An Introduction to holidays4heroes

What We Do #1 Part or Fully Funded Holidays – Families of those killed or wounded in action – Service personnel wounded in action Why is this important – To support families at traumatic moments – To offer something other charities and groups do not – A morale lifting break from rehab, welfare and hospital visits

What We Do #2 Quick Reaction Welfare Intervention – Service or ex service personnel – Varied services include debt advice, legal interventions, accommodation, work assistance – Extremely varied but bespoke Why is this important – Extremely rapid intervention before existing charities and agencies can assist – Non conventional assistance

A Short History Started in an online community A plea for an ex serviceman fallen on hard times Within hours we had secured enough to stop him being evicted, sorted a few Christmas presents out and a decent Christmas lunch This opened the floodgates with many cases, ad hoc fund raising and a decision to utilise kindly offered holiday accommodation We were overwhelmed by the response and need Holidays4Heroes was born

Achievements About 100 families have been away to Spain since April 2010: others have been to Gibraltar, France, Portugal, Turkey, Cyprus and the US Other have been to locations within the UK, from respite care in The Lakes to adventure holidays in Scotland Homeless, hungry, skint, separated, imprisoned, raped, robbed, and burgled, we’ve had them all. Illness, disease, stranded…. The limits of the problems that Ex serviceman and serving blokes can get themselves into is as vast and varied as the areas on the planet they populate, we have helped in as many ways And much more

Governance Not a charity Non Profit Community Organisation Facilitates our rapid intervention approach Reduces governance costs Work closely with existing service charities and unit welfare offices

Fund Raising Direct donation Passive income from advertising and others Sponsorship Merchandise Sgt Slingsby

Fund raising front Team of uniformed Teddy Bears Travel to various worldwide locations for photo ops and fundraising Sponsorship and advertising opportunities Merchandising

Objectives Continue to assist where it is needed Never turn a request down Widen pool of accommodation partners