CASE HISTORIES

A hand up rather than a hand out

Here are a few examples illustrating how the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF) helps serving and ex-soldiers and their families, when they are in real need.

Whilst still undergoing training, a young Scottish recruit was seriously injured in a car crash, which left him paraplegic. A Scottish Veteran's Garden City property became vacant in his home area of Arbroath, but needed extensive adaptation to make it suitable for his needs. The ABF were able to contribute to these renovation costs and also give a grant towards essential items and furnishings.

The case of a Royal Irish soldier with 18 years service, but likely to be medically discharged, was forwarded to the ABF to be considered for its Pontins Holiday Scheme. Having been involved in a number of incidents he has physical problems, suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and he has been threatened. A week in Devon was granted.

A soldier with 14 years service was medically discharged and is now unable to work. His nine year old daughter sadly suffers from chronic bone marrow disease but had recently undergone a transplant donated by her two year old sister. Recuperation from this requires stringent precautions against cross-infection and a separate shower unit was urgently needed. Local Authority help could not be provided quickly enough and her health was at risk. The three Corps and Regiments with whom he had served raised just over half of the required amount and the ABF provided the balance.

We recently received a copy of a thank you letter addressed to the Airborne Forces Security Fund (AFSF). A young ex-Para, now living in Surrey, had bought himself out after seven years of a nine year contract (which meant he was not entitled to any resettlement training), He drifted for the next two years taking various labouring jobs but was unable to find anything long term. With much crimping and saving he managed to enroll on a tree surgery course but was finding it increasingly difficult to cope financially and feared he would need to give up the course. AFSF and the ABF stepped in with a training grant which allowed him to complete the course. This is a typical example of our belief in the ideal of a "hand up" rather than a "hand out."

Alastair Johnson of 16 Signal Regiment was involved in a motorbike accident in Germany in September 2004.  He woke up four weeks later to be told he had broken his spine at chest level and would never walk again.  The Army Benevolent Fund was able to support him with a grant of £1,535 towards a custom built, titanium 'Max Lite' wheelchair.  He is now continuing his rehabilitation and is a member of a wheelchair basketball team.  "I'd heard about the Army Benevolent Fund while I was still serving", he says, "but I thought they just helped old soldiers - Second World War Vets.  Obviously that's not the case.  They've been excellent to me"

Territorial soldier Jason Sylvestre was stationed with his regiment at Basra Air Station in Southern Iraq in 2004.  On a routine task into Kuwait, the Land Rover he was traveling in crashed, throwing him from the back of the vehicle and he suffered debilitating back injuries.  Jason, who'd been made redundant before his posting to Iraq, was left struggling with financial commitments and living in unsuitable accommodation in a tower block.  The ABF assisted him with debt relief and paid for his removal costs to a specially adapted home for disabled ex-servicemen in Balham, South London.  The Fund has also helped secure him a computer to learn new work skills.