Falklands veteran pays tribute to woman who creates honorary scarves

A veteran of the Falklands War has paid tribute to a woman who started making scarves for those who served for bringing them back together.

Scarves for Falklands Veterans was started by Rachel Simons, who was an 11-year-old living in Stanley during the conflict in 1982.

What started as a small-scale effort has now expanded to a community of knitters and crocheters across the world making the scarves in the colours of the South Atlantic Medal ribbon for veterans and their families.

More than 9,000 scarves have now been given to veterans living across the world.

We have got about 350 creators, we call them wool wizards, and they create these scarves and then they gift them to Falklands veterans

Neil Binder

Neil Binder from the West Midlands is among the Falklands veterans who will be wearing his scarf proudly during the Remembrance Sunday parade in London.

He paid a warm tribute to Ms Simons for starting the movement, describing the scarves as having become so recognisable that King Charles even paused during an engagement to speak to a veteran he spotted wearing one last year.

“Back in 1982, Rachel was an 11-year-old girl living in Stanley during the occupation and liberation. Her mum was the senior nursing sister at the hospital in Stanley and her dad was the fire officer,” he told the PA news agency.

“I think it was in 2017 Rachel, who now lives in the UK, came up with the idea to create a scarf in the colours of the Falklands medal ribbon.

Rachel Simons and Neil Binder founded Scarves For Falklands Veterans (Rachel Simons/PA)PA Media - Rachel Simons

“She made one and she presented it to a Falklands veteran in her home town of Carlisle, and then a few other guys found out about the scarves and asked her about doing them, and it snowballed from there.

“In 2018, I think I was around number 82 on her waiting list. She started to get a few of her friends making them. The stipulation has always been that they have got to be handmade, either knitted or crocheted.

“The scarves are gifts but the only thing that people may be expected to pay for is the postage and packing costs, around £6.

“In October 2020, a Facebook group was set up, and now we have got in excess of 6,000 members, including Falklands veterans, their families and creators, the people who make the scarves, both men and women.

“We have got about 350 creators, we call them wool wizards, and they create these scarves and then they gift them to Falklands veterans.”

Mr Binder, who served with the Royal Navy, said at the age of 18 he was one of the youngest serving in the Falklands, sailing directly to the conflict from Gibraltar where he had been on exercise.

“It was one of the shorter conflicts, from invasion day to liberation, it was 74 days,” he said.

“It was a relatively short conflict but within military circles incredibly well known. Outside of that with Joe Public, it is a little bit forgotten.”

He said the scarves have “regenerated a family”.

“It has recreated the family that we had back in 1982. The scarf is very well recognised around the world to the point that even King Charles spotted one in the crowd when he became King and deliberately went across and spoke to the guy who was wearing it,” he said.

“We are a brotherhood. We affectionately call ourselves the class of 1982 so this has been an opportunity to rebuild old friendships and to build new friendships. We all walked a similar walk and had a shared experience.”

Audiences can catch a glimpse of the Falklands veterans wearing the scarves during broadcasts on Remembrance Sunday.