RAF’s leading welfare charity extends support for veterans’ mental health

The RAF Benevolent Fund has recently awarded a grant of £250,000 to Combat Stress in recognition of the vital work it does to help veterans with mental health problems. This brings the total awarded to Combat Stress to £2.1million since 2014.

Last year, with support from the RAF Benevolent Fund, Combat Stress helped 236 former RAF servicemen and women. In addition to the £250,000 recently awarded, the Fund also provides funding to support treatment of RAF veterans on an individual basis, which this year is expected to reach a further £250,000, bringing the total funding this year to £500,000.

Sue Freeth, Chief Executive of Combat Stress, said: “We’re immensely grateful to the RAF Benevolent Fund for their very generous donation. In the last decade we’ve seen a 97% increase in referrals from former servicemen and women struggling with their mental health. Military-related trauma is a very serious issue that left untreated can have a devastating impact on those affected and their loved ones.

“The grant from the RAF Benevolent Fund will enable us to continue providing life-changing treatment so RAF veterans can overcome their trauma and lead fulfilling lives.”

Air Commodore Paul Hughesdon, RAF Benevolent Fund Director of Welfare and Policy, said: “As a charity at the heart of the RAF Family, the Fund knows only too well the toll serving their country can take on the mental health of RAF veterans.

“Recognising this need, the Fund has a long-standing relationship of support to Combat Stress, ensuring RAF veterans who need mental health care are well supported.

“This additional funding has been agreed to support Combat Stress as it goes through a period of transition, modernising the organisation and preparing it to support Armed Forces veterans for generations to come.”

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

Combat Stress: Combat Stress is the UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health. For almost a century, we’ve helped former servicemen and women deal with trauma-related mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. For more information visit www.combatstress.org.uk. Call the 24-hour Helpline on 0800 138 1619.

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