The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund (RAF Benevolent Fund or RAFBF) is the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

's leading welfare charity, providing financial, practical and emotional support to serving and former members of the RAF – regardless of rank – as well as their partners and dependents. They help members of the RAF family deal with a wide range of issues: from childcare and relationship difficulties to injury and disability, and from financial hardship and debt to illness and bereavement. Any member of the RAF family can approach the fund for help, which includes serving and former members of the RAF, their partners and dependents.

History

Lord Trenchard Marshal of the Royal Air Force Hugh Montague Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard, (3 February 1873 – 10 February 1956) was a British officer who was instrumental in establishing the Royal Air Force. He has been described as the "Father of the ...

founded the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund in 1919, one year after the formation of the

. In their first year, welfare expenditure was £919. The first welfare assistance they gave was a shilling for a night's lodging to give the recipient a chance to seek work. Other early assistance included money to provide a beneficiary with tools of his trade and the repair of a pair of working boots. In 2010 the RAFBF spent over £23 million on welfare provision. The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund was originally known as the ''Royal Air Force Memorial Fund'' as one of their charitable objects was to raise a memorial to airmen who died in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. The

Royal Air Force Memorial The Royal Air Force Memorial is a military memorial on the Victoria Embankment in central London, dedicated to the memory of the casualties of the Royal Air Force in World War I (and, by extension, all subsequent conflicts). Unveiled in 1923, it ...

was completed in 1923. The monument, in Portland stone surmounted by a gilded eagle, can be seen on Victoria Embankment. Fundraising for the RAF Benevolent Fund occurred outside the UK as well. Prior to the United States entering World War II, Piper Aircraft Company produced 49, one for each state in the US plus another,

Piper J-3 The Piper J-3 Cub is an American light aircraft that was built between 1938 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. The aircraft has a simple, lightweight design which gives it good low-speed handling properties and short-field performance. The Cub is Pi ...

aircraft with RAF insignia and nicknamed the

Flitfire The Flitfire is a special edition of the Piper J-3 Cub that was used to raise funds to support the British war effort in World War II. The name "Flitfire" is a play on words referring to the RAF's most well-known fighter, the Supermarine Spitfi ...

, to be auctioned to benefit the RAFBF. On 29 April 1941 all 48 aircraft flew into

La Guardia Field LaGuardia Airport is a civil airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City. Covering , the facility was established in 1929 and began operating as a public airport in 1939. It is named after former New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia. ...

for a dedication and fundraising event which included

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

officers from the battleship

HMS Malaya HMS ''Malaya'' was one of five s built for the Royal Navy during the 1910s. Shortly after commissioning in early 1916, she participated in the Battle of Jutland of the First World War as part of the Grand Fleet. In the Second World War, ''Mala ...

, in New York for repairs, as honored guests. The RAFBF was awarded a Royal Charter in 1999 and this was updated in 2008 by the addition of a new charitable object to permit them to work towards supporting the morale and well-being of the serving RAF.

References

External links

* {{Authority control British veterans' organisations Buildings and structures in Marylebone Organisations based in the City of Westminster Organizations established in 1919 Organisations based in the United Kingdom with royal patronage Royal Air Force 1919 establishments in the United Kingdom

History

See also

References

External links