Supporting the Home Farm Trust
The RAF Benevolent Fund provides help and support to RAF families with a great variety of concerns. Often, when specialised assistance is required, we work alongside other charities for the best results.
The Home Farm Trust is a national charity for people with learning disabilities and their families. The trust supports 117 RAF dependants throughout the country and has benefited from the continuous support of the RAFBF over the past 20 years.
Air Marshal Sir Robert Wright, Controller of the RAFBF, recently made a formal cheque presentation of £145,000 towards the work of the Home Farm Trust. Lucille Vaughan and Victoria Pinckney, pictured with Sir Robert, are two RAF family members who have benefited from our partnership with the trust.
If you would like to support our work finding ways to ensure that people like Lucille and Victoria lead a rewarding life, please make a donation:
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An ICT Specialist from RAF Leeming takes on the Loch Ness Marathon
Daniel Friend, an ICT Specialist from RAF Leeming, raised nearly £600 for the RAF Benevolent Fund by running the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon on 4 October.
Daniel saw the marathon advertised and decided to take on the challenge. He said, "My father had always tried to get me to do a marathon. But I personally thought that it was impossible. After 22 weeks training I completed the marathon, in a better time than I had predicted. I wanted to complete the marathon in less than 4 hours and 30 mins as that was my father's time. I completed it in 4 hours 6 mins."
Daniel chose to raise money for the RAFBF after we were able to help a number of his friends and colleagues. He raised £599.25.
He said, "I feel that completing the Loch Ness Marathon has helped me open my mind. Next time I think I would like to do a cycling event, to help raise more money for RAFBF, and work towards a triathalon."
1475 (Dulwich) Squadron ATC to hold Christmas concert
On 10 December, 1475 Squadron Air Training Corps will hold a special Christmas concert at St Clement Danes Church, London.
1475 Squadron have been great supporters of the RAF Benevolent Fund for many years, and have dedicated the concert to the RAF Benevolent Fund. Flight Lieutenant Kevin Mehmet, 1475 Squadron's Commanding Officer, said:
"We encourage our cadets to serve their community and the RAF family, as it is their family. It's through the work of the RAFBF that we can fully appreciate the sacrifices the men and women of the RAF have made to protect and maintain the freedoms we enjoy today."
In 2007, 1475 Squadron was presented with the ceremonial RAFBF Poignard - the first cadet unit to receive the honour.
Tickets for the Christmas concert are available at www.1475.org
War widow returns from Kilimanjaro climb
On 1 October, Jacqui Thompson set off to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to honour the memory of her husband Gary, an RAF Regiment soldier killed in Afghanistan, and to raise awareness of the work of the RAFBF.
After the death of her husband, we were able to help Jacqui by providing her and the couple's five daughters with a grant. We were also able to offer help with the cost of Jacqui's daughter's university education.
Jacqui completed the challenging climb and is now home in Sherwood, Nottingham. She documented her experience in photos and a diary:
 Jacqui Thompson's Kilimanjaro Challenge
See us in the Lord Mayor's Show 2009
The RAFBF is entering a float in this year's Lord Mayor's Show to celebrate our 90 years at the heart of the RAF family. The centrepiece of our float will be a large model of our 'heart roundel' logo with a gyroscopic centre! It is hoped that our presence in the parade will raise awareness of our work and the wide range of support we can offer.
The historic procession sets out from Mansion House on Saturday 14 November at 11am and will be covered by the BBC. If you're in London why not come and watch? Staff and supporters on the float will be very pleased to see you.
Route map of Lord Mayor's Show
Read more about our preparations
Do you know anything about RAFBF victory bells?
We recently received an interesting message from antique collector Keith Zimmerman, who has built a collection of five RAFBF victory bells. The bells, which bear the legend "cast in metal from German aircraft shot down over Britain 1939-1945", come in many types and many have been made, but we know little about their origin and number. We would like to find out a little more about them so, if you have any information on RAFBF victory bells, get in touch and let us know at comms@rafbf.org.uk.
Victory bells picture gallery
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Recycle your old mobile phone
We receive a donation for every mobile recycled. Get in contact and we'll send you a prepaid recycling envelope.
Website news
- Music for Scottish Schools
The Band of the RAF Regiment played a special concert to celebrate the conclusion of two days of free music tutorials the band ran for Scottish schools. »
- 24 hour squash marathon
Service personnel, families and civilians took part in a 24-hour squash marathon at RAF Halton to raise money. »
- RAF Hero on fourth Plinth
A statue of Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park has been unveiled on the Fourth Plinth of Trafalgar Square. »
- AOC 2 Group jumps for RAFBF
Air Vice Marshal Steven Hillier made a donation last week after raising £365 by a parachute jump at Weston-on-the-Green. »
Latest on our fundraising blog
- Just step out onto the girders
"You'd need to have had your morning fix of Irn Bru to take part in this challenge - NOT for the faint-hearted..."
- London Duathlon
"Volunteer supporter Wendy-Jane Carter kindly took up the gauntlet of competing in the London Duathlon..."
- 90th Skydive... nearly there!
"A second day for some of the 90th anniversary skydivers to go back to Netheravon to complete their jump..."
Lord Mayor's Show
14-Nov-09 Procession through the City of London »
Concert at St Wulframs Church, Grantham
14-Nov-09 Concert by Grantham Choral Society and the Band of the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell »
Other events
Concert at St Clement Danes
19-Nov-09 Tickets are now available for a concert by the Central Band of the Royal Air Force and the Choir of St Clement Danes »
RAF in Concert tour
23-Oct-09 to 9-Dec-09 Each concert features one of the main RAF bands augmented by the RAF Salon Orchestra and either the big-band sound of the Squadronaires or Swing Wing »
Support us
Tommies Guides
is an online bookshop with one of the largest ranges of military books available in the UK, including every aspect of WWI and WWII. Mention the RAFBF and they send us a donation for every book you buy. »
Ebay for charity
is an easy way to support us by auctioning your unwanted items - you can automatically donate a percentage of your item's final selling price to us. »
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Our website: www.rafbf.org 
