"The Folly is the perfect place to unwind and reconnect as a family"

With deployments, family responsibilities and the daily demands of service life, RAF couple Warrant Officer Fiona and Sergeant Matt Phillips often found it difficult to slow down and spend quality time together with their two boys. A short break at the RAF Benevolent Fund’s holiday property, The Folly, offered the perfect opportunity for the family to relax, unwind and reconnect.

Fiona and Matt both have long and distinguished careers in the RAF. Fiona joined in 1998 and now serves as the Practice Manager at RAF Benson’s medical centre, while Matt, who joined in 2004, is based at RAF Odiham. Between them they have served around the world, including Iraq where they met, and Cyprus where they lived for four years.

Fiona has been familiar with the Fund for many years through her work at the medical centre, where she liaises with patients daily and sees first-hand the difference the Fund’s support can make.

She said: "Through my work, I often refer people to the RAF Benevolent Fund for help. You see just how much difference that support makes, whether it is counselling, welfare breaks, or financial help. My own family has benefitted too; our eldest son received counselling through the Fund for anxiety, which made a real difference for him."

When Fiona came across The Folly on the Fund’s website, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for a much-needed family break. She said: "I actually found it by chance and emailed straightaway to ask about availability, and within a couple of weeks we were booked in for the summer holidays."

The family of four spent five days at the Yorkshire coast property with activities including cycling, visiting the historic city of York, and enjoying the nearby beach.

Fiona said: "Our boys, who are aged 10 and 12, loved the den in the house, and we spent hours on the beach playing cricket and cards." She added: "It is such a family-friendly space. Everything you need is there, from board games to bedding. It really does feel like a home from home."

For a family that is often apart due to the demands of RAF life, those days together were precious. Fiona said: "Being away so often, you do not realise how rarely you get time together. Having that quality time together as just the four of us, doing nothing but enjoying each other’s company, was amazing.

"We could do things we would not normally have time for like walks on the beach, playing games, and just being together without all the distractions. We even had a no tech rule for the week. I came back completely relaxed, which does not happen very often."

Alongside her busy role at the medical centre, Fiona also finds time to give back through fundraising. She has taken on several challenges to support the RAF Benevolent Fund, including a 1,000 mile family challenge in Cyprus and a demanding 4x4x48 endurance challenge with her team at RAF Benson.

"We see the difference the Fund makes every day," Fiona explained, adding, "that is why we are always happy to support it. It is not just about helping serving and former personnel, but their families too."

Reflecting on their time at The Folly, Fiona says she would not hesitate to recommend it to others. She said: "It is definitely worth doing. Whether you have just come back from deployment, or you simply need some time together as a family, it is the perfect place to unwind and reconnect."