with MK Dons FC to offer FREE tickets to members of the British Armed Forces, and their families, for their upcoming FA Cup match.

The tickets for the Fourth Round match, which takes place at Loftus Road on Saturday 26^th January 2013, have been made available to servicemen and women, and those medically discharged from the forces since 2001, on the charity's website www.ticketsfortroops.org.uk.

Philip Beard, QPR Chief Executive:"Tickets For Troops is a fantastic initiative. It shows our appreciation for everyone in the forces who are out there serving our country. We recognise the very special job they do on behalf of all of us and this is a great way of saying thank you. They are the real heroes in this country and we are indebted to them for the fantastic work they do for the freedom of our country. We are always delighted to support them and we look forward to welcoming them to Loftus Road on Saturday."

Andrew Cullen, MK Dons Chief Executive:"We are delighted to have linked up with Queens Park Rangers to offer tickets to Saturday's match for the troops. Our servicemen and women put their bodies on the line for the freedom of our country and this is a small token of MK Dons and QPR's admiration, respect and gratitude to our Armed Forces."
TNA WRESTLING GET BEHIND OUR TROOPS

Tickets For Troops, is delighted to have teamed up with TNA Wrestling to offer members of the British Armed Forces, and their families, tickets for the Maximum Impact V UK tour which starts on Wednesday 23^rd January 2013. The tickets have been made available for shows in Glasgow, Nottingham, London and Manchester.

TNA President Dixie Carter said: "We can't wait to welcome the troops and their families to TNA Wrestling live so we can thank them for everything they do for their country."
David Beckham and Ray Winstone Show Their Support

DAVID BECKHAM showed his support for Tickets For Troops during a visit to Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital when he met injured servicemen and women and their families with tough-guy actor Ray Winstone.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy also took time out to sign a Tickets For Troops banner as well as pose for photographs and sign autographs for the patients, visitors and staff.

Beckham, who has always been big supporter of the British Armed Forces visited Afghanistan three years ago on a goodwill visit and is a regular guest at the Prince of Wales's Millies Awards which recognises outstanding acts of courage and kindness.

Beckham said: "These brave young men and women deserve a special place in our thoughts for their courage and their dedication and should make us all feel very proud."

Chairman of Tickets For Troops, Lord Marland said: "We are delighted that David had time to show his support for Tickets For Troops in this way. He is a massive supporter of the troops and we know it really makes a difference that someone like him shows so much interest in their well-being."
FA Chairman Pays Tribute to TFT & Armed Forces at 150th Anniversary

The Chairman of the FA, David Bernstein today paid tribute to the charity Tickets For Troops (www.ticketsfortroops.org.uk) as he launched the 150^th Anniversary of the Football Association at the Connaught Rooms, in central London.

Mr Bernstein said: "l'd like to pay tribute to football's relationship with our armed services. They are historic and close friends of the game and I am delighted we can in our own small way repay their great service to us through initiatives such as Tickets for Troops who are represented here today."

The FA invited 10 injured troops from Headley Court, Surrey to the event, which was also attended by FOUR former England managers, Graham Taylor, Terry Venables, Sven Goran Eriksson, Fabio Capello and current manager Roy Hodgson and included video tributes from the FA President, HRH The Duke of Cambridge and David Beckham and Sir Alex Ferguson.
2013 Is Off To A Great Start!

Two weeks into 2013 and it is already promising to be a bumper year of tickets!

The Brit Awards 2013  with Mastercard have pledged their support for a third year running with a hugely generous donation of tickets for 'money can't buy' tickets. The ballot is now up and running on the website.

More celeb filled balloted tickets include the  Strictly Come Dancing Tour,  The X Factor Tour  and the  National TV Awards.

For football fans, a ballot is running for the  England v Brazil  game on 6th February. There are lots of other tickets for football games on the website, both balloted & first come, first served, so have a look for your chance to cheer on your team.

With the RBS 6 Nations fast approaching, we are thrilled that we have tickets for Scotland v Italy, Wales v England & Wales v Ireland.

We've been donated tickets for  Madagascar Live!  in Bournemouth and Birmingham and hope that we might be lucky enough to have more tickets for Brighton later in January donated too.

