The RAF Benevolent Fund is a permanent member of the Cobseo Executive Committee. Their Controller, Chris Elliot, sits on the Committee, and this week we are introducing their Director Operations, Simon Harper.
The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund was formed in 1919 to support serving and former serving members of the RAF and their families. We own and preserve both the RAF Memorial and the RAF Bomber Command Memorial in London on behalf of the Nation. As Director Operations my role is to deliver the financial, practical, emotional and wellbeing support to the RAF Family. From the youngest beneficiary at three months old to a 103-year-old veteran, we support people and families across all stages of life and service; from the first day in uniform, through operational service, the transition to civilian life, and into retirement. One day’s service equals a lifetime of support.
For the veteran community, our support and services improves wellbeing and quality of life, helps connect the lonely and isolated, provides confidence and peace-of-mind to those in financial need, and empowers those who need access to benefits and statutory support and services. For the serving community, the Fund is a vital component in the RAF’s strategic workforce goals and approach to wellbeing, offering not just charitable support but reinforcement of the Service’s duty of care to its people. We support individuals with their mental wellbeing, families with their relationship and practical needs and children and young people through our youth club programme, Airplay, which, this year, celebrates its 15th Anniversary. We also provide RAF units with grants to fund facilities, activities, and programmes. At the heart of this delivery is the beneficiary. Each with their own unique story, each with their own unique need, and each requiring a unique response. All those within the Cobseo ‘family’ will recognise the same and it’s our ability, individually and collectively, to find the right solutions at the right time, and for however long they are required. Making what we do so important.
Earlier this month, the Strategic Defence Review highlighted the importance of renewing the Nation’s contract with those who serve. For the Fund, and the wider military charity sector, we live the importance of this commitment and its obligation every day. The role that Cobseo plays, enabling collaboration and cooperation across the sector, is vital. For example, the cluster community is hugely beneficial, providing the ideal opportunity for us to represent the RAF Family’s needs, benefit from the collective experience and knowledge of the sector, and better deal with the shared challenges we often face.
As a member of the Executive Committee, we are fortunate to be able to influence the strategic debate on how best to support the RAF Family, share plans and perspectives, and have access to the latest thinking and planning across Government. The Committee also allows Cobseo and the sector to benefit from many years of charity and military experience. Many of your previous ‘meet the Cobseo’ team’ pieces have highlighted similar themes. What I think we could all agree on is that our relationship with Cobseo ultimately allows us better help and support our beneficiaries and enhances our ability to work collaboratively across the sector for the benefit of all.
There are two areas I would highlight. The first is the ability to work with such talented and committed case workers, community outreach teams, welfare specialists and equally dedicated volunteers and supporters across the UK. Every day, their commitment to and passion for helping others is remarkable and it’s a privilege to work alongside them as they do such good work. The second is the ability to make a difference. The beneficiary remains at the heart of everything we do, individually as a charity, and collectively as a sector. Increasingly we are seeing beneficiaries with multi-faceted needs who need our support at different stages of life and there are many examples that bring this to life. For example, in 1996 a serving aviator in the RAF Regiment suffered a life-changing accident that left him permanently paralysed at the age of 24. We supported his transition to civilian life with grants for home furnishings, a laptop, and an IT course to help him build a new future. Now 53, the beneficiary continues to receive support from the Fund through our Community Engagement team. He attends a local veteran event in his area arranged by our Community teams and, in 2024, he also benefitted from a break with the Fund’s Disabled Holiday Trust in Shropshire. While the support is vital, the real impact is in the increased confidence and social connection this provides and the security of knowing that the Fund was there to help then, there to help now and will be there again whenever and wherever the beneficiary needs us.
Afghanistan support
In light of recent events in Afghanistan, please find information and support resources here