Over 300 bereaved Armed Forces children across the UK received some much-needed respite this year, thanks to supporters and donations made to children’s Armed Forces charity, Scotty’s Little Soldiers.
The holidays, which are provided to all Scotty’s Little Soldiers members as part of its Smiles programme, are an integral part of the charity’s support network. They allow families time to spend together and help them create new, happy memories.
During 2017, 185 members enjoyed a weekend at one of Scotty’s six premium lodges located in Great Yarmouth, Berwick Upon Tweed, Blackpool, Exmouth, Hastings and Poole. A further 98 spent long weekends at Centre Parcs, and 50 members spent their days riding rollercoasters during overnight theme park resort stays.
Nikki Scott, founder of Scotty’s Little Soldiers said: “The holiday breaks are so important to our members and their families. I know from my own experience that sometimes you just need to be able to get away and to know there is a place you can go where the children are safe and will have fun is just amazing. We want their breaks to be as easy as possible which is why we cover their travel expenses, make sure our Lodges are equipped with everything they could need and even provide some vouchers to help with the cost of activities once there.”
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Costing £136,000 for 2017’s retreats, Scotty’s rely heavily on charitable donations to ensure members can enjoy a weekend they’ll never forget.
Stuart Robinson, Scotty’s Little Soldiers CEO said: “It’s great to see the kids have fun and realising it is OK to smile again. It brings the family closer together and allows the children to drop their guard and open up about how they really feel. It often paves the way for us to organise more therapeutic bereavement support.”
To continue providing these essential respite breaks, Scotty’s needs your help, please donate or get involved by visiting www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk.
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Notes to editors
To speak to a member of the Scotty’s Little Soldiers team, please contact Scotty’s national PR agency: Claire Grew (claire@wolfstarconsultancy.com) or Chris Grayson (chrisg@wolfstarconsultancy.com) 0113 273 7816
About Scotty’s Little Soldiers
Scotty’s Little Soldiers, founded in 2010, honours Corporal Lee Scott’s memory – both as a loyal soldier and a loving father – and provides a practical yet personal way for the public at large to show their appreciation for those brave individuals who make the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country. Currently Scotty’s Little Soldiers supports 331 bereaved children and runs a variety of programmes to help children smile again and look forward to a brighter future. You can visit the charity online at http://www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk/