Other events currently online include -  Masters Snooker,  British Lions Boxing vs Ukraine Otamans,  British Lions Boxing vs Astana Kazakhstan  and  the Ideal Home Show

Lots more tickets will be coming in so make sure you are always up to date and never missing out in 2013 by signing  up to our newsletter, liking us on  Facebook  or following us on  Twitter
2012 Christmas Card Winners!

We had a huge amount of fantasatic Christmas Card designs sent in to us this year. The range and creativity were great and we really enjoyed seeing them all!

The card that received the most 'likes' on Facebook was sent in by Tracey Alexander and was made by the children of Beaumont Primary School whose fathers will be in Afghanistan this Christmas.

This year, we also had 3 celebrity judges who each picked their favourite design. The chosen 3 will be turned in Christmas Cards for 2013 to raise money for the charity.

Jeremy Clarkson and the Top Gear Team picked Amanda Thompson's 'Far From Home' image.

Olympic Gold Medalist and soldier, Heather Stanning, liked 'Father Christmas Arrives in Afghanistan' by Dave Richardson the best.

Bevelery Knight's favorite was 'Afghanistan Sunset' by Paul Lau.

A big well done to the winners and thank you to all who took part. We look forward to seeing the entries next year!
It's a Big Game for the Troops!

The military charity, Tickets For Troops, is delighted to announce that in a partnership with Premiership Rugby sponsors, AVIVA, and Harlequins Rugby Football Club, 150 FREE tickets have been made available to servicemen and women for The Big Game 5 at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday 29^th December 2012.

The festive fixture will see Harlequins, the AVIVA Premiership Champions, take on London Irish and Lawson, the rock/pop band, will headline the match day entertainment with two further acts to be announced.

Patron Gaven Hastings OBE said that Tickets For Troops: "Is giving organisations all over the country a chance to show how proud they are of the troops and the great work that they have done."

Tickets For Troops Chairman, Lord Marland said: "Tickets For Troops has benefited from a great wave of generosity from ticket donors who have wanted to demonstrate their support and show their appreciation for the dedication and commitment of the marvellous men and women of our Armed Forces."

Tickets for Troops has teamed up with a wide range of organisations since the charity was set up in 2009 and has been able to offer free tickets to servicemen and women for a huge number of high profile events which have recently included tickets for The Rolling Stones, Disney On Ice and the James Bond: Skyfall Premiere at the Royal Albert Hall.

In three years the charity has provided over 300,000 tickets and more than 115,000 troops have registered on the website - www.ticketsfortroops.org.uk.

This initiative has attracted maximum support from a host of Patrons, including Laurence Dallaglio, Gary Lineker, and Jeremy Clarkson.
Troops Attending World Darts Championship 2012

The military charity, Tickets For Troops, is delighted to announce that the Professional Darts Corporation will be supporting the scheme this Christmas providing servicemen and women with over 200 tickets for the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship. Tickets have been made available on the charity website, www.ticketsfortroops.org.uk, for the evening session of darts at the Alexandra Palace on Monday 17^th December.

The tournament will be held for the fifth time at London's Alexandra Palace, taking place from Thursday 14^th December 2011 until 1^st January 2012. A total of 72 players including Phil 'The Power' Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld will be competing, challenging last year's winner Adrian Lewis who will be attempting to retain his title. The lucky troops to win these tickets will see three matches including action from Englishman, James Wade, the second most successful player
in PDC history.

The Professional Darts Corporation have been supporting Tickets For Troops since the charity was set up in 2009 and have provided thousands of tickets for members of the Armed Forces and their families. Barry Hearn, PDC Chairman said: "We are delighted to be supporting Tickets for Troops again at the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship. Our brave men and women in the services deserve the opportunity to have a good night out and enjoy themselves and there's no better place for them to do that than the darts!"

Ross Barden, Operations Director of Tickets for Troops, commented 'The PDC has always been extremely supportive of Tickets For Troops and we are delighted that they have again given servicemen and women the opportunity to enjoy an evening of darts. I have no doubt that the boys and girls will have a fantastic evening away from the stresses of their challenging work."

Tickets for Troops has been supported by a wide range of organisations subsequently being able to offer free tickets to a huge number of high profile events; recently these have included tickets for the Sports Personality of the Year Awards, The Rolling Stones and The ATP World Tour Tennis Finals, at the O2 Arena, London.

