Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund in Cyprus
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Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund in Cyprus |
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If
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| We are here to provide financial and practical assistance to anyone who is serving or has ever served in the RAF, and their partners and dependants too. We provide individual grants to help with care, housing and mobility, as well as funding specialist services for members of the RAF family. In line with our new expanded mission to support the well-being and morale of the RAF, we are currently funding new services designed to relieve pressure on serving personnel, such as childcare centres on stations, debt advice services and relationship counselling. |
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The Origins of the Fund |
| Lord Trenchard founded the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund in 1919 one year after forming the Royal Air Force. Its remit then was to provide direct welfare assistance to those of the extended Royal Air Force family in need or distress. Today, the Fund's purpose remains the same. |
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| In 1999 the RAFBF was awarded a
Royal Charter. The Fund offers assistance to all past and present
Royal Air Force members who entered productive service and their
dependants who are in financial distress, regardless of rank, job or
length of service. Eligibility lasts for life.
The Fund has come a long way from its beginnings in 1919, when, for its first year, welfare expenditure was £919. Assistance then might have been a modest shilling for a night's lodging to seek work, the provisions of tools of a trade or the repair of boots. These by today's standards may seem modest in the extreme, but they served the needs of the time. Since then there have been dramatic changes.
Aircraft technology has developed at a tremendous rate, while
conditions of service, pensions and social security have all
improved dramatically. Sadly there are still things that have not
changed. The need by some of the men and women who served, and still
serve, to be helped over difficult times continues. Clearly, no
government can institute and maintain a system that copes adequately
with all eventualities. The Fund has diversified and grown considerably over the years and now, in addition to general welfare assistance, embraces Housing, Education and Care Services including its own and jointly owned short-term Care Homes. In October 2008 a new expanded version of the charitable objects of the Fund, contained in the Royal Charter, was approved by the Privy Council. The charitable objects now include supporting the well-being and morale of the RAF. |
