Helping Families Of The Fallen

As more lives are lost in Afghanistan, there are more and more military families in the UK dealing with bereavement having lost a loved one in service

. Between the years of 2001 and September 2010, 338 British lives have been lost in Afghanistan, and the families of the fallen grow with each death.

Families of service men killed in action face a number of challenges in addition to their tragic loss. This can include having to move out of Army accommodation and finding themselves without an active support network. This situation is horrible enough, and even more so when children are involved.

There are several UK based charities on both local and national levels that work to support military families who have lost someone in a variety of ways. In 2010, the Royal British Legion began offering legal support and advice free of charge to the families of the fallen, in addition to the financial and other support that they offer.

Veterans-UK is another valuable resource for ex-servicemen and military families. They offer a support line alongside resources and links to other organisations that may be able to offer help.

Winston's Wish is another UK charity that works with bereaved children from all walks of life. They have recently reported an increase in calls regarding military children, and offer a helpline which is accessible for young members of families of the fallen.

Regimental associations and charities are another point of call offering some support to families. Because they often have close relationships to the soldiers and families, and can understand the challenges faced by each individual regiment, they are perfectly situated to provide in-community support.

All of these organisations are in need of financial backing especially in the current economic climate - and initiatives like the new charity, Families of the Fallen, help to raise the money that these organisations use to support bereaved military families. Over the past few years, it is the public who have helped these charities to stay afloat. Our generosity as a nation shines through.

As we are still uncertain as to how long the British involvement in Afghanistan will continue, it has never been more important to help the families of the fallen. A joint effort and collaborative community approach to supporting the families of the fallen is needed.

However opposed anyone may be to the reasons behind going to war or the fact of our continued presence in the region, there are very few who can deny that we have, as a society, a duty of care to those who are in need and that the bereaved families of soldiers killed in action most certainly need all the support, both financial and otherwise, that we can afford to give. As a nation we can do a lot to support families of the fallen, providing them with better accommodation, opportunities and the support they need.

Helping Families Of The Fallen

By: Jane Jennings

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