Many people have asked me if I was a charity and if they could help in some way? I am not a charity nor do I intend on becoming one in the very near future either. All the funds that have been used to create my website have come from my War Pension and thankfully from a donation early in 2006 by the Army Benevolent Fund for whom I am very grateful.
This has now meant that I can continue to provide the same up-to-date service for the next few years from when my War Pension will again provide the mainstay of support. I have to say right now though that I am more than happy for it being that way and would never go sponging for money unnecessarily to support this website as I am more than capable at present of self supporting.
Anyway back to Charity Begins At Home... I am a great believer that you should always look after your family and loved ones way before trying to find money for charities from what are in some cases low incomes anyway. Charities do a fantastic job and do deserve to be supported and that is why I have now dedicated this page to a particular charity that does a huge amount for ex-service personnel, and although I am highlighting below Combat Stress as my charity of choice you could use the information below for a charity that you would like to support but only if you can afford to do so and not because (as some would make you believe) it is your moral duty to do so.
I had a gentleman come to my door not so long ago canvassing for a charity (which I will not mention here) but when I said that I already supported another charity from my wages he cheekily asked how much and then told me that others in my street were donating more than that and that they had also agreed to sponsor his charity that day too. I was shocked and sent him on his way. There is no hard bargaining here just information if you feel you can support someone. Although there will be figures below these are examples of how much it costs to run certain services at Combat Stress and not amounts that they expect you to donate. That is a personal decision by you and one which must always based on the amount you can afford. A little is better than nothing at all.
In addition I will also put links here as well, to charitable events that are happening that are raising money to charities that have come to my attention as well. I am not going to have a list of every charitable event in the world so will again restrict this to those events that are supporting ex-service charities. This I believe is fair as after all my website originally was set-up specifically for ex-service personnel and their families/carers.
I am going to use the literature that Combat Stress have provided here as I will never claim anything for my own that is not. The principle however is the same if you wanted to donate to any other ex-service charity or indeed any mental health charity for whom there are many...
- Without our help. For some the battle will go on forever.
- Without our help the scars could last a lifetime.
- Remember Those who cannot Forget
- Charity Cycle Ride This is in aid of Combat Stress and is going from John O'Groats to Lands End
Without our help. For some the battle will go on forever.
Few of us will ever know how we'd react to the constant threat of being killed or
wounded. Or to the sight of a best friend blown to pieces in front of us.
Few of us will ever be called upon to witness first hand a massacre, perhaps of innocent women and children and be powerless to stop the violence
Yet many of our Armed Services have been through this hell. And large numbers, far more than is generally realised, relive the nightmare for the rest of their lives.
Many become unable to hold down a job, some even to hold a conversation, so devastating is the effect upon their lives.
COMBAT STRESS reaches out to help.
Since 1919, the veterans of the two world wars and a host of conflicts since have found in us a unique lifeline.
The only organisation committed to meeting the needs of ex-service men and
women who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress and related conditions, we offer hope in a world that too often fails to understand.
Operating through a nationwide network of welfare officers, we visit clients at home, with the sole objective of seeing how best we can help them cope with their suffering. It may be by presenting claims and appeals for War Disablement Pensions, for example. Or by arranging for periods of treatment at one of our three treatment centres.
We put no time limit on the help we're prepared to give each client. It has to be for life.
Why your help is so vital?
At the present time, the annual cost of running COMBAT STRESS is £5m, with
approximately 28% of this coming from government sources.
For the rest, we relay on the generosity of the public in responding to our appeals. And to be blunt, we cannot afford to fall short of our annual fundraising targets.
Unlike large charities, we have no hefty reserves to see us through the lean years.
Nor can we look at making significant savings. (By careful budgeting, we have already slashed our administration costs to 4%, an exceptionally low figure for a charity.)
This is why your support is so vital. And why we ask you to give as generously as you can.
What your donation will buy?
£10 3 days food for a client staying in a home
£20 2 hours of 'one-to-one' therapy
£50 A session with one of the societies' specialist Psychiatrists.
£129 A day's treatment in a COMBAT STRESS Centre
How can you give?
You can make a straightforward donation or, by filling in the Gift Aid Declaration Form you can significantly increase its worth to COMBAT STRESS because we are able to reclaim a further 28p for every £1 you give from the Inland Revenue.
You can donate via our website: www.combatress.org.uk
Or you can telephone us on 01372 841610
Or you could host a fundraising event to support the work of Combat Stress. Phone on the above number to request your fundraising pack.
Or you could make a regular donation to Combat Stress. Please phone on the above number and ask for a Direct Debit form to be sent to your home address
Please click here to complete a gift aid form
Whatever you decide, you can certainly be sure your kind donation will reach those for whom it's intended.
Thank you
Without our help the scars could last a lifetime
"I had more than 70 operations on my body and yet nobody ever asked me:' Simon, what is going on in your head?'" Simon Weston, Falklands veteran
Combat Stress is the only UK Charity to support British ex-servicemen and women who have been profoundly traumatised by harrowing experiences on active duty.
It is a fact that the number of psychiatric casualties of war far exceed those killed or physically disabled. And many veterans could return with a chronic psychological injury such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
One of the symptoms of PTSD is the tendency to relive life-threatening incidents, which can lead to day and night terrors, mood swings, panic attacks and phobias.
What Combat Stress does to help?
Founded in 1919, the charity offers short-stay remedial treatment at three specialist centres - in Shropshire, Surrey and Ayrshire. These provide respite care, psychiatric support and occupational therapy to help veterans rebuild their lives.