The charity was set up in 2009 to provide members of the Armed Forces with free tickets for major sporting events including football, horseracing, rugby, darts and cricket matches as well as theatre performances, music concerts and cultural attractions. Since launching it has provided over 300,000 tickets and over 115,000 troops have registered on the
website -www.ticketsfortroops.org.uk

For more information on 'The 2012 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship' please visit-www.pdc.tv/page/WorldChamps
Freddie Flintoff welcomes troops to debut fight in Manchester

The military charity, Tickets For Troops, is delighted to announce that Freddie Flintoff has donated FREE tickets to servicemen and women for his professional debut boxing fight. Members of the Armed Forces will be able to cheer on the former England cricket captain as he takes on American boxer Richard Dawson at the Manchester Arena, on Friday 30^th November. Tickets have been made available to all serving personnel and those medically discharged since 2001 on the website www.ticketsfortroops.org.uk

Freddie, who is a Tickets For Troops patron, has been training intensely with former world champion Barry McGuigan and his son Shane over the past four months, in preparation for his heavyweight debut. Some of Freddie's training over this time has been with the British Army Boxing team at their new facility, the Combat Sports Centre, in Aldershot.

Freddie said: "I am really pleased to be able to donate tickets to my fight to the troops. I have been doing a lot of my training down at the barracks in Aldershot and it has opened doors for me. I have learnt so much from them - they are tough lads! It feels nice to be able to give a little something back to these incredible people who are so selfless in representing our country."

Ross Barden, Director of Operations at Tickets For Troops, said: 'Freddie has always been extremely supportive of military charities and we are delighted that he has, via Tickets For Troops, given servicemen and women the opportunity to watch his fight next weekend. I have no doubt that the boys and girls will really get behind him and have a fantastic evening away from the stresses of their challenging work. We all hope Freddie can secure a victory on his boxing debut!'

Tickets For Troops has seen a wealth of support from a wide range of organisations, venues and individuals across the country who have wanted to show their appreciation for the hard work and sacrifices that servicemen and women make on our behalf. The donation of tickets for Freddie's fight comes as the charity celebrates its third anniversary and the allocation of its 300,000 tickets since inception in 2009.

Cameras have been following Freddie and his family throughout his training and a trilogy of hour long episodes named 'From Lords to the Ring' covering his toughest challenge yet will be shown on Sky 1. The fight itself will be broadcasted on BoxNation with a further hour long follow up episode airing a few weeks later on Sky 1. The second episode of the series airs tonight (Tuesday 27^th November).

Image - Military boxers from the Grenadier Guards visit Freddie Flintoff during training in Battersea
TICKETS FOR TROOPS CLOCKS UP 300,000 FREE TICKETS IN JUST 3 YEARS!

Tickets For Troops, has distributed 300,000 FREE ticket just days after the scheme marked its third anniversary, it was announced today (Friday , 23^rd November).

Since it was launched in 2009 Tickets For Troops has been providing FREE tickets to service personnel for top events across the UK including The Brit Awards, James Bond's Skyfall Premier, FA Cup Finals, England Internationals at Wembley, The Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Other organisations supporting the charity by donating tickets include The Premier League, The Football League, The British Horseracing Authority, The PGA, Premiership Rugby, the LTA and British Tennis and the Rugby Football League. Many West End theatres and individual performers such as Rod Stewart, Sir Elton John and comedians John Bishop and Michael McIntyre have also given thousands of tickets.

Ross Barden, Director of Operations atTickets For Troops, said: 'We are delighted to have reached this magnificent milestone in such a short period of time. On behalf of everyone at Tickets For Troops I must thank all the organisations, clubs, venues and individuals that have got behind the charity and supported the men and women of our Armed Forces with such generosity and pride, this achievement would not have been possible without you.'

Private Tom Harding of 3^rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment and a lifelong Chelsea fan was allocated the 300.000^th milestone ticket for Chelsea v Manchester City at Stamford Bridge this Sunday.

As part of the celebrations Pte Harding was invited by Chelsea FC to meet club Captain John Terry at their Cobham training ground in Surrey. Terry presented Pte Harding with the 300,000 ticket for the weekend's game which includes access for him and a guest to the Executive Lounge at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea FC was a founder supporter ofTickets For Troopsand have donated 50 tickets for every home fixture since the charity was set up in 2009.

