Now’s the time to give and be part of the heart of the RAF Family
Leave a gift in your Will to the RAF Benevolent Fund and you can be part of the heart of the RAF Family, helping to support those who served in their hour of need.
Since 1919, the RAF Benevolent Fund has been supporting members of the RAF Family through thick and thin. Thanks to the support of gifts in Wills, we will always be there for people who were prepared to serve for their country, as well as their families.
Former RAF Flight Lieutenant Stan Smith met his wife, former Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) Pilot Officer Joyce Smith when they were both serving in Cyprus in 1959. During his time in the RAF, Stan amassed nearly 8,000 hours of flying, while Joyce was awarded the Sash of Merit for Best Cadet at her Officer Cadet Training Unit.
Stan’s nephew Edgar Smith knew how much the RAF meant to them both, so he wasn’t surprised when they decided to leave a legacy to the RAF Benevolent Fund, the RAF’s leading welfare charity. “You have to give a legacy some good thought,” he says, “And if you consider the RAF to be part of your family – it was very much Stan and Joyce’s family – why wouldn’t you do it?”
At Stan’s funeral, Air Marshal Sir Timothy Ivo Jenner (KCB FRAeS) read the eulogy and praised Stan’s level of expertise in an aircraft. Stan worked with the Special Air Service, and even became a member of ‘The Goldfish Club’ – a worldwide association of people who have escaped an aircraft by parachuting into the water – after having to ditch his helicopter at sea, from which he and his crew of three escaped unharmed.
You can be part of the heart of the RAF too
Stan and Joyce wanted to mark their respect for the service and demonstrate their love for the RAF Family, which is why they chose to leave a gift in their Will to the RAF Benevolent Fund. Leaving a gift is a very special way to always be part of the heart of the RAF Family. Any gift, no matter how small, can help make sure that we can carry on giving lifelong support to RAF personnel, veterans and their families, whenever they need help. Whether someone is currently serving or has served in the past, whether they or their loved ones need help, we will do whatever we can to support them.
For the elderly veteran who feels lonely and alone, we can provide connections through our Telephone Friendship Groups. For the discharged pilot who is finding adjusting to civvy street a struggle, we can offer support with housing or financial assistance. Or, for the RAF family struggling with a posting overseas, we can arrange a respite break to give them some quality time together.
By making a gift in your Will, you can help us continue to offer highly tailored support to the RAF Family. As an independent charity, we receive no government funding and rely entirely on the generosity of our wonderful supporters.
More than half of the Fund’s work is only possible through the kindness of people like Stan and Joyce leaving a gift in their Will.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters, we were able to offer tailored care to 42,259 members of the RAF Family in 2023 – and we want to support as many people as we can in the years ahead. You can help make that possible.
Making or updating your Will is so important
Having an up-to-date Will is the only way you can be sure that your wishes are taken care of after you are gone. It is also an excellent way to help causes that are deep in your heart. After you have provided for your loved ones, you could make a gift to the RAF Benevolent Fund and make sure you are always part of the heart of the RAF Family.
No matter your reason for giving, or the size of your gift, you can rest assured that your generosity will have a real impact. In today’s uncertain world and long into the future, you could help ensure that the RAF Benevolent Fund will be there for everyone who needs assistance, to provide practical, emotional and financial support when it’s needed. If you are able to, please do consider leaving a gift in your Will to the RAF Benevolent Fund.
Stacey Mitchell
Stacey Mitchell joined the RAF aged 19, ready for a long and fulfilling career in the services. When her career was cut short in November 2016 due to an injury that forced Stacey to have her leg removed, Stacey reached out to the RAF Benevolent Fund. Stacey was keen to gain her independence back, and the RAF Benevolent Fund was just as keen to help – finding, purchasing and adapting a property to suit Stacey’s needs. We wouldn’t have been able to offer Stacey this kind of transformative and tailored support without gifts in Wills from supporters like you.
“The support from the RAF Benevolent Fund has been incredible in improving my quality of life – I didn’t realise the impact”, says Stacey. “It’s given me the independence I’ve been craving for so long and has allowed me to live my life again.”
For more information or to discuss any questions you may have, please do get in touch with our friendly Gift in Wills team and request your FREE guide to leaving a lasting gift in your Will to the RAF Benevolent Fund. Just call 0333 355 1081 or visit rafbf.org/heart