A veterans’ organisation accused of ‘aggressive and unprofessional’ fundraising has been convicted of illegal street collections for a second time – days before Remembrance Day.
City of London magistrates hit We R Blighty and two of its directors with fines and costs totalling £3,640 for collecting money without a licence in the Square Mile earlier this year.
At the time of the offences, founder Ben Mills and his fellow director Danielle Vidler were aware that legal proceedings had commenced for earlier offences which later came to court in June.
In the latest case, the pair were sentenced on the same day a report published by the Fundraising Regulator found nine breaches of its code of practice by We R Blighty.
The watchdog said it was likely that donors could have been misled by confusing messaging wrongly suggesting a link with a reputable veterans’ charity, and that some of its fundraisers acted in an aggressive and unprofessional way.
Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s licensing committee John Fletcher said:
“As a veteran of 17 years’ service, I understand how important it is to support reputable veterans’ charities, especially at a time of year when we remember the service and sacrifice of the men and women who fought and died representing our country.
“Their quiet, dignified approach is in stark contrast to the way We R Blighty go about their business, and the shameless way in which they carried on collecting despite repeated warnings and an impending court case.
“This conviction is testament to the diligent work of our licensing and City Solicitors teams, and sends out a clear message that we won’t tolerate unlicensed collections on the streets of the Square Mile.”
In a hearing at City of London Magistrates’ Court on November 5, Mills admitted six offences and Vidler five offences, along with six breaches on behalf of the company itself.
They related to unlicensed collections at Cannon Street, London Bridge and Leadenhall Market in March, April and May this year.
The company was fined £1,200, with individual fines of £240 for Mills and £220 for Vidler. Meanwhile, the company was ordered to pay legal costs of £1,500 and a victim surcharge of £480.
The offences related to the Police, Factories 7. C. (misc. Provisions) Act 1916 and City of London (Various Powers) Act 1987.
In June 2025, Mills and Vidler pleaded guilty to 14 offences each between August 2024 and February this year. They and the company were ordered to pay fines totalling £1,792 and costs of £1,700.
The Fundraising Regulator’s report into We R Blighty can be viewed online at https://www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/about-fundraising/resources/we-r-blighty-community-interest-company-november-2025