Pte Harding, completed Op HERRICK 13 as an Light Machine Gunner and since then has returned to the UK and has been on the Airborne Task Force (ABTF) for the past 18 months. He also plays football for the Battalion, Infantry and Army U23 football team.

He said: 'I can't believe it. I've been a Chelsea fan all my life but often find it difficult to attend games because of the nature of my job. I never expected in a million years that I would get to meet the captain at the training ground, let alone in the same week have the opportunity and privilege to watch Chelsea take on Manchester City from the Stamford Bridge Executive Lounge.

'I can't thank Tickets For Troops and Chelsea enough for this once in a lifetime opportunity. Tickets For Troops does such a fantastic job in keeping spirits high amongst the all the Armed Forces and I hope they can continue to operate for many years to come.'

Chelsea Captain, John Terry, who is a Tickets For Troops Patron said: 'it's an honour to have met Tom and I'm delighted to have been able to present him with the 300,000^th ticket on behalf of Tickets for Troops. Tom and his colleagues in the forces are real heroes and I and everyone at the club have nothing but respect for the sacrifices they make on behalf of our country. It is wonderful that so many organisations have supported this incredible scheme and such a substantial number of tickets have been donated.'

Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck is also a patron of the charity and welcomed the landmark: 'Chelsea Football Club has been a proud supporter of Tickets for Troops since its formation in 2009. To have given away 300,000 tickets to members of the Armed Forces is a phenomenal achievement and underlines the great respect the Armed Services have within the entertainment and sports industries and among the general public.

' It is extremely fitting that the 300,000^th ticket will go to Private Tom Harding for Chelsea's game against Manchester City this weekend and we are honoured that as part of the initiative 50 troops enjoy the opportunity to watch Chelsea at every one of our home games. It is our privilege to host them at Stamford Bridge.'

Tickets For Troops Chairman Lord Marland said: "It is constantly humbling to see the waves of organisations generously supporting Tickets For Troops and ultimately showing their appreciation to the servicemen and women who work so tirelessly to protect our freedom. We have seen first-hand what these tickets mean to troops and it is clear that Tickets For Troops is making a huge difference in boosting moral. It is a pleasure and an honour to be able to help reward these extraordinary, courageous and brave people for all their hard work and sacrifices.'
Tickets For Troops help make it a Happy Ho-Ho-Holiday for Service Personnel

In a bid to make this year's Christmas even more special for servicemen and women and their families, the Tickets for Troops elves have been hard at work getting FREE tickets for a vast range of events taking place over the festive period. Currently over 5000 additional tickets have been made available with more being donated every day!

Theatres up and down the UK have generously donated tickets for festive pantomimes and productions, perfect for a family Christmas treat. Theatres supporting the initiative this year include those in military areas such as Salisbury Playhouse, the Cambridge Corn Exchange, The Regent in Stoke-on-Trent and King's Theatre, Glasgow. Tickets have also been donated for the critically acclaimed Alan Ackroyd comedy 'A Chorus of Disapproval' staring Rob Brydon and west end favorites Billy Elliot the Musical and Phantom of the Opera.

In music tickets for Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson have been made available to troops whilst comedians Michael McIntyre, John Bishop, Jason Byrne and Lee Nelson have all supported the charity at their tours across the UK so troops everywhere can enjoy some festive cheer. Jongleurs Comedy Club, have also increased their ticket donation for comedy evenings in Nottingham, Bristol and Birmingham.

The Christmas bumper allocation of tickets doesn't stop there. There's a vast range of tickets for the Big Game (Harlequins v London Irish) at Twickenham, The Ladbrokes.com Darts in London, Freddie Flintoff Fight Night in Manchester, the Statoil Masters Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall and a whole host of top flight football and rugby fixtures across the UK.

The charity also has been donated hundreds of ticket for two fantastic exhibitions in London; A Taste of Christmas at the Excel Centre and the Ideal Home Show Christmas at Earl's Court.
Troops Receive Special Recognition at the Arsenal v Fulham Game

On Saturday 10^th November, as part of their Remembrance Day activities, Arsenal FC invited 40 troops from the Army, Navy and RAF to attend their game against Fulham.

