Government hands armed forces charities £2.5m

Help for Heroes and limbless military veterans charity Blesma have been handed £2.52m to provide wounded and disabled former service personnel with support grants.

The grants aim to help veterans access mobility equipment, including scooters and wheelchairs to improve their quality of life.

The reinstated Veterans Mobility Fund has been handed to Help for Heroes in partnership with Blesma by the government’s Armed Forces Covenant Trust following an application process that opened in July for the five-year package of funding.

The Fund was announced in the Spring Budget and reinstates previous support for veterans with mobility issues.

The Veterans Mobility Fund had initially ran for five years until 2021. This was backed by £3m from the Treasury using income generated from LIBOR rate fixing fines.

“The reinstatement of the Veterans’ Mobility Fund will make a vital difference to the lives of those injured during their military service, and it is great news that our charity has been recognised and trusted to deliver this fund,” said Help for Heroes chief executive James Needham.

“Today’s announcement is a result of a joint two-year campaign by Help for Heroes and Blemsa, and wounded veterans will be pleased that the UK Government has listened and reinstated this life-changing fund.

“We are now working quickly and carefully to establish a robust programme so we can open the fund to eligible veterans by March 2024.”

Blesma CEO Jon Bryant added: “Blesma is delighted to have been successful in bidding to run the Veterans Mobility Fund alongside our colleagues in Help for Heroes. Having campaigned for this funding, we know very well what a difference it will make to veterans who have been injured in the service of their country. We look forward to delivering this much-needed support to those who need it.”

“I want to make this the best country in the world to be a veteran. To do that, It is only right that those who have served our country should have access to high quality support that allows them to get back to what they love doing,” said veterans’ affairs minister Jonny Mercer.

“I’ve met so many inspiring veterans today who have told me how the previous fund helped them to make small steps to regain their independence and zest for life.”