"What is H4H all about? It’s about the blokes, our men and women. It’s about Derri, a rugby player who has lost both his legs, it about Carl whose jaw is wired up so he has been drinking through a straw. It’s about Richard who was handed a mobile phone as he lay on the stretcher so he could say goodbye to his wife. It is about Ben, its about Steven and Andy and Mark, its about them all. They are just blokes but they are our blokes; they are our heroes. We want to help our heroes."
The charity Help for Heroes was launched in October 2007 in response to the desire of ordinary people to do something practical to help our wounded servicemen and women. As individuals we are powerless to prevent war and we feel helpless that we are unable to stop our men and women from being killed and wounded. By joining together as Help for Heroes, we are doing something practical to help; we are doing our bit.
Help for Heroes is very simple; we are strictly non political, we recognize that wars happen under any government, and we are non critical, preferring to get on with the job rather than talking about rights and wrongs.
Our first task, given to us by General Sir Richard Dannatt, the Head of the Army, was to raise £6 million to help provide a swimming pool and gym complex at the tri service rehabilitation centre at Headley Court. With the support of Royalty, The Armed Forces, Celebrities, the Press and thousands of ordinary, decent people, we achieved that target in our first eight months.
Our first task may be complete, but our job is not and, while our young men and women continue to be wounded, we intend to be there to help. We are pushing on with even more determination, buoyed by the extraordinary support of the public in our first few months, to ensure that the wounded get the best help, support and futures that they deserve.
Our Servicemen and women give more, risk more and sacrifice more, so we believe that they should be given more; we believe they deserve the very best. They say they are not Heroes, that they are just blokes doing their job; we say that anyone who volunteers to join the Armed Forces and serve in time of war is a hero and we want to help our heroes.
Help for Heroes needs to raise a great deal of money and as that money comes in, we will spend it, on improving facilities like the pool complex or the relative’s house at Selly Oak and by giving grants to the right organisations to ensure that our wounded get the very best.
This is needed, it is urgent and it is making a very real difference to our Armed Forces. Thank you for your support; we need your help and we need it now.
