News

Creating bonds: Scotty’s Little Soldiers and TAPS help each other heal

Scotty’s Little Soldiers’ founder, Nikki Scott, was kindly flown out to Washington, D.C recently to spend time with U.S. charity TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors). The trip proved to be a memorable one with Nikki returning to the UK with a number of learnings from TAPS.

Nikki founded Scotty’s Little Soldiers in 2010 after the death of her husband Corporal Lee Scott in Afghanistan. The charity supports children across the UK who have lost a parent while serving in the Armed Forces and has great synergy with TAPS in the US, a charity which offers compassionate care to those grieving the loss of a loved one who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces or as a result of their service.

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82-year-old blind veteran to take on 24 hour endurance cycle challenge at Brands Hatch

A blind veteran from Brighton has rekindled a lifelong passion for cycling as he prepares for a 24 hour cycle challenge around the iconic Brands Hatch racetrack in aid of military charity Blind Veterans UK.

Peter Burbery, 82 and from Brighton, will take part in the challenge on 16 September with three other blind veterans supported by Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for blind and vision-impaired ex-Service men and women. All four blind veterans will make up a relay team, each undertaking six-hour sections to complete the 24 hour challenge alongside their sighted tandem pilots.

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Liverpool blind veteran to take on 22-mile walk along D-Day beaches for military charity

A blind veteran from Liverpool is currently training to take part in a 22-mile walk along on the Normandy coastline to commemorate the anniversary of D-Day.

Mike Johnson, 55 and from Knotty Ash, will take part in the event alongside five other blind veterans supported by Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women. The challenge will take place on 6 June, the anniversary of the 1944 Allied invasion of occupied France.

Mike says: “I feel very honoured to be taking part because while it’s a physical challenge, the event is really about keeping alive the memory of those brave men who lost their lives on the beaches of France.”

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School boy donates mascot bear to local charity

A very thoughtful young man has donated one of his teddy bears to a local charity to use as their new mascot.
Nine-year-old Harvey Tress, who goes to Seaside School in Lancing, donated his bear to local charity, Care for Veterans, where his Mum works as a Healthcare Assistant.

The bear, which has been nicknamed Valiant, is a fitting mascot for the charity as his fur is patterned with Army camouflage, and he comes wearing fatigues and combat boots.

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F4H Support to Brathay Windermere Marathon Long Weekend May 2018.

Our best yet! The largest number of former delegates travelling back to Brathay, allowing almost all of the refreshments stands to be staffed by F4H volunteers (5 of 7). As well as taking part in reinforcement and revision packages: #thejourneycontinues. Three former delegates ‘tabbed’ the marathon and 4 ran it, the remainder (and members of their family) staffed the stands. Great funding raised, thank you all. The second annual stone balancing competition fiercely contested – 3 joint winners! The long weekend enjoyed by all.

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The Association of ex-Service Drop-In Centres – mapping the UK

The Association of ex-Service Drop-In Centres (ASDIC) was set up last year for all those like minded organisations who manage veterans’ Drop-In centres. (OVERCOMES REPITITION) All over the UK there is a steadily increasing number of Drop-Ins where veterans and other members of the Armed Forces community may go for help and advice, or simply for companionship. It is a broad community and includes both the Merchant Service and Fishing Fleet whose veterans are welcome too. Currently there are believed to be about 60 Drop-Ins in operation and more are being discovered all the time and 25 have already joined ASDIC. Drop-Ins vary hugely in their modus operandi but all serve the same broad purpose, which is to provide social and welfare support to veterans and their families.

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‘Veterans Aid has a model we can look to for a way of doing business that works’

Tramecia Garner, Associate Director for Housing & Residential Programs at US charity Swords to Plowshares, recently spent two weeks in the UK with Veterans Aid. From back home in San Francisco she reflects on her visit:

“Now that my time with Veterans Aid (VA) has ended I am left thinking back on these two weeks, what I have learned and what was the biggest take-away from my time in London. Not only did I learn about veteran homelessness in the UK but I also learned how one agency can have a large-scale impact on veteran care far beyond their doors.

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The Tweed Challenge

The Tweed Challenge is a bid by two inexperienced kayakers to navigate 97 miles of the famous Scottish river to raise funds for Veterans Aid.

Its aim is to help VA prevent ex-servicemen and women in crisis from becoming street homeless – and providing an immediate way out for those who are.

A meeting on the touchline of a rugby match, while cheering on their sons five years ago, led to an unexpected outcome for a 49-year-old Scottish businessman and a 46-year-old army officer.

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Afghanistan support

In light of recent events in Afghanistan, please find information and support resources here