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Annual Review 2011/12 ‘Times Have Certainly Changed for the Our Goals in 2011 Contents Our Goals in 2011 Royal Air Force

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Annual Review 2011/12 ‘Times Have Certainly Changed for the Our Goals in 2011 Contents Our Goals in 2011 Royal Air Force Annual Review 2011/12 ‘Times have certainly changed for the Our goals in 2011 Contents Our goals in 2011 Royal Air Force. Yet one crucial element, How did we do? 01 I believe, will never change and that is Despite the difficult economic circumstances, our loyal Former members of the RAF Standing ready to support former members our tradition. The courage, devotion to supporters still managed to raise over £12m of voluntary of the RAF in need 02 income as part of our overall income of £18m. However, Sgt Alex Ford blogs from the frontline 04 duty and honour of those who serve endure we spent £26m supporting 60,000 members of the RAF Doug Vince: part of the family 05 family. Going forward, we need to expand our fundraising through the most challenging times.’ operation in order to meet any future shortfalls. Serving RAF Helping serving families take the strain 06 Mike Goody: fighting spirit 07 For a more in-depth look at the targets we set and our Our matrix of support: RAF Waddington 08 The finest traditions endure progress in meeting them, please see our full Annual Report and Accounts at www.rafbf.org/2011 or contact Fundraising us at the address on the back cover to ask for a copy. Support from all sides 10 Reading through this Annual Review, I am delighted to unrecognised, and it is our great honour to be charged Creating quality time for RAF families 12 see how we helped guide the Royal Air Force family as guardians of the Memorial, maintaining it for future Meanwhile, here’s how we did against five goals we set through what was undoubtedly a testing year. generations. out this time last year. Financial review 14 At a time of widespread restructuring, our hard-pressed 55,573 young men died flying with Bomber Command, Signing off 16 Service personnel were called upon to do even more a great deal more than serve in the entire Service today. Our goals for 2012 in defence of our freedom. The RAF participated in Whilst still a very potent force, the RAF is smaller than Meet the team another long and demanding campaign, this time in at any time in its history – yet as the charity of all the 2013: coming up Libya, as well as maintaining high-intensity operations RAF generations, the call upon our services continues to in Afghanistan and long-term global commitments such grow. That is why your support is more important than as the Falkland Islands. ever, and I thank all of you who contribute to our work through fundraising and volunteering for your continuing RAF personnel met all the demands that were made enthusiasm and commitment. How did we do? of them with courage and patience, despite the most unforgiving conditions. The Royal Air Force Benevolent I would like to pay tribute to Air Marshal Sir Rob Wright, Fund, in turn, was there to help wherever we could, who will shortly step down after five and a half years spending £5.4m over the year supporting the serving in post as our Controller. The Fund has benefitted RAF against a background of continuing economic enormously from his exemplary and inspirational turbulence. leadership through a period of considerable change and against a background of very difficult economic Of course, we were there to support those who have conditions. We will miss him greatly and wish him well £10m left the Service too, providing the support our veterans for the future. I look forward to welcoming Air Marshal need to lead dignified, independent lives. We are the Chris Nickols, who joins us as our new Controller in July. Install Airplay parks on Create a second Open a wing at Raise £10m to fund Increase the number RAF’s leading welfare charity supporting all generations at least 10 more RAF welfare break cottage Princess Marina House our services for the of RAF family members of the RAF family, and we proved our commitment to Times have certainly changed for the RAF. Yet one stations for the RAF family on for people with mild RAF family we help, directly and our veterans again during 2011 by spending £15.6m in crucial element, I believe, will never change and that is In 2011, we installed Airplay the south coast dementia and their Despite a prevailing indirectly support of their needs. My grandfather would have been our tradition. The courage, devotion to duty and honour parks at 11 RAF stations. When serving personnel carers to have a break atmosphere of financial In the face of economic proud to see how the Air Force he founded has worked of those who serve endure through the most challenging Eight multi-use games return from operations, all by the sea uncertainty, our