Celebrating International Day of Birmingham as Gold Partners of the Invictus Games 2027
Today is the second annualInternational Day of Birmingham. It started as one of Joe Lycett’s brilliantly eccentric ideas and has grown into something genuinely joyful.
Back in 2024, Joe set off on a road trip across North America to visit all the other Birminghams out there. With a blessing from our Lord Mayor and a lot of tongue-in-cheek diplomacy, he brought them all together in “Friendship Agreements” that created the United States of Birmingham. It was funny, it was heart-warming, and it reminded us how much pride and creativity our city inspires.
At M·E·L Research, that spirit really resonates with us. We have built our home and our business here, and we love shouting about Birmingham on the global stage. Which is why today feels like the perfect moment to share some exciting news of our own…
We are Gold Partners of the Invictus Games 2027
We are incredibly proud to announce that M·E·L Research is a Gold Partner of the Invictus Games 2027, which will be hosted at The National Exhibition Centre (NEC)!
For us, this is about more than supporting a major event (although Birmingham is brilliant at them). The Invictus Games are something truly special. They use the power of sport to support the recovery and rehabilitation of military personnel and veterans, showcasing resilience, determination and community in its purest form.
“As a Birmingham agency we take great pride in Birmingham’s consistent success in bidding for and winning significant events. Major events have a substantial impact on both regional and national economies – but these occasions not only boost areas economically, they also foster and support immense community pride.
Invictus is itself a special kind of event – harnessing the power of sport to supercharge the recovery and rehabilitation of military personnel and veterans. In a relatively short space of time it has become a world-renowned event and one which cities around the world would like to host. We look forward to seeing how the city and its partners deliver the Invictus Games in 2027, continuing Birmingham’s track record of hosting world-class events.”
Building on Our Invictus 2025 Experience
Richard, Skye and Sophi at the Invictus Games 2025 in Vancouver
This partnership builds on work we have already been lucky enough to do within the Armed Forces community. Earlier this year, our team worked with the Royal British Legion to evaluate the Invictus Games Programme at the 2025 Games in Whistler and Vancouver.
It was an unforgettable project. We listened to Team UK competitors, their families and friends as they shared what the Games meant to them. It was not only about competition, but also recovery, pride and identity. We did not just stick to surveys and interviews either. We brought in creative approaches like Research Bingo, graffiti walls, picture storytelling and conversation trees. These methods meant people could tell their stories in their own way, and that made the insights even more powerful.
Being part of that journey deepened our appreciation for what Invictus is all about, and we cannot wait to bring that learning home to Birmingham in 2027.
Armed Forces Community Market Research Case Studies
Help for Heroes – Veterans and Family Survey: Help for Heroes commissioned M·E·L Research to undertake a large-scale piece of research to build a robust evidence base around the needs, experiences and wellbeing of UK Armed Forces veterans and their close family members, and to contextualise these findings against the wider UK population.
Help for Heroes – Segmentation: Help for Heroes commissioned M.E.L Research to develop a detailed segmentation of the UK charity-giving public, focusing specifically on individuals who support – or could be encouraged to support – military and veterans’ charities. The charity sought an evidence-based understanding of the motivations, behaviours and communication preferences of potential supporters, with a view to strengthening engagement, improving message resonance, and ensuring its offer aligns with what matters most to supporters and prospective supporters.
Royal British Legion – Evaluation of Invictus Games 2025: M·E·L Research was commissioned by the Royal British Legion to evaluate the Invictus Games Programme at the 2025 Games in Whistler, Vancouver. We spoke to Team UK competitors, along with their families and friends, as they shared what the Games meant to them — not only in terms of competition, but also recovery, pride and identity. Alongside surveys and interviews, we used creative approaches such as Research Bingo, graffiti walls, picture storytelling and conversation trees, enabling participants to tell their stories in their own way and generating deeper, more powerful insights.
Royal British Legion – Battle Back Centre Recovery Services: M·E·L Research was comissioned to conduct research to support learning and service development within the specialist recovery provision of Royal British Legion.
Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust – Supporting Partners Programme: The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust commissioned us to integrate realist and empowerment evaluation principles with trauma informed practice to support learning at programme and system level.
That is exactly why this partnership with Invictus, and becoming Gold Partners of The Games, feels so right for us. It is about Birmingham once again showing what it can do on the world stage. More than that, it is about celebrating human resilience, supporting recovery and building a legacy that lasts long after the closing ceremony.
Looking Ahead
On this International Day of Birmingham, born out of humour, connection and a dash of Brummie mischief, we are proud to stand alongside the Invictus Games as a Gold Partner.
We cannot wait to welcome the world to Birmingham in 2027. And we cannot wait to see the stories, the friendships and the moments of inspiration that will be created right here in our city.
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