This week, our update includes plenty of awesome fundraising achievements and news of departmental activity.
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Fantastic fundraising week – from Swansea …..
This week has been a busy one for our Fundraising team and supporters. The Swansea Airshow was the home for the fundraising team over the weekend, where we were well looked after by the organisers and the community of Armed Forces. Lots of happy children playing our traditional Tin Can Alley, supporters asking about the work of the Charity, signposting queries to our welfare support team, and even a couple of interested young people aspiring to join the Royal Marines!
… to Hadrian’s Wall …..
A fantastic team successfully tackled Hadrian’s Wall in the north of England, walking 90 miles over six days, raising money for the Charity and lots of awareness for ‘Lifting the Lid’!
It was the brainchild of the West Country 100 influential business leaders’ group who accompanied and supported a group of wounded, injured or sick serving and retired Royal Marines who were using the trek as part of their pathway to rehabilitation and recovery programme. The team smashed their target and raised a whopping £6,720.68 (inc gift aid). A huge well done to everyone!
…. and on to the mighty Pyrenees!
Huge thanks, too, to all these intrepid individuals from the RMA Cycle Club who have returned all in one piece having ridden the infamous Raid Pyrénéen, raising over £1,000 for the Charity. They finished the timed cycle challenge in the 100 hours allowed to cover the 700km route across the Pyrenees from Hendaye on the Atlantic coast to Cerbére – with 15,000m of vertical ascent! What a fantastic achievement.
The ride was not without drama – they were part of a nasty pile-up when one member slipped on spilt diesel in the road necessitating a night in hospital – and then they battled hypothermia when descending the highest col in the Pyrenees.
Enormous thanks to all our amazing supporters – what brilliant sums of money they’ve raised to help the Charity support our Royal Marines Family.
Veteran appreciation
Part of the great work our Welfare & Grants team does each and every day to help our veterans has been reflected in the grateful feedback they received this week. It was from a 65-year old beneficiary who lives in Eastbourne and who has sadly received a terminal diagnosis of lung cancer, with a prognosis of 5-7 months.
“I cannot thank the Royal Marines Charity enough for their continuing support after my diagnosis. The £3,000 grant will take way any worries both my wife and I have with regards to paying our rent, gas, electric and essential living costs for the next few months. The process was so easy and straightforward and the whole thing only took two weeks from first enquiry to the grant being paid. Thank you Royal Marines Charity – the brotherhood really does work.”
Looking to the future
Our Health & Wellbeing team visited Portsmouth to take part in a strategy session hosted by the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity Veteran Support Programme. Danny (Egan), RMA Director of H&WB says it was extremely informative in not only looking forward and understanding the changing landscape of the challenges faced by our veterans and their families, but also was an excellent networking opportunity to understand the great work that is going on across the sector.
The ride was not without drama – they were part of a nasty pile-up when one member slipped on spilt diesel in the road necessitating a night in hospital – and then they battled hypothermia when descending the highest col in the Pyrenees.
Enormous thanks to all our amazing supporters – what brilliant sums of money they’ve raised to help the Charity support our Royal Marines Family.
Harnessing contacts in renewable energy
Employment & Education has been out and about strengthening relations with Mission Renewable, a Community Interest Company which is the Armed Forces engagement initiative for the UK Renewable Sector. It specialises in skills migration from the veteran community into jobs in the renewable energy sector, addressing the transitional needs of service leavers at the same time