I wrote to all of the trustees of H4H on 1st July regarding their policy to refuse direct help or assistance to those injured and or suffering with physical or mental issues caused by being involved in military operations prior to 2001. I await their reply which is surely due. Below is an example His Honour Judge Jeff Blackett Trustee Help for Heroes C/O Help for Heroes 14 Parkers Close Downton Business Centre Salisbury Wiltshire, SP5 3RP Dear Judge I am writing to you on behalf of The Veterans Party and your important roll as a trustee for Help for Heroes. The Veterans Party was established to give British military veterans a and to lobby government and others in authority to ensure they discharge their responsibilities towards veterans. Sadly many veterans are continuing to experience poor treatment from the government and others in authority, who appear to play down the problems and cut the limited support that was once in place. I am writing to you specifically about the Help for Heroes decision to refuse direct help or assistance to those injured and or suffering with physical or mental issues caused by being involved in military operations prior to 2001. The Veterans Party is firm in its believe that this decision is wrong and must be rescinded. As you will be well aware Help for Heroes has a powerful branding and therefore takes a prominent place in the public eye, principally because of current events in Afghanistan. The public perception is that Help for Heroes is a charity that supports all veterans and not just those injured post 2001. Help for Heroes is positioned in the forefront of all military charities, even eclipsing the RBL, it is overwhelming others and hoovering up donations that would normally go to more modest charities. Unpretentious and modest charities that would look after those injured prior to 2001 but now find their donations drying up . The public are unmindful about the Help for Heroes policy as it is not publicised. The Veterans Party would like to affirm, without reservations, that the work carried out by Help for Heroes is outstanding and has given much to those who have suffered and survived terrible injuries on recent operations. The Veterans Party supports Help for Heroes in the work it carries out for our armed forces and their families, and I am sure you will agree it is such an embarrassment that our armed forces must rely on charities where government should be taking the strain, but that is another subject. We understand that small donations have been given to RBL and Combat-Stress but there are many issues surrounding these organisation concerning self medication and the poor treatment of PTSD suffers in the past. Much more needs to be done, such as walk-in clinics and respite clinics to help family members. Such clinics must be prepared to accept those who have self medicated and find themselves on the very edge of society. Another area of concern are the veterans who find themselves in prison with no immediate perceived future, and who are desperate for assistance. With your service in the Royal Navy and your position of Naval Judge Advocate and Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces you will understand the impact and life changing effect upon veterans and their families who suffer with post traumatic stress disorder. Suffering for many years after picking up pieces of their friends following a culvert explosion in NI, or those who fought hand to hand in the dark with bayonets and trenching tools in the hills outside Port Stanley, or those suffering from what can only be called Gulf War Syndrome. The ‘2001 policy’ of Help for Heroes is unfortunate and denies help and assistance to those who served their country in Palestine, Malay, Korea, Suez, Kenya, Cyprus, Borneo, Aden, Radfan, Oman, Dhofar, Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, the Gulf War, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Kuwait. The Veterans Party has attempted to discuss our concerns with Mr Parry with an aim to talk through ways of overcoming the problem of the 2001 policy. With that in mind we wrote two personal letters to Mr Parry but he failed to answer either of them. Following a series of emails a Mr Punt eventually emailed The Veterans Party with the following explanation: Our Charitable Objects allow us to support; 1.Serving members of the Armed Forces, both regular and reservists and their families. 2. Veterans and their families. 3. Those under command of the Armed Forces (e.g. journalists or others who are injured while embedded or under command, (i.e. Merchant Navy) on a case by case basis.) The urgent need is to support the wounded, injured and sick and their families. As our resources are limited, we have chosen to focus our support on those categories above that have had their lives changed by their service during current conflicts. Mr Punts email contradicts Help for Heroes ‘Objective’ which was registered with the Charities Commission in September 2007 which clearly states: 2.1) TO ASSIST PERSONS WHO ARE CURRENTLY SERVING OR WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES, AND THEIR DEPENDENTS, BY ADVANCING ANY LAWFUL CHARITABLE PURPOSE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE TRUSTEES AND IN PARTICULAR BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY 2.1.1) TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE HEALTH OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN WOUNDED OR INJURED WHILST SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES THROUGH THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT OR SERVICES FOR THEIR REHABILITATION; AND 2.1.2) TO MAKE GRANTS TO OTHER CHARITIES WHO ASSIST MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR DEPENDANTS 2.2) TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE HEALTH OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN WOUNDED OR INJURED WHILST PROVIDING SERVICES TO, OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH, AND IN EITHER CASE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE COMMANDER OF, THE ARMED FORCES, IN AN AREA OF CONFLICT OR WAR AND TO PROVIDE BENEFITS TO THE DEPENDENTS OF SUCH PERSONS WHO ARE IN NEED. There is no mention of ‘recent conflicts’ or ‘current conflicts’ as per the Help for Heroes email in which it clearly states ‘we have chosen to focus our support on those categories above that have had their lives changed by their service during current conflicts.’ We have had a conversation with the Charity Commission and they recommend we talk with the Help for Heroes trustees, as they must control the direction and objectives of the charity. Therefore we only thought it fair to draw your attention to our concerns before proceeding further with our support of those unfortunate enough to have been injured prior to 2001. As I have already mentioned The Veterans Party, as are many of our members, firm in our believe that this decision is wrong and must be rescinded. Surely all veterans should be treated equally. The Veterans Party will be writing to all trustees of Help for Heroes regarding the unfair 2001 discriminatory policy adopted by Help for Heroes. We hope as a trustee you will be prepared to recommend a welcome change to the unjustified 2001 policy adopted by Help for Heroes. I am sure, given the resources available to Help for Heroes much more can be achieved in helping the older veteran. Thank you in advance for any assistance you are able to give The Veterans Party on this important matter. Thank you also for reading this rather long but I hope not too rambling letter. Yours sincerely Tony Clatworthy Public Relations and Communications The Veterans Party
Posted on: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 22:39:32 +0000