- New Veterans’ Mobility Fund will deliver
grants to former armed forces personnel
with mobility needs
- Government funding to be awarded by Help for Heroes
in partnership with Blesma, The
Limbless Veterans charity
- Funding will enable veterans to access
vital mobility equipment such as wheelchairs and
scooters
A new £2.52
million Veterans’ Mobility Fund (VMF) is set
to provide veterans across the UK
with mobility equipment to improve their quality of
life.
The fund will deliver grants and equipment
to veterans with mobility needs linked to
their service. This includes mobility aids that are not
usually available through the NHS, such as specialist wheelchairs
and mobility scooters, and different orthotics such as
splints and braces.
The Armed Forces Covenant Trust, funded by the government, has
awarded £2.52 million to Help for Heroes, in partnership with
Blesma. The charities will deliver high quality support
to veterans with physical disabilities through grants
across five years.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, , said:
I want to make this the best country in the world to be
a veteran. To do that, It is only right that those who have
served our country should have access to high quality support
that allows them to get back to what they love doing.
I’ve met so many inspiring veterans today who have told
me how the previous fund helped them to make small
steps to regain their independence and zest for life.
If you have mobility needs linked to your time in
service, please get in touch with Help for Heroes to find out
more.
The new VMF was secured in the Spring Budget by the Minister
for Veterans’ Affairs. The reinstated fund will
have a greater focus on evaluating impact, and will be part of
the new physical health pathway in England under Op RESTORE.
James Needham, CEO of Help for Heroes:
The reinstatement of
the Veterans’ Mobility Fund will make a vital
difference to the lives of those injured during their military
service, and it is great news that our charity has been
recognised and trusted to deliver this fund.
Today’s announcement is a result of a joint two-year campaign by
Help for Heroes and Blemsa, and wounded veterans will
be pleased that the UK Government has listened and reinstated
this life-changing fund.
We are now working quickly and carefully to establish a robust
programme so we can open the fund to
eligible veterans by March 2024.
Jon Bryant, Chief Executive, Blesma, the
Limbless Veterans said:
Blesma is delighted to have been successful in bidding to run
the Veterans Mobility Fund alongside our
colleagues in Help for Heroes. Having campaigned for
this funding, we know very well what a difference it will
make to veterans who have been injured in the service
of their country. We look forward to delivering this much-needed
support to those who need it.
Army veteran, Paul Colling, said:
I’m delighted the government has decided to reinstate the VMF and
award it to Help for Heroes and Blesma. Being able to access the
previous fund meant I was able to receive a specialist
leg brace -something I couldn’t afford on my own - which
prevented me from going through a leg amputation. That brace, and
the efforts of Help for Heroes, has enabled me to walk again.
By addressing mobility needs, the equipment will help
with veterans’ wider issues such as reducing isolation and
loneliness.
To further support the healthcare needs of veterans, the
Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) has worked with NHS
England to deliver two dedicated healthcare pathways. Op RESTORE
supports physical health needs, and Op COURAGE provides mental
health and wellbeing support. The OVA launched a £5 million
Health Innovation Fund this year, which includes a
research project by Blesma and Anglia Ruskin University on how
assistive technologies such as wheelchairs
and mobility scooters help veterans in their
everyday lives.
