Lottery Funding to help veterans return to Civvy Street Army veterans are to receive lottery funding to help ease the transition from military to civilian life.
“Supporting organisations that can make a real difference to the reintegration into civilian life of the men and women who have served their country is a real and pressing priority for us.”
The Big Lottery Fund will launch its Forces in Mind programme with £35m. It intends to establish an independent trust to provide longterm support for those who served in conflicts including Iraq, Afghanistan and the Gulf War. Experts say returning to “Civvy Street” can lead to issues such as depression, family trauma, substance misuse, homelessness and in some cases suicide. While the money has been allocated, it has not yet been decided exactly how it will be spent. The fund said it had been con-
sulting with service and exservice organisations to help identify where it can best meet the needs of bodies supporting veterans and their families. But it said it would be looking to assist existing organisations which help veterans in areas such as housing, employment, training, personal finances, homelessness and mental health. It also aims to fund research into issues affecting ex-service people. The chairman of the Big Lottery Fund, Sir Clive Booth, said: “For some the after-effects of making the transition from a career in the forces do not always present themselves in an obvious way or even immediately. “Supporting organisations that
can make a real difference to the reintegration into civilian life of the men and women who have served their country is a real and pressing priority for us.” About 19,000 service personnel return to civilian life each year and it is estimated that there are about five million veterans in the UK. The Big Lottery Fund distributes profits from the National Lottery to good causes and projects. It has already provided funding for older veterans, but Sir Clive said: “Now we want to also focus on more recent veterans and their families, including returnees from Iraq and Afghanistan, by putting in place this long-term support.” KCA
“Statement on RGJ Finances by Major General Jamie Balfour “ IMPORTANT NOTICE The Minutes for the RGJR Association Meeting held in Peninsula Barracks, Winchester on 16 April 2010 are now available for all full members of the Association to read, download and save by clicking HERE. The Statement of Annual Accounts for the Association is also available in the same way but again only for full paid up members by clicking HERE. You will only be given access and be able to read these pages if; 1. You are a fully paid up member of the Association. 2. You have Adobe Acrobat installed on your computer.
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The RGJRA Management Board receives the income from the £1m transferred by the RGJ Trustees to The Rifles and ring fenced for RGJRA activities, and can also draw down as required 1% of the capital each year. The income recently is approximately £24k annually, and as the value of the capital fund has reduced to just under £950k due to the economic downturn, the Board has taken the decision not to use the additional 1% for the last two years in order to preserve our long term income flow and capital value.
seum to make up the shortfall from reduced MOD funding. • £1.5k to the RGJRA Website/IT team. • £1.5k for RGJ Admin at RHQ The Rifles - mailshots, memorial wreaths etc and reserve. • £1k to the RGJRA Officers Dining Club.
• £10k to the RGJ Association to support the annual costs of the Reunion and the Journal. Was £7.5 k in 2008. • £10k to the RGJ Mu-
The RGJ Management Board had made as a priority the need to cut the cost of the “Swift and Bold” Journal to a sustainable
The Management Board has also directed that of the £50 paid annually by all RGJRA Officer members, £10 goes direct to the Association to support their activities, in 2009/10 this totalled approximately £5k. A further £10 per officer goes to support The Rifles Officers Club and its various activities, and the remaining £30 pays for the annual Chronicle and Bugle For 2009/10 the Board has al- magazines sent to all Officers located the £24k as follows: members.
level. From a cost of £10927 for the 2008 Journal, most of which was covered by a one off appeal, this was reduced to £6448.78 for 2009, and with advertising revenue and donations of £2655, the final cost was down to £3793. Our intention is to reduce this further for the 2010 journal by the website team doing the design in house. This design cost £2448 for 2009, so a further major saving is likely, and if advertising revenue holds up then even if we do not cover costs, then the cost will be fully covered by the RGJRA Management Board current grant to the Association. This, together with the entrance fee for the Reunion (£5 for members/£10 for non members), will now allow the Association to more fully cover the costs of the Reunion, build up its reserves and fund other activities as required. “
Jamie Balfour
