2009

14 December 2009 - Reaper Flight Commander takes on Vegas marathon for charity
Squadron Leader Gareth Davies (35) is a Flight Commander with 39 Squadron, part of the RAF’s Reaper UAV force based at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada.

29 September 2009 - RAF Benevolent supports Ian Rennie Hospice at Home nurses
Ian Rennie Hospice at Home (IRHH) recently received a generous grant from the RAF Benevolent Fund towards the nursing care they provide in the Chilterns area. In announcing the decision, Director of Welfare and Policy Air Commodore Paul Hughesdon said: “The RAF Benevolent Fund much appreciates Iain Rennie's support and care of members of the Royal Air Force family and has approved a grant of £22,000 as a contribution towards the charity's expenditure in this area. We wish you well for the future.”

29 September 2009 - Bentley Priory becomes RAF station once more as RAF Benevolent Fund hosts Gala Dinner
Bentley Priory, the spiritual home of RAF Fighter Command, became an RAF station for one more night on 22nd September. The RAF Benevolent Fund (RAFBF), the RAF’s leading welfare charity, transformed the venue to host a special gala dinner, attended by supporters of the charity and many senior RAF personnel, including Chief of the Air Staff, ACM Sir Stephen Dalton. The Dinner was held to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the RAF Benevolent Fund and to raise awareness of the services the charity provides to serving and former members of the RAF and their families.

23 September 2009 - War widow climbs Kilimanjaro to "give something back"
On 1 October, the widow of an RAF Regiment Gunner killed in Afghanistan will be setting off to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to help raise money for the RAF Benevolent Fund. Jacqui Thompson, 43, from Nottingham, is taking on the challenge to honour the memory of her husband, SAC Gary Thompson, and to raise awareness of the RAF’s leading welfare charity.

Seven engineers from RAF Cottesmore, in Oakham, Rutland, (and RAF Wittering near Stamford) will set out on a testing cycling challenge this month, as they attempt to ride from Lands End to John O’Groats in only nine days. The team, many of whom have recently toured Afghanistan with the RAF’s Harrier force, will be raising money for the RAF Benevolent Fund along the way.

10 September 2009 - Princess Marina House celebrates 40 years of care for the RAF with special Garden Party
Princess Marina House, the RAF Benevolent Fund's flagship resort for serving and former members of the RAF, threw a special garden party on 9 September, to celebrate its 40 years of care for the RAF family. The event, attended by HRH the Duke of Kent, Mrs Susan Pyper, Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex, and Councillor Mark Butler, the Mayor of Littlehampton, also marked the 90th anniversary of the RAF Benevolent Fund.

The RAF Offshore Sailing Team enjoyed fantastic success at this year's Cowes Week regatta, finishing third overall in their class, a remarkable achievement and a full five places better than they achieved last year.

The Hawks of RAF Leeming's 100 Squadron are taking to the sky in striking new colours this summer, to celebrate our 90th anniversary. The Hawks have been painted with our "Heart Roundel" logo to raise awareness of our work at air shows across the UK this summer.

The RAF Benevolent Fund hosted a special 90th anniversary party as part of the RAF Honington Families Day on 29th July. The event, which saw RAFBF staff and volunteers provide a circus, fun packs and picnic boxes for the many children on station, was judged a tremendous success by all.

Sir Robert Wright, Controller of the RAF Benevolent Fund, was welcomed at The Home Farm Trust (Hft) in Abingdon, where he presented a cheque for £145,000 towards Hft's work with RAF family members. The Home Farm Trust is a national charity for people with learning disabilities and their families.

The runways of RAF Marham will echo once more to the sound of rally cars in August as RAF Marham opens its gates to the second "Richard Burns Memorial Rally". The 2009 Rally, held on 15th and 16th August, is a major charity event supporting the RAF Benevolent Fund, the Richard Burns Foundation and other service charities.

The RAF Benevolent Fund gave thanks for its 90 years of continuous service to the RAF family with an inaugural "Thanksgiving Day" on Sunday 12 July. The service took place at St Clement Danes in London, the spiritual home of the RAF.

