ABF The Soldiers’ Charity – Armed Forces Week

In June 2020, we were lucky enough to be the feature charity for Giveacar, and since then, 17 individuals have gifted their cars for our cause, raising a fantastic £3,750. This has made the past 12 months the most successful year of our 11-year-partnership with Giveacar.Most individuals have long and fulfilling careers in the Army, but for those who do leave, it is often due to unexpected circumstances such as injury or redundancy. As a result, younger soldiers often lack the qualifications or work experience needed to successfully compete in the civilian job market, leaving them at risk of falling into a life of debt, poverty, and potential mental health issues.

It is also common for individuals to be unable to afford necessary training courses, or access support services due to the transient nature of service. For example, many soldiers may not have a credit score, appear on electoral roles, or be able to list previous addresses. In addition, veterans who were medically discharged often have difficulties with their mobility and require additional support in their day to day lives.

Due to the unique set of challenges faced by the Army community, a specialised response is required. This is our job, we fund expert caseworkers and provide life changing grants to those most in need. In the past year we have provided support in a variety of ways, including:

• Home Grants: Supporting Soldiers, Veterans and their families with rent payments, deposits, and essential household items.
• Education & Training Grants: Supporting individuals with training fees, materials, and other support costs.
• Mobility Grants: Funding essential mobility equipment such as riser/recliner chairs and beds, stairlifts and home adaptations.
• Elderly Grants: Funding home adaptations to allow elderly veterans to continue living comfortably in their own homes, and providing top-up care home fees to ensure veterans who need to stay in a care home are able to.

All of the donations we have received through Giveacar’s excellent scheme have gone directly towards our work supporting Soldiers, Veterans and their families, and we are extremely grateful to everyone who has donated so far.

This week is Armed Forces Week, culminating in in Armed Forces Day on June 26th, and is a great opportunity to show your support to the men and women who serve our country by donating your vehicle through Giveacar and selecting ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.