Craig Cooper, 30, from Lincolnshire, served in the RAF Regiment from 2000 to 2008. Craig and his wife Leanne have three young daughters, Sophie, Erica and Kyla.
Sophie and Erica are twins, born prematurely at 24 weeks, both of whom have been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. This put the Coopers under severe financial pressure, especially after Craig was medically discharged in 2008.
Craig didn’t know how he was going to solve his financial problems, which were getting worse every day. It was at that point that a caseworker from a service charity told him about the help he could receive from a new Benefits and Money Advice Service which was available at the Citizens Advice Bureau in Sleaford. The service, which is funded by the Royal British Legion and RAF Benevolent Fund, sees caseworkers give tailored financial advice to the serving and former armed forces community.
After looking at Craig’s situation, the Sleaford caseworker was able to re-arrange their finances and stabilise their various debts. In addition Craig was put in touch with the RAF Benevolent Fund, the RAF’s leading welfare charity, who examined his case and awarded a grant to fund the purchase of a specialist seating accessories for Sophie.
Craig said:
“The Benefits and Money Advice caseworker was fantastically helpful, taking us out of a really bad financial position and putting us back on our feet. Our problems had looked insurmountable at one point but now we feel like we can manage our situation. The RAF Benevolent Fund has been great as well, helping us get equipment which really makes a difference in our daughter’s life. “
Watch a short video with the Coopers:
