HRH The Duchess of
Gloucester and Veterans minister Kevan Jones launched the Families
Activity Breaks (FAB) scheme today at the Ministry of Defence,
together with sponsors, families and activity break volunteers.
The FAB scheme aims to send 100 bereaved Armed Forces families on
activity holidays across the UK this summer, in collaboration with
the Youth Hostel Association of England and Wales.
FAB provides activity holidays for families with children aged up
to 19 years old, who have suffered the loss of a loved one serving
in the Armed Forces. They offer an adventure for all the family
and a welcome break to meet and socialise with others who have
experienced a similar loss.
Defence Minister Kevan Jones said:
“I spent a day with families at one of last year’s activity
breaks and it was a very moving experience. The dignity with which
the families coped with their losses, and the almost tangible
atmosphere of mutual care and support was truly inspiring. Having
experienced the enormous power of these breaks I am a very great
supporter, and thank the Youth Hostel Association for their
magnificent support.”
Lucy Aldridge, whose son Rifleman Will Aldridge died aged 18 in
Afghanistan in 2009, was one of the first mothers to attend a FAB
holiday last year. She said:
“I had an absolutely fantastic time with my children on a FAB
holiday last year. My son had died only seven weeks before we went
on the holiday, and for my younger children – aged only four and
five at the time - those weeks had been a particularly traumatic
and confusing time.
“Being able to go on holiday made all the difference. They
benefited hugely from spending time with children of all ages who
had suffered a similar loss, and we could spend time together as a
family for the first time in weeks. It was an overwhelmingly
positive experience I will never forget.”
FAB ran as a highly successful pilot in 2009. Over the summer 24
families took part at two locations, Coverack in Cornwall and
Whitby in North Yorkshire. In 2010 FAB aims to send up to 100
families on these exciting breaks, this year with additional
locations in Wales and Scotland.
The holidays for 2010 will take place over July and August, and
the FAB team are urging Forces families to go online and apply for
a place at www.mod.uk/fab
ENDS
Notes to Editors
1. A film was shown at the launch of last years activities, and
afterwards The Duchess of Gloucester met some of the families and
volunteers who worked on the holidays in 2009.
2. This year 100 FAB holidays are available for bereaved Forces
families. If a family has a child up to the age of 19 years and
have suffered the loss of a loved one who served in the Armed
Forces, then they may be eligible for a FAB holiday.
3. Crucially, FAB holidays are available for the whole family to
attend with no extra qualifications, such as means testing, to
decide if the family is eligible. They may have suffered from
their loss recently, or several years ago.
4. The cost charged to each family is £50. This includes food,
accommodation and all organised activities. Additionally, a
bursary is available to help fund travel costs. The cost for
families is kept to a minimum in order to avoid preventing any
family from attending on financial grounds.
5. FAB was set up as an initiative in 2008 in collaboration with
the Youth Hostel Association of England and Wales and supported by
various Service charities and welfare groups.
6. The first holidays took place for 24 families in 2009 in Youth
Hostel Association locations at Whitby in North Yorkshire and
Coverack in Cornwall. This initial pilot was highly successful,
and the aim for 2010 is to offer 100 families the opportunity of a
break once again in Whitby and Coverack, and at the new locations
of Conwy in North Wales and Cairngorm in Scotland.
7. FAB offers a variety of activities on the holidays through
locally contracted service providers. These activities include top
rope and abseiling, horse riding, coast steering, mountain biking,
high wire, canoeing, team building tasks and games. Families are
welcome to undertake all or any of the activities as they wish.
8. The holidays are staffed by volunteers made up Service
personnel and Ministry of Defence civilians, who give up their
free time throughout the summer. They are all trained by the
Candle Project, a bereavement counselling service run by St
Christopher’s Hospice, London, who specialise in supporting
children and young adults facing bereavement. The Candle Project
also provides staff to assist on the holidays.
9. The FAB scheme is part of a broader range of services and
support available for bereaved families through the respective
Forces family federations in collaboration with the MOD. For more
information, visit:
The Naval Families Federation
The Army
Families Federation
The Royal Air Force Families Federation
For further information contact the MOD PR and Events team, Tom
Callagher, 020 7218 0341, 07500 121264, tom.callagher880@mod.uk
or Vicky Beacon, 020 7218 6162, 07876 744493, vicky.beacon625@mod.uk
Contacts:
Ministry of Defence
NDS.MOD@coi.gsi.gov.uk