The Sporting Champions Awards are being run by the RAF Benevolent Fund in partnership with the RAF Sports Board to showcase the sporting achievements of the RAF family. The awards ceremony will take place in The Bobby Moore Suite at Wembley Stadium on 23 April 2009. Nominations are open until 16 January 2009.

"I'm delighted to be supporting the RAF Benevolent Fund in its 90th year by backing its very first Sporting Champions Awards in partnership with the RAF Sports Board. This is a fantastic way to celebrate the importance of sport not only within the RAF but also across the entire country."
Chris Hoy - Olympic Gold Medallist

Buy your Christmas cards direct from our website and be sure all your money is reaching a good cause. There are over 15 designs to choose from in our online shop, including one with a photo of the interior of St Clement Danes Church, shown here.

While you're in our online shop why not take the time to have a look at what else it has to offer. It's a great place for gifts - from books and limited-edition prints to memorabilia.

Every Remembrance Sunday the cadets of 1333 (Grangemouth) Squadron have planted poppies on the graves of 74 young trainee pilots who died at RAF Grangemouth, learning to fly the Spitfire in the early years of the Second World War.

Following a recent fact-finding trip to Poland at the invitation of the Polish Air Force, the cadets launched an appeal for a permanent and visible memorial to those young airmen - airmen who came from Britain, Poland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, Czechoslovakia, and the United States.

The new memorial, situated close to the gates of the former Grangemouth Airfield, was recently unveiled by Air Marshal Sir Roger Austin, a Trustee of the RAF Benevolent Fund. A full size Spitfire is shortly to be erected on a plinth next to the memorial. 

The RAF Benevolent Fund held a special reception at the Imperial War Museum on 14 October for the Masters and Clerks of the London Livery Companies. The event was a chance to introduce the guests to the RAF Benevolent Fund's work.

After drinks and canapés, Sir Rob Wright, the Controller of the RAF Benevolent Fund, spoke about the enduring bonds between the charity and the RAF. This was followed by an informative presentation by serving members of the RAF on how the Service operates today.

Sir Rob said, "There have always been strong links between Livery Companies and the military, and tonight was a chance to refresh these bonds and discuss how our organisations might go forward together to help the RAF meet 21st century challenges."

Have your say about our website - we want your views on what you like about it and how we might improve it. Please help us by answering our website evaluation survey.

Over the next two weeks, this is a great opportunity to feed your views and experience into plans for our new website that will be taking shape over the coming months.

One of the world's best-loved authors, Alexander McCall Smith, has dedicated his latest work, "La's Orchestra Saves the World", to the brave men and women of the RAF.

"I wrote La's Orchestra Saves the World in appreciation of two things - a beautiful part of England (Suffolk) and the RAF. I am very much aware, as most of us are, of the debt we owe the RAF for its heroic defence of freedom in the Second World War. In this novel I talk about the bravery of British and Polish airmen who fought against such heavy odds in those difficult days. The more I have read about the RAF the more I have come to admire it; indeed, we owe it everything. It is as simple as that. Had those brave men and women not made the sacrifice that they did, our world would have become a harsh and terrible place. And their successors - the men and women of the RAF today - carry on this wonderful tradition of service. This novel is a personal thank you."  Alexander McCall Smith

RAF personnel and their friends and family can receive £2 off the RRP of £14.99 plus free p&p in the UK or to air force/military bases throughout the world. To order please contact BookSource on 0845 370 0067, quoting reference 'RAFBF', or send a cheque in Sterling (payable to 'BookSource') to: BookSource, 50 Cambuslang Road, Glasgow G32 8NB, UK.

Do you have a mobile phone that's come to the end of its useful life? Or one that you've replaced with a newer model?

Rather than throwing the old phone away or leaving it at the back of a drawer, you can help support the work of the RAF Benevolent Fund, while at the same time keeping the planet green, by sending us your phone for recycling.

Simply send us an email with the subject "Cellphone Recycling", together with your name and address, and we will send you a prepaid, preaddressed recycling envelope.

A team of serving RAF Physical Training Instructors, based at RAF Honington, are tackling the six day Abu Dhabi Adventure Race this December, to raise money for the RAF Benevolent Fund.

The event, one of the biggest adventure races world-wide, is an incredible test of skill and physical stamina, and includes trail running, mountain biking, camel trekking, rock climbing and sea kayaking. Only three British teams qualified to compete in the event, against a selection of the best adventure race teams in the world.

Team member Corporal Steven Robinson, 25, said, "As our work is so physically demanding it is exactly the kind of challenge we relish, and if we can raise money for the RAF Benevolent Fund at the same time, so much the better."

The Band of the Royal Air Force College played a special "thank you" concert on Thursday 9 October at the MacRobert Arts Centre, Stirling University, to celebrate the conclusion of its two days of free music tutorials for local schools. In the process the band raised £855 for the RAF Benevolent Fund.

The two musical workshop days offered local, young musicians a unique opportunity to develop their skills under the watchful eye of the internationally renowned RAF College Band. 

Pre-booking your airport parking with APH can save you up to 25% and, in addition, ex-RAF personnel and RAF Benevolent Fund employees receive an additional 10% discount. With over 30 car parks at 16 UK airports you can be sure to find a car park to suit your needs.

For more information, to check prices and book online visit www.aph.com/raf or call 0870 737 7671 quoting 'RAF'.

Money raised with an unreliable Reliant Robin
Richard Beswick raised £3,600 attempting to drive a battered Reliant Robin from Bury St Edmunds to the Isle of Skye. He's trying again before Christmas! Full story

Dulwich Air Cadets
The cadets from 1475 squadron Air Training Corps presented a cheque for £6,184.75 to the RAF Benevolent Fund, taking their total fundraising for the charity to a grand total of £24,000. The money was raised at a concert produced by 1475 Squadron ATC at the Central Church of the Royal Air Force, St Clement Danes. Full story

Marham track day
£14,000 was raised for a number of charities, among them the RAF Benevolent Fund, by a track day at RAF Marham. The day was sponsored by Adrian Flux Insurance Services, which helped to cover running costs. Drivers paid £70 to drive their cars to the limit on the airfield's "track".

In conjunction with Friends and Relations website, the RAF Benevolent Fund is offering a free service to recognise those in the RAF family who have passed away. The service allows you to add three photographs and up to 1,500 words on a memorial web page. It also allows others to leave their own tributes from wherever they may be in the world. For more information, please contact Jon.Heard@rafbf.org.uk.

Making a donation online is the most effective way to support the Fund as it saves time and money. We use a leading donation processing agency called Justgiving to ensure that your gift is handled securely and efficiently. What's more, if you are a UK taxpayer, Justgiving will automatically add a 28% tax bonus to your donation at no cost to you!

A secure online credit card donation can be made by clicking the button above.