The troops played a big part throughout the day and were able to watch the teams arrive which gave them the opportunity to meet and have their photos taken with Arsenal and England player Jack Wilshere.

Cpl Aran Rushe, from 1^st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment, had the honour of presenting the match day ball to the teams. He had been nominated by his colleagues in the regiment who felt he was a worthy soldier for the job. Cpl Rushe has deployed twice to Afghanistan, in 2008 & 2010, in the roll of medic with an Infantry Battle group and is preparing to deploy again for a third time in March 2013. He was awarded the 'Children's Champion Award' in
March 2011 by Davina McCall during a televised award ceremony broadcast on Sky
TV for his actions in saving the life of an 8 year old Afghan girl named Shifa Khan who received serious gunshot wounds to the abdomen and thigh caused by insurgents opening fire on troops whilst she was in the vicinity. He ran from cover to pick her up and move her to the relative safety of a checkpoint where he stabilised her and arranged for her transfer to the military hospital in Camp Bastion. He has been a lifelong Arsenal fan. Cpl Rushe
received a standing ovation from the crowd.

The day was especially poignant for the eight servicemen from the Royal Anglian Regiment who have recently returned from an gruelling six month operational tour of Afghanistan.

At half time, 14 of the soldiers, sailors and airmen headed onto the pitch to wave at the crowd where they also received a standing ovation.

Captain Nigel Bradley, Royal Irish, said: 'Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves and meeting Jack Wilshire was an added bonue! Cpl Rushe had a 'ball' and will not forget his moment of fame in a hurry. Thank you to everyone who made this possible.'

Ross Barden, Director of Operations for the charity said: ''We're incredibly grateful to Arsenal for donating these tickets and showing their support for the Armed Forces. Football is an incredibly popular sport amongst the troops and to have these tickets
over such a poignant weekend for them really does illustrate the level of appreciation the football community has for our Forces and all they do for us.''

There were over 1000 troops at games across the country which was made possible thanks to the on-going partnership between Tickets For Troops, the Premier League and Premiere League Clubs. Thousands of troops were also present at Football League fixtures across the England and Wales thanks to nPower and the Football League.
Olympic heroine becomes a patron of Tickets For Troops

Tickets For Troops are delighted to announce that Olympic Gold Medal winner & Royal Artillery officer Capt Heather Stanning has agreed to be a patron of the charity.

Heather, from Yeovil, Somerset, is a Captain in the 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery based in Larkhill, Wiltshire, and wasreleased from her Army duties to pursue an Olympic career with Team GB to compete at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Paired with Helen Glover, the duo won a gold medal, the first for their country of the 2012 Games and the first ever British Olympic gold medal in women's rowing. [] She has now returned to the Army and is currently undertaking a period of intensive military training which will prepare her to deploy to Afghanistan in 2013.

Cpt Stanning, when asked to become an ambassador for the charity, said "I think Tickets For Troops is a great scheme and know many people who have benefited from it. Such an easy way to boost morale and provide a small token of appreciation to the forces family."

Tickets For Troops Director of Operations, Ross Barden said: "We are delighted that Captain Stanning has agreed to become a patron and support Tickets For Troops. Heather's success at the London 2012 Olympics was an inspiring achievement and gave servicemen and women a real boost in morale. It is an honour to have her on board!"
Scottish Rugby salute our servicemen and women

Tickets for Troops is delighted to have teamed up with Scottish Rugby to provide over 100 members of the Armed Forces with free tickets for Scotland v South Africa. The EMC Autumn International fixture kicks off at Murrayfield this Saturday, 17^th November at 14:30. The tickets were made available on the Tickets For Troops website www.ticketsfortroops.org.uk to troops who are currently serving and those who have been medically discharge since 2001.

Chairman of Tickets For Troops Lord Marland said "We are enormously grateful to Scottish Rugby for their overwhelming generosity in providing these wonderful tickets for servicemen and women. These perks provide a real boost in morale to the troops who are doing such an extraordinary job during these difficult times."

Scottish rugby legend and Tickets For Troops Patron, Gavin Hastings said: "Tickets For Troops gives organisations all over the country a chance to show how proud they are of the troops and thank them for the great work that they do on our behalf."