Twelve regional welfare officers also cover the whole of the British Isles and Ireland to support clients in their homes. This includes working with the Service Benevolent Funds and local Social Services, as well as accessing War Pensions where appropriate.
To date, we have provided a unique lifeline to some 85,000 ex-servicemen and women who have experienced active duty in a range of theatres - from the Second World War to the present day. Our youngest client is 19 years old and one of 6,000 currently in our care. Our commitment to our clients is for life.
Why your help is so vital too?
We are currently acquiring new clients at a rate of about 600 each year and, with the recent conflict in Iraq, we expect to see an increase in the near future. We also want to do more to support veterans' families and carers as we recognise the huge impact that combat-related psychological injuries can have on them too.
To fund our work, we rely on the generosity of our supporters. This is why we ask you to give as charitable as you can.
What you donation will fund?
£10 Materials for an art therapy class
£20 1 hour of therapy with a trained counsellor
£50 A session with one of our specialist psychiatrists
£129 1 day's remedial treatment at a Combat Stress centre
How can you support our work?
You can make a straightforward donation or, by filling in the Gift Aid Declaration Form you can significantly increase its worth to COMBAT STRESS because we are able to reclaim a further 28p for every £1 you give from the Inland Revenue.
You can donate via our website: www.combatress.org.uk
Or you can telephone us on 01372 841610
Or you could host a fundraising event to support the work of Combat Stress. Phone on the above number to request your fundraising pack.
Or you could make a regular donation to Combat Stress. Please phone on the above number and ask for a Direct Debit form to be sent to your home address
Please click here to complete a gift aid form
Whatever you decide, you can certainly be sure your kind donation will reach those for whom it's intended.
Thank you
Remember Those who cannot Forget
The Last Gift You Will Ever Give
All of us need to make a Will. It's the only way we can make sure that our affairs are left in order that our possessions go to the people we want to have them.
Yet a will can also be something more than this. For most of us, it is the best opportunity we ever have in our lives to make a really worthwhile contribution to a cause we believe in. It's a chance to make a real difference to the lives of other people who need and deserve our help.
Naturally, if you have close family, you main priority will be to provide for them in your Will. Yet after you have done this, there may still be an opportunity to do a little more, by helping Combat Stress care for forgotten casualties of war: ex-servicemen and women who have been profoundly traumatised on active duty.
Even a modest gift in your Will could make a real difference.
Remember that a gift in your Will to a registered charity like Combat Stress is exempt from inheritance Tax (40%), which could reduce the tax burden on your estate.
Changing your Will
When you want to change your Will, there are two ways to do this:
If the change is small, your solicitor or professional adviser can draw up a codicil - an additional instruction which must be kept with your Will
If you are making significant changes, it will be better to start again and make a new Will.
Making or changing your Will is simple
Many people think it is complicated to make or change a Will, but follow the simple steps below and you will find it straightforward...
Making a new Will
1. Find yourself a solicitor. Alternatively these days, most banks or some other types of professional advisors, such as accountants, can make your Will for you.
2. Get an idea of what it will cost in advance. A simple Will can cost as little as £50 and if you want to be sure of getting the best value, you can ask for quotes from a number of solicitors or banks and compare their prices.
3. Be prepared before you go along to see your professional advisor. This way you can make the whole process as straightforward (and inexpensive) as possible. In particular:
4. Make a list of all your assets: House, car, personal possessions, insurance policies, savings, pension plan and so on. Don't forget to list your liabilities as well - for example your outstanding mortgage and any debts.
5. Make a list of the people you want to benefit from your will. Including their full names and addresses. If you are thinking of leaving money to Combat Stress, be sure to include our full name and address, and registered charity number.
6. Decide who you want to be your executors. It is wise to appoint two executors, in case one is not able to take on the responsibilities when the time comes. Often people choose members of their family (especially as it is possible to be both an executor and a beneficiary). But a professional advisor, such as a solicitor can also be your executor - though they will charge a fee.
Please help with a gift
Please help us treat the invisible scars of the men and women we support by making a donation in your Will. If you have already remembered Combat Stress in your Will, or intend to do so, now that you have read this, please complete and return this notification. It is not legally binding but notifies us of your intention and enables us to avoid corresponding with you inappropriately in the future. All information will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Please send your Title, Initials, Surname and Address along with whether you intend to leave a donation in your Will or have left a donation in your Will to Combat Stress. This needs to be signed by you and dated then sent to:
The Fundraising Department
Combat Stress, Tyrwhitt House
Oaklawn Road, Leatherhead
Surrey, KT22 0BX
What gift would you like to leave behind?
If you decide you would like to leave a gift to Combat Stress in your Will, there are a number of ways you can do this.
1. Leaving a share of your estate to Combat Stress. A good way to help Combat Stress is to leave all or part of what is left of your estate after other gifts have been paid. This type of gift is easy to add to an existing Will without interfering with any specific sums you have left to family or friends. It also has the advantage that it will not be eroded in value by inflation.
2. Leaving a fixed sum of money. You may wish to leave Combat Stress a stated sum of money. With this kind of gift it is wise to remember that the value of money changes over the years, and you may need to alter your Will periodically to keep up with inflation.
3. Leaving a specific item of value. You may wish Combat Stress to have a specific item after your death, which can be sold to benefit the ex-Servicemen and women in our care. It could be a property such as a house, or an item of value such as an antique or a piece of jewellery.
4. Leaving a gift on special conditions. You can leave a conditional gift so that, if the person you intend to benefit dies before you, Combat Stress can benefit without you having you change your will.
Thank you
