News

5 October 2017

Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund

Families, Mental Health, RAF, Royal Air Force, Veterans, Welfare

Relationship counselling proving effective in reducing depression

Tuesday 10 October marks World Mental Health Day

Newly released statistics from the RAF Benevolent Fund have revealed that a significant number of RAF personnel attending relationship counselling report that their mental well-being improved following the completion of counselling.

The data comes from the most recent evaluation report of the Fund’s counselling programme, which is offered in partnership with Relate to all serving RAF personnel, free of charge. The service, which the charity funds to the tune of more than £100k per annum, has helped thousands of couples since it began nine years ago and more than 65 couples have accessed the counselling in the first half of 2017 alone.

How to Celebrate Red, White and Blue Day

Red, White and Blue Day is a national fundraising campaign for schools that raises money in support of the RAF Benevolent Fund, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. The money raised is split between the three long-established charities which all have close ties with our Armed Forces.

This year’s campaign will take place on Friday 6 October, with thousands of school children across the UK dressing up in red, white and blue in support of the men and women of the Armed Forces.

So, how can your school get involved in this year’s campaign?

19 September 2017

Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund

Event, Health, RAF, Royal Air Force, Royal Event, Sport, Veterans, Welfare

Former Airman from Swansea heading to Canada to represent United Kingdom

Former Senior Aircraftsman Matt Neve has been selected to represent the United Kingdom in the archery event at the Invictus Games in Toronto.

Matt, who lives in Swansea, will join 90 other wounded, injured and sick UK military personnel and veterans as they compete in the third Invictus Games competition, following the inaugural event in London in 2014.

Matt, now 32, joined the Royal Air Force as a driver in 2001 at just 16-years-old.

19 September 2017

Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund

Event, Health, RAF, Royal Air Force, Royal Event, Sport, Veterans, Welfare

Fife amputee set for Invictus Games

An RAF Regiment veteran, who will take part in this year’s Invictus Games, has spoken out about how sport helped turn his life around when an accident left him with life-changing injuries.

Michael Mellon, of Cardenden, was just 17 when he joined the RAF in 1997 following his father, sister and brother into military service.

In 2001, while playing in a RAF Rugby match, Mike fractured his tibia and fibula bones which resulted in compartment syndrome. Compartment syndrome is a painful and potentially serious condition caused by bleeding or swelling within an enclosed bundle of muscles – known as a muscle “compartment”.

13 September 2017

Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund

Benevolence, Families, Funds, RAF, Royal Air Force, Veterans, Welfare

Veterans Turning to Charity For Help Accessing their Eligible Benefits

An RAF welfare charity today revealed it has helped more than 1,000 people access £1.5million in unclaimed benefits after identifying that a large number of veterans were not receiving what they were entitled to.

The RAF Benevolent Fund launched its Advice & Advocacy Service two years ago after research that the charity carried out indicated many of its beneficiaries were not receiving eligible state benefits, such as Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction or Universal Credit.

13 September 2017

Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund

Family, Fund-raising, RAF, Remembrance, Royal Air Force, Veterans

‘Red 10’ Aston Martin Red Arrows car heads to Kop Hill Climb

This year’s Kop Hill Climb motoring extravaganza will feature one extra special car – a red Aston Martin Vanquish S.

The £275,000 car is a representation of a spectacular Red Arrows Vanquish S model which the RAF Benevolent Fund is raffling off this December. The car is one of just 10 unique cars which will roll off the Aston Martin production line later this month, created by the iconic carmakers in a tribute to the world famous aerobatic display team.

See the car for yourself Kop Hill, Princes Risborough, on Saturday and Sunday (September 16 and 17) as it joins hundreds of others taking the historic trip up the hill.

8 September 2017

Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund

Children, Events, Families, Funding, fundraising, RAF, Royal Air Force, Welfare

Summer of support for RAF families

From RAF Benson to RAF Wyton, the RAF Benevolent Fund has spent almost £50,000 in its second year of support for station families’ days.

The annual events are a much-loved date on the calendar when serving personnel are given the opportunity to share their working life with their loved ones. Families are able to relax and recuperate within their own community, without the pressure of operations, which is particularly important on stations where personnel are deployed short notice.

The RAF Benevolent Fund made grants to 34 stations, awarding a total of £47,000 to support the events.

6 September 2017

Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund

Competition, Event, Fund-raising, fundraising, RAF, Royal Air Force

Award-winning chefs’ fundraiser is icing on the cake for RAF charity

Three chefs who were crowned the Crème de la Crème by the BBC earlier this year have helped to raise a sweet total for the RAF Benevolent Fund, the RAF’s leading welfare charity.

The trio, led by 30-year-old Corporal Liam Grime, created 1,150 desserts and an incredible chocolate centrepiece which featured the Fund’s roundel logo. A selection of 11 different sweets including entremets, macarons, tropical flavours, chocolate and crumbles were sold at RAF Odiham’s Families Day last Thursday (24 August) to raise £860.

6 September 2017

Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund

Event, fundraising, RAF, Royal Air Force, Sport

Ceri’s marathon effort in tribute to family’s Second World War service

There are no half measures for RAF Benevolent Fund supporter Ceri Meehan, especially when she’s aiming to ‘give something back’ to the charity which has supported her family.

The 31-year-old is planning to run her very first road race, a half marathon distance, in tribute to the help the RAF’s leading welfare charity gave to her late grandmother Leading Aircraftswoman Edna Lacey. Edna lost her leg to bone cancer shortly after leaving the RAF following service during the Second World War. But she did not need to use a wheelchair until a second battle with cancer affected her mobility.

1 September 2017

Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund

RAF, Remembrance, Royal Air Force, Royal Events

Diana’s Final Flight

Last month, all eyes were on the 20th anniversary of the death of Princess Diana – the aftermath, how it affected the Royals and those closest to her, as well as the impact on the British public. But what about the people involved behind the scene?

Retired RAF Squadron Leader Graham Laurie spent nearly 20 years flying the Royals as part of The Queen’s Flight and on 31 August, 1997, he was assigned to fly Diana’s body back to London from Paris.

The ambassador for the RAF Benevolent Fund has helped raise over £25,000 for the charity through his talks, ‘The History of Royal Flying’, and below shares his memory of that fateful day, when the RAF was in the world’s spotlight.

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