YOUR FAMILY
Home from Home
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INCE opening in June 2013, often going through similar ordeals, Fisher House at Queen Elizabeth was priceless.” Hospital Birmingham has given more than 4,000 nights’ FEELS LIKE HOME accommodation to the families of Fisher House strives to move far away military patients. from the décor and atmosphere As all UK Service personnel of both a hospital and a hotel are treated at the hospital, to create a home where many families have had families can express The support to travel hundreds of themselves and their you get at miles to Birmingham emotions. Fisher House is – sometimes after Kerry Ford, who stayed receiving distressing there for 18 months, said: phenomenal news – so it was “The support that you decided that get from the team something had to be at Fisher House is done to enable them phenomenal. They to visit their loved are there to listen to ones regularly. you – it’s like having an extended family.” UNSTINTING Receiving no SUPPORT funding from the NHS When Squadron Leader Andy Shenton or MOD, Fisher House relies entirely was diagnosed with a brain tumour his on donations, with original large grants family had to journey more than 200 from Help for Heroes and the Fisher miles to an unfamiliar city with two House Foundation in the United States. young children. Justine Davy, head of fundraising Fisher House provided the perfect for QEHB Charity, said: “Since the accommodation for the duration of withdrawal from Afghanistan we Andy’s successful operation to remove have not seen a drop in the number the brain tumour and subsequent of families staying at Fisher House; treatment. our need as a charity to continue The facility’s community and pastoral fundraising and spread the word.” aspects had a profound effect on Andy, who said: “The unstinting support from l To find out more, visit the staff and fellow residents, who are www.fisherhouseuk.org n
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Road to recovery: Stuart “Archie” Gemmell with his daughter at Fisher House
www.armyandyou.co.uk
NEW NAME SAME AIM MY Daddy is a Soldier Adventures has relaunched as Little Troopers, becoming the first tri-Service children’s charity. Founded in 2011, it has grown to be a well-known source of support to children who have parents serving away, giving them a community where they all belong regardless of their home situation. Founder Louise Fetigan collected the Support to the Armed Forces Military Award in 2014 for raising awareness of the challenges faced by Service children. Enquiries started coming in from Royal Air Force and Royal Navy families for the expansion of support to include all three services, a long-held dream for Louise. She said: “I always wanted the charity to be tri-Service, but you have to start somewhere and I am glad to have had four years to get established before I felt confident expanding to include RAF and Royal Naval families. I am so excited we now support all Little Troopers of Regular and Reserve Forces.” Little Troopers provides resources to ease and aid separation periods between serving personnel and child. Separation packs, “send a hug” kits and a whole host of downloadable activities are available from the website. There’s also Little Troopers Treasures – an initiative providing tools to families to stay connected even when separated by miles. Louise said: “Time apart from the family has many effects on both children and their parents. Our aim is to be there to provide vital support to these families before they reach a crisis point.” l Next time your soldier is going away for a period of time, remember to check out Little Troopers at www.littletroopers.net n spring 2016 Army&You 21