Homeless RAF veterans in the London area and beyond will benefit from a £70,000 grant made to support Veterans Aid, helping ex-service personnel in crisis.
The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund’s support will be divided between two areas, £50,000 to support the ongoing refurbishment of Veterans Aid’s New Belvedere House residential facility and £20,000 towards the charity’s day-to-day operating costs for 12 months. Annually Veterans Aid supports around 60 former RAF servicemen and women of all ages who have experienced problems with homelessness, debt, addiction and social isolation.
Air Commodore Paul Hughesdon, Director of Welfare and Policy at the Fund, said: “While the majority of service leavers move into civilian life with ease, there are some who find the transition incredibly challenging and find themselves facing crisis, either when leaving or subsequently. Veterans Aid provides a vital safety net for former RAF personnel in this situation and we are delighted to support their work, in particular their support of RAF veterans.
“As the RAF’s leading welfare charity, our purpose it to understand and support each and every member of the RAF Family, whenever they need us and to help us do that each year we provide a number of external grants to organisations like Veterans Aid who offer that specialist support.”
CEO Veterans Aid Dr Hugh Milroy said: “VA is the UK’s frontline, operational charity for ex-serviceman and women in crisis. It offers immediate, practical, needs-led support that is geared towards providing enduring solutions to homelessness and the factors that lead to it. Thanks to supporters like the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund we are able to action interventions that prevent as well as address the societal problems from which veterans are not immune.”
If you know someone who served in the RAF or their partner who is struggling, the RAF Benevolent Fund may be able to help. Contact the RAF Benevolent Fund helpline 0800 169 2942 or visit www.rabf.org
For more information and high res images please contact:
Rebekah Sharrock, PR Officer, RAF Benevolent Fund
E: rebekah.sharrock@rafbf.org.uk | T: 020 7307 3305 | M: 07595 657979.
RAF Benevolent Fund: The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is the RAF’s leading welfare charity. We exist to support current and former members of the RAF, their partners and dependants, whenever they need us. In 2017 we spent £18.8m supporting more than 55,000 members of the RAF Family. For more information visit: www.rafbf.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/RAFBF
Veterans Aid: For information about Veterans Aid and its work please contact Glyn Strong, Head of Media and Communication on 07806 920087 or media@veterans-aid.net