RAF personnel from across the UK joined forces on Sunday July 12 at the British London 10K Run, raising money for the RAF Benevolent Fund.

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who supported our skydive event on Saturday 11 July at Netheravon Airfield. Unfortunately clouds and torrential rain prevented any jumps taking place. However, all our jumpers were more than understanding and managed to get their training completed, ensuring that they can all come back another day and do the skydive!

RAF Waddington Station Commander, Group Captain Powell, presented a cheque for £96,000 to Sir Robert Wright, Controller of the RAF Benevolent Fund, at this year's Waddington Air Show, on Sunday 5th July. The funds are part of the proceeds from last year's event and will go to help serving and former members of the RAF in need.

Twenty two members of the RAF Marham Expedition paid a visit to Princess Marina House - they had already walked 56 miles from Winchester and had only 44 miles to go to Eastbourne.

The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre will host a brand new airshow on 1 August 2009 in support of the RAF Benevolent Fund. The airshow will include displays from various vintage aircraft such as Mustangs, Spitfires, Hurricanes, and the Swift Aerobatic Display Team.

The RAF Offshore Sailing Team will compete in the world famous "Round the Island Race" on 20 June, pitting the skills of rookie and veteran RAF servicemen against some of the leading talents in world sailing.

A team of serving RAF personnel joined forces with staff from the RAF Benevolent Fund to conquer the Hairy Haggis Marathon in Edinburgh on 31 May. In the process the team raised over £1,500.

The RAF Display Hawk is taking to the sky in striking new colours this summer. In a special collaboration the aircraft has been painted with the 'Heart Roundel' logo of the RAF Benevolent Fund to help celebrate our 90th anniversary.

Celebrities and famous photographers from across the UK donated images to a special charity event at the RAF Club in Piccadilly on 14 May 2009. The RAFBF Photographic Auction was held to celebrate our 90th anniversary.

Personnel at RAF Brize Norton raised over £770 on April 1st for the RAF Benevolent Fund. The money was raised through a charity gate collection - one of a number of collections held at RAF stations across the country to mark our 90th anniversary.

The RAFBF helped the personnel of RAF Lossiemouth overcome a major crisis this year - the destruction of their childcare centre! The centre sustained severe damage during the cold snap around Christmas and was rendered unusable. But through the swift response of the Station, and with our assistance, the centre has been repaired in just six weeks.

Scotland's First Minister, The Rt Hon Alex Salmond MP MSP, hosted a reception to mark the 90th anniversary of the RAF Benevolent Fund at Edinburgh Castle on 31 March. The theme of the event was "90 Years: Repaying the Debt we Owe" and celebrated the ongoing support which the charity has provided for serving and former members of the RAF in Scotland throughout that time.

The RAF Benevolent Fund launched their 90th Anniversary celebrations with a presentation of £750,000 to fellow veteran charity Erskine on 31 March 2009. RAF Benevolent Fund Controller, Sir Robert Wright, presented Jim Scott, Chairman of Erskine, as well as two distinguished Erskine residents who are veterans of the Army and Air Force, with the sum.

A special charity screening of The Dam Busters took place at RAF Lossiemouth on Thursday 5 February, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the RAF Benevolent Fund. During the screening £413 pounds was raised for the charity.

Members of the David Sale Challenge team joined RAF Benevolent Fund Regional Fundraisers to present a cheque of £19,000. The David Sale Challenge was an epic four day fundraising event held in memory of Flt Lt David Sale, an RAF pilot who was tragically killed in a helicopter crash on 8 August 2007.

Princess Marina House, the RAF Benevolent Fund care home in West Sussex, launched a new 'Minibus Appeal' at Sainsbury's in the local town of Rustington. The collection raised £518 towards a target of £45,000.

Alf Booth, 78, from Heanor, Derbyshire, received the perfect Christmas present in December, when the RAF Benevolent Fund (RAFBF) provided him with a brand new electric wheelchair.