Information - NFF

South West Scotland
R&R for Injured Service Personnel
Two-and-a-half years ago Brigadier’s
daughter Jennefer Tobin started the
charity ‘South West Scotland R’n’R’
that provides much needed and
appreciated holidays in Dumfries and
Galloway for soldiers injured, while
on active service in Afghanistan and
elsewhere, to give the men a chance
to relax, to regain self confidence and
to continue on the road to recovery.
She’s so far helped 180 Servicemen who
have returned injured and traumatised from
the frontlines in Afghanistan and Iraq; whose
complaints range from lost limbs and bullet
shrapnel wounds to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Many used to be ‘fighting fit’ but have been
medically downgraded as a result of their injuries.
The servicemen come for a week’s holiday and
soak up the welcoming environment and home
cooked meals while enjoying clay pigeon shooting,
falconry, fishing, hunting, carriage driving, sailing
and extreme sports like mountain boarding, with
the local villagers pitching in to help.
Landlady Annie from The Steamboat Inn, next
door to Jennefer’s, cooks dinner for the men
using free donations of food from her suppliers,
with everything from sausages and bacon to pies,
curry, lasagne and fish. There’s even a local group
of retired women who named themselves ‘Baking
for Heroes’ who make anything from bread rolls
to jam, desserts or pies when the lads are in the
village. There’s also a qualified masseuse on hand
to de-stress the troops!
The Tardis-like building is divided up into seven
bedrooms, five bathrooms and three sitting
rooms, with a separate dining space and kitchen
The Royal British Legion – Poppy Funds
charities in action
spread over three floors. There’s even a wet
room that caters for wheelchair users.
For more information on South West Scotland R&R,
go to www.southwestscotlandrnr.org.uk.
The Royal British Legion provides welfare to the
whole Armed Forces family – serving, ex-Service
and their dependants. They also campaign on
a range of issues affecting Service people, are
the custodian of Remembrance, run the annual
Poppy Appeal and are one of the UK’s largest
membership organisations.
In 2011 they are celebrating their 90th birthday
and hope to raise £90 million over this year.
There are many ways to support The Poppy
Appeal – through their Poppy shop, by buying
a poppy or download music (in 2010 the Royal
British Legion released its own single ‘Two
Minute Silence’). If you would like to help raise
money through their Poppy Appeal either with a
donation or to volunteer go to
www.poppy.org.uk for details.
The Royal British Legion also now run Poppy
Lottery, a fun way to support the vital work of the
charity where each week you could win one of
100 cash prizes of up to £2,000!
Each weekly entry costs just £1 and all the
proceeds from this fundraising lottery help serving
and ex-Service people in need. For full details of
how to enter visit www.britishlegion.org.uk,
entrants by law must be aged 16 or over.
The proceeds from the Draw help to fund the
Legion’s many welfare services that include:
• New Recovery Centres for the recent war
wounded
• Poppy Homes
• Poppy Break Centres
• Providing additional mobility aids for
housebound veterans
• Expertise to assist with pension claims and
disability entitlements
• Essential home repairs for the elderly
• Advice and support with resettlement, learning
and work.
Heritage Stairlifts has announced a partnership with
The Royal British Legion to launch a new brand to
the UK marketplace – Poppy Stairlifts.
The new partnership has been developed to
help raise funds for the benefit of Armed Forces
personnel past and present, and their families.
Under the agreement, each stairlift sold will
help raise funds for The Royal British Legion’s
important welfare work. In addition, members
of The Royal British Legion will receive a 10%
discount on purchase of a
Poppy stairlift.
Through the Poppy brand, stairlift dealer Heritage
hopes to raise £250,000 for The Royal British Legion’s
new Battle Back Centre that will help in the recovery
of wounded, injured and sick Armed Forces personnel
through adaptive sports and adventure training.
The Royal British Legion has
committed £50 million to this
project, that will be used to
build the Battle Back Centre
and provide for the operation
of the four Personnel Recovery
Centres and the Battle Back
Centre for the next 10 years.
The Royal British Legion is dedicated to meeting
the specific needs of sick and injured personnel and
helping them to make the transition into civilian
life. Additionally, they are committed to look after
people who have been seriously wounded in battle
and who are long-term sick or injured and will
continue to support them throughout their lives,
even when they leave the military.
If you would like to contribute and assist us in this
important project, please make a donation through
www.britishlegion.org.uk.
HOMEPORT AUTUMN 2011 39