Thread: £1 million for WW2 veteran trips

£1 million for WWII veteran trips : Directgov - Newsroom

Funding for WWII commemorative trips

As part of its Heroes Return 2 programme, BIG - the largest distributor of lottery cash - has made £931,000 available to pay for Second World War veterans to return to the places they saw action.

So far a total of 457 awards have been made from BIG’s Heroes Return 2 programme, funding 1,572 WWII veterans, widows, spouses and carers to mark overseas anniversaries throughout 2009 and 2010.

Some veterans are travelling in groups or accompanied by family and carers, while others are making final solo visits to the places where they fought in the battle against fascism.

Peter Wanless, Big Lottery Fund Chief Executive, said: ""I am personally delighted today to announce the first round of grants of Heroes Return 2, as we are making a further offer to fund the trips for those veterans who would like our support to attend 65th anniversary events beginning in Normandy and continuing over the next two years to other commemorative sites across the world. "

""In this way, on behalf of the whole nation, we are honouring the service and sacrifice of so many of our veterans.""

If you are interested in applying for funding under the Heroes Return 2 initiative, call the Heroes Return 2 Helpline on 0845 00 00 121 or follow the link below.

* Apply for Heroes Return 2 funding

Whilst I rejoice at the news, I do, however, dismay at the fact that this money has come as a charitable offering.

It dismays me immensely at the way so much support for our servicemen is charity based, it is about time our government stopped serving itself and serving the country. Hell's teeth how far has it gone when hospitals and even schools are having to register as charities!?!?