supporters turbulence, we worked with its Benevolent Fund through such difficult times. times. Working together, we will be there too, ready to areas, 19 play parks and five family members require a In the autumn, Princess came together to contribute very hard to reach out to repay the Debt We Owe, our motto which is emblazoned shelters for young people period of re-adjustment. Marina House, our welfare an amazing £12.3m to fund support those people in I think he would have been equally satisfied to see on our Crest, to the remarkable men and women of the to meet, were opened at: Quality time together, away break centre on the south all-round assistance and greatest need. However, RAF Cranwell, RAF Halton, from the pressures of coast opened a new wing support for those in difficult rising costs and tough how our stewardship of the RAF’s legacy has come full Royal Air Force. RAF High Wycombe, RAF station life, allows parents called Beachside. The wing circumstances. conditions affected us and circle. Just as he oversaw the construction of the RAF Honington, RAF Linton-on- and children to re-forge provides specialist care resulted in us being able to Memorial on Victoria Embankment, this year I will have Ouse, RAF Lyneham, RAF essential relationships. and holiday accommodation support marginally fewer the privilege of witnessing the unveiling of the Bomber Marham, RAF St Mawgan, To meet this need, in for RAF family members people. We helped 61,054 Command Memorial in Green Park, a deserved and long RAF Northolt, RAF Shawbury 2011, we opened a second suffering from mild people in 2010 and 60,447 overdue tribute. The sacrifice of the brave young men The Viscount Trenchard of Wolfeton DL and RAF Valley. respite holiday cottage for cognitive impairment and in 2011. who perished in defence of freedom too often goes Chairman of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund RAF families on the south early-stage dementia. coast. See page 12. 2 Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund Front cover image: Station padre, Flight Lieutenant Simon Chapman, enjoying Airplay at RAF Honington with his daughter Annual Review 2011/12 01 Standing ready to support former members of the RAF in need 2011: Our impact on The spectrum of services created by the RAF Benevolent Fund to help former members of the RAF and their families came under pressure in 2011. the ex-RAF community Rising costs and cuts in public services meant that already vulnerable veterans and their partners – many of them elderly, some unwell or disabled – faced even greater difficulty. We were ready to provide support in a myriad of ways, spending £15.56m supporting members of the retired £15m+ RAF community. helping former members of the RAF and their families. Our investment in helping people claim any state entitlements they are due paid substantial dividends. We assisted individuals, many facing unforeseen difficulties 37,388 from illness to redundancy, with applying for the appropriate benefits. In total, our people were given direct support from charities Benefits and Money Advice Service, which we run jointly with The Royal British and organisations who received grants from us. Legion through Citizens Advice, released a staggering £11.22 million into RAF family members’ pockets since 2007. 7,269 In all, we awarded 7,269 grants, totalling over £9m for problems large and small, individual awards were made to former ranging from £40 to repair a wheelchair puncture to £6,000 for care costs for members of the RAF family who needed assistance. a terminally ill RAF wife and her children. Behind that substantial figure are the stories of thousands of individuals in often very distressing circumstances. Our help is there to alleviate immediate suffering and, where necessary, provide a 372 new start in life. motorised wheelchairs were issued. Housing in special circumstances The RAF Benevolent Fund’s Housing Trust tripled the amount it spent on providing 1,463 homes for members of the RAF family who have fallen on particularly difficult people took a welfare break by the sea at times. Those helped ranged from a Serviceman injured on active service to a Princess Marina House. 2,760 people also couple caring for a child with a progressive illness. enjoyed a break at our respite homes, jointly owned with the Royal Air Forces Association. 2012: Coming up Encircling the Coopers with support It is predicted that by 2021 dementia will affect How do you help a family under unimaginable pressure? Iraq veteran Craig nearly one million people in the UK so we need Cooper had three daughters under three, including twins with cerebral palsy, to make provision for RAF family members when he was medically discharged from the RAF in 2009. Craig found who will be among that number. That’s why alternative employment as an NVQ assessor.
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