We stand at the forefront of support for the Army family. We award grants to individuals and families, and fund leading charities and organisations to ensure help is there when you need it.

In financial year 22/23, we helped 70,000 people in 45 countries worldwide, and funded 74 other charities and organisations that deliver frontline services. To find out more about our impact, read our FY 21/22 Annual Report.

Our whole person, whole life approach ensures we are here to support members of the Army family through all of life’s challenges – whether that involves bereavement, injury, getting back to work, elderly care and much more.

 

INDEPENDENT LIVING

We aim to provide soldiers and veterans with the means to live independently, and with the dignity they deserve.

For some Army veterans, injury, disability and advancing years can make it difficult to remain independent and to stay living in their own homes. We are on hand to support veterans and their families, both young and old, with home adaptations and mobility equipment that enable them to live where they have the best quality of life. Some will require significant support for the rest of their lives, and we are here to ensure their needs are met over the long term.

We also award grants to charities and organisations that provide specialist services and support on our behalf.

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Former soldier Adrian was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy – a progressive muscle-weakening disease. We were proud to award a grant for a standing wheelchair, enabling him to stand and kiss his wife Lucy again.

ELDERLY CARE

We provide support for soldiers, for life. A cornerstone of our activity is ensuring that elderly veterans and their families have the care they need, long after service has ended.

This ranges from providing substantial support to leading care homes for veterans – such as Royal Star & Garter and Broughton House in England, and Erskine in Scotland – to providing specialist equipment to protect elderly veterans from pain, discomfort and injury. We also provide care at home support and assistance with care home fees.

We are here to provide lifelong support for those who have served their country.

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Erskine provides care for Scottish veterans and spouses at four care homes across Scotland. Last year, we awarded £150,000 to towards nursing, dementia and palliative care for Army residents.

TRAINING & EDUCATION

Most soldiers transition into civilian employment smoothly, bringing into society the skills and values developed during service. But, for some, leaving the Army is a daunting experience. We are here to support those who are in particular need of help. This includes supporting soldiers who have been wounded, injured or sick and have had to leave the Army through no fault of their own.

We provide bursaries for disabled veterans to attend university; and fund training schemes and workshops for service leavers to embark on rewarding new careers. Our goal is to ensure veterans have the opportunities to put their varied skills and experience to best use, enabling them to lead fulfilled lives, with dignity and independence, making a valued contribution to society.

As well as providing grants to individuals, we fund a range of partner charities and organisations that provide education and employment support to the Army family.

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After leaving the Army, Joyce took time to readjust to civilian life. After attending a RBLI Lifeworks training course, funded by our charity, she got her confidence back and found employment with G4S at Farnborough Airport.

MENTAL WELLBEING

Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of the Army family is central to our work. We promote and enable better mental and physical wellbeing, so that soldiers, veterans, and their immediate families can lead healthy and fulfilling lives.

We provide wide-ranging assistance to ensure that serving and former soldiers, including those with complex mental health conditions, can access specialist treatment and support. This assistance ranges from funding a young soldier to receive counselling for childhood trauma, to enabling an older veteran to access support to help manage the symptoms of PTSD.

In addition to ensuring there is support for people in immediate need, we also fund programmes that improve the mental wellbeing of the Army family, such as respite breaks for people who are recovering from an illness, bereavement, or other life-changing events.

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Combat Stress is our long-standing partner in the field of mental health. Last year, we awarded a £250,000 grant to support Army veterans battling mental ill-heath, including PTSD.

HELPING ARMY FAMILIES

We are committed to supporting the immediate families of those who have served their country. Our support can include everything from helping provide highly specialised equipment for disabled children so they can join in with family activities and increase their quality of life, to covering funeral costs in order to ensure veterans can be buried with dignity. We work hard to ensure Army families are empowered to overcome challenges and move forward with their lives.

As well as supporting immediate family members via our individual grants programme, we also fund numerous other charities and organisations that help Army families on our behalf. We work especially closely with, and fund, the Army Families Federation, which is the independent voice of Army families and works to improve the quality of life for Army families around the world.

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Maisy, the disabled daughter of serving soldier Robin and his wife, Heidi, now enjoys participating fully in school and family activities after we helped with funding for a new wheelchair.

HOUSING

We are committed to ensuring that soldiers, former soldiers and their immediate families can live in safe and suitable homes.

The housing needs of veterans and their families are incredibly varied, and we are here to support the Army family with the many housing issues they may face. This might involve awarding grants for urgent repairs, or helping an individual in financial distress to avoid eviction and homelessness.

We are also delighted to fund other charities and organisations that can provide affordable, high-quality housing and support services to veterans in need of support, enabling them to lead fulfilling, independent lives.

Find out more.

 

Former soldier Kuziva was retraining as a nurse when his boiler broke. We supported him with a grant for a replacement, helping to keep his family safe and warm.
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