Veterans' Voices Heard: Northern Ireland Petition Surpasses Expectations

How 179,000 Veterans and Supporters United to Make History

179,000 strong: Our veterans stood together to protect those who served in Northern Ireland. Without paid promotion or institutional backing, we've achieved what major campaigns dream of. Your voice matters. #LegacyDisgrace #VeteransRights #OperationBanner

The petition to protect Northern Ireland veterans from prosecution achieved remarkable success, gathering 179,000 signatures — a testament to the strength of our veterans' community.

This triggered a Westminster debate on 14th July. We are still waiting for the outcome of the debate to be released.

But, importantly, to appreciate this achievement, take the estimated size of veteran’s community, said to be around 2 million, and compare typical marketing response rates:

• Direct mail to existing contacts: 9% (180,000 from 2 million)

• Prospecting mail: 5% (100,000 from 2 million)

• Newspaper adverts: 0.2% to 1% (4,000 to 20,000 from 2 million)

• Email campaigns: Less than 1% (under 20,000 from 2 million)

• Facebook adverts: 0.9% to 1.5% (18,000 to 30,000 from 2 million)

Our 179,000 signatures — nearly 9% of our potential audience — matches the highest engagement rates typically seen in professional marketing.

What makes this even more extraordinary:

• We achieved this through grassroots support, not paid advertising

• Each signature required active commitment

• The sensitive political nature of the issue

• We succeeded without institutional support or budget

To achieve similar numbers, traditional campaigns would need to reach:

• 2+ million people through direct mail

• 12-18 million people via social media

• 20+ million email addresses

This overwhelming response proves our message resonates deeply with those who understand the sacrifice of service.

It's not just a petition — it's a powerful demonstration of solidarity among our veterans' community.

Keep punching the bruise. Keep getting others to add their signature here.