VETERANS BENEFIT FROM TRUST GRANT
THE Royal Air Force Charitable Trust is providing timely support for RAF veterans with a £20,000 donation to Combat Stress, the ex-services mental welfare society now in its 90th year.
The Trust, parent charity of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises which organises the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire each year, granted the money with the specific purpose of providing specialist welfare services for RAF veterans with service-related mental health problems.
Robert Marsh, Director of Fundraising and Communications for Combat Stress, said: "Donations including this £20,000 grant have enabled us to concentrate on outreach activity in the community to help veterans 'mind the gap' between their periods of intensive, short-stay treatment at one of our centres.
"This complements the unstinting work of Combat Stress' Welfare Officers, who do so much to reassure and help individuals during frequent home visits throughout the year."
He added: "With a 53 per cent increase in new referrals since 2005 – largely due to increased publicity and awareness, as well as the pace of current operations – such support is arriving in the nick of time."
As of September 2008, 283 ex-RAF veterans were actively receiving support and/or therapy from Combat Stress, with another 604 ex-RAF veterans in recovery.
Trust Secretary Chris Murray said: "The Trustees were delighted to award this grant to Combat Stress, as it met one of their key objectives - supporting the RAF family of charities. The grant brings to £30,000 the amount they have donated to Combat Stress since 2006."
The Trust is keen to support project-based initiatives, and welcomes applications for grants from charities and organisations that are part of the Royal Air Force family.
