The dust has settled a little after a very exciting week and I really wanted to blog in answer to a question I keep getting asked;
“Afghanistan is over now so all the soldiers are at home aren’t they”
I really wish this was true, I wish with all my heart that this Christmas every family would have their soldier with them by the tree but that just isn’t the case.
The British Army have many commitments and these are changing constantly in the UK and abroad and this takes soldiers away from the family home, ok so not all these commitments make the headlines and not all of them are combat zones but they do still mean elongated separation of a soldier and child, the added complication of this to a child is that it’s over and over again constant separation of varying lengths.
Please don’t think that because operations aren’t in the news they aren’t happening because they are, every single day of the year there are Little Troopers with a soldier parent away and it is so important today and every day we are here to support them and ensure they are connected and bonded with the soldier who’s away.
How can you help?
We want to ensure we are ALWAYS here for British Army families and our dream is an Adventure Centre.
The Adventure Centre will be a focal point for families to make memories prior to a separation and to reconnect post a separation period. While soldiers are away we would offer weekends so families can meet others in a similar situation. The centre would provide various adventure activities, which would be varied throughout the year.
Being in an Army family is a unique experience, our Little Troopers have a lot to contend with. We can’t stop the loneliness and fear children feel when their parent is away, but we can make them feel safe, secure and distracted so they don’t reach crisis point.
To achieve our centre we are launching a Fundraising campaign to raise £1million. This would cover:
- Refurbishment of a building to accommodate 25 families with common areas and an administration building
- Catering areas – kitchen, dining
- Adventure equipment – climbing wall, high ropes course, equipment store
- An activity hall for indoor activities
- Resource area for day courses for families
- A project manager
- Transport
You can help us by signing up to our Fundraising Trek in April or clicking here to make a donation.
Help me make the dream happen for Little Troopers. Louise xxx
2 Responses
surely help for heros can help. their centres run at 40% capacity ….. this would be a fab use of their space for the other 60%
Hi there, thanks for your comment. Unfortunately Help for Heroes can't help us, Little Troopers experiencing separation on a daily basis don't fall into their remit.
H4H supports veterans and serving personnel who have been wounded or injured, or have become sick, as a result of serving their country. Additionally their families and dependents receive support from the Charity as they care for their loved one, and adapt to the new challenges that they face