News PARTNERSHIP
NEW HELP FOR HEROES FUND Following detailed work with Help for Heroes, we launched the H4H Fund at the beginning of April. With a simple bespoke grants application process and direct lines of communication, the aim is to provide much needed support quickly and with a minimum of fuss. The Fund is being used to help soldiers “in any reasonable way that helps their recovery or eases their circumstances” To date some £79K has been allocated to provide such diverse support as fresh orange juice, rucksacks, gloves and pillows at Headley Court; to assist relatives to provide the support needed to patients at Selly Oak; to provide specially adapted cycles for amputees at St Athan; and to fund the care package of an individual during a 12-month course at Portland College. The grant, giving experience of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and the fundraising enthusiasm of H4H, will provide a powerful long term partnership for the benefit of serving soldiers and veterans alike.
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STOP PRESS
We have agreed to additional funding for capital projects: – £200k for the Somme Nursing Home in Belfast – £250k for Scottish Veterans Nursing Residences – £30k for The Royal Homes
EVENT
THE BRITISH MILITARY TOURNAMENT 2010 presents
THE
BRITISH
MILITARY TOURNAMENT 2010 Supported by
EARLS COURT • 4 & 5 DECEMBER www.BRiTiShMiLiTARyTOURnAMEnT.COM
0844 248 5026
0870 903 9033
0871 620 7051
We are delighted to announce the launch of this new event, raising money for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity. It will be held at Earls Court with 4 performances over 4th/5th December. The programme, which takes the best and most iconic parts of the old Royal Tournament, will feature a staggering 500 troops (of which 250 are musicians), 145 horses and modern military vehicles. Also included are the famous Field Gun Run, the Musical Ride of the Household Cavalry and the Musical Drive of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, historical and contemporary battle re-enactments, mounted Skills at Arms and ceremonial drills, a scene from the critically acclaimed West End production “War Horse” with commentary and narration by some of the UK’s best-loved actors: Anthony Andrews, Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley and Dame Judi Dench. This magnificent event presents a fantastic opportunity to marvel at an array of awe-inspiring performances of military action and precision.
Tickets are selling fast. To buy tickets, please go to britishmilitarytournament.com
FUNDRAISERS
Row for Heroes On Wednesday 12th May 2010, two Army Doctors, Nick Dennison and Hamish Reid, set out to row around Great Britain in order to raise money for service charities including ABF The Soldiers’ Charity. They rowed over 2,100 miles unsupported around the British coast. They said: ‘dealing with major disasters in hostile environments is a fact of life for medical personnel in modern conflict. Yet it is exposure to this that has made us more conscious than anyone of the dedication and sacrifices made by our troops’. We are thrilled that Nick and Hamish have chosen to support our charity – to read more about their challenge and to make a donation please visit rowforheroes.com 4 | FRONTLINE | AUGUST 2010
FUNDRAISERS
ultramarathon
In June, Nick Mackaness, Hugh Faith, James Lavers and Charles Dixey competed in the Gobi March – a gruelling, 155-mile, 6 day race through one of the most inhospitable places on the planet, and described by the Sunday Times as “one of the four toughest endurance races in the world”. This ultra-marathon takes place in the Gobi Desert of China, and this year took place in the Turpan Basin – the hottest place in China, and the second lowest place on Earth, thus aptly nicknamed “The Oven”. In temperatures of over 40°C the boys raced, on average, 25 miles per day, over rocky terrain, sand dunes and long expanses of flat desert, while carrying 15kg of food, clothing and medical equipment on their backs.
FUNDRAISERS
12 MARATHONS IN 12 DAYS! It took 2 years to plan, 12 days to run, and a distance of over 1,000 miles, but on May 13th 2010, Yorkshire lads Andy North and Dave Edwards completed their incredible Support Our Troops Challenge! In early May, the Yorkshire duo covered this huge distance in 12 days by way of 12 marathons and 1,260 mile bike rides, raising over an outstanding £25K.