Disability support
Information on organisations offering advice and disability support.
BEWSA (British ex-Services Wheelchair Sports Association): BEWSA was formed in September 1987 after a small group of disabled ex-Service men and women were invited to fly to the United States of America to participate in the 'Paralysed Veterans of America (PVA) National Veterans Wheelchair Games'.
BLESMA (British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association): Blesma is a national charity that helps serving and ex-service men and women who have experienced loss of limb, use of limbs, sight, speech or hearing, either during or after service. They provide practical, emotional and financial support to injured veterans and their families and widows as they rebuild their lives. If you served in the British Armed Forces and suffered life changing injury, either during or after your service you can be eligible for Blesma Membership. Your injury does not need to have been sustained during combat, it could have happened during a training exercise or have been due to an accident or illness.
Blind Veterans UK: A national UK charity established in 1915 by Sir Arthur Pearson to provide essential training and rehabilitation to blind ex-Service men and women. From army cadets to Gulf, Falklands, and Second World War veterans, Blind Veterans UK will help anyone who has served in the forces and who is now blinded due to war, age, accident or illness.
Gwennili Trust - Recreation, Adventure and Instruction at Sea for the Disabled: The objects of the Gwennili Trust are: the relief of the physically or mentally disabled – in particular ex-Servicemen and women – young persons and those in necessitous circumstances by the provision of nautical, recreational and educational facilities on specially chartered yachts, or any similar vessel and training facility.
Leonard Cheshire: The leading charity provider of services for disabled people in the UK, operating in 55 countries across the world.
Not Forgotten Association: There are thousands of disabled ex-servicemen and women in this country. They have been injured in conflicts from 1914 to the present day. Now most of them are elderly and often frail and although their essential needs may be provided for, The 'Not Forgotten' Association is able to give them some of the 'extras' which most of us take for granted, something to look forward to; something to make life worth living.
Poppy Scotland: Supporting the ex-Service community in Scotland.
RAF Community Support: Information and communication to support the RAF community.
RAF Disabled Holiday Trust: Helps serving and ex-RAF personnel and their dependants with a severe disability to take holidays in the UK and abroad.
Royal British Legion: The RBL aims to safeguard the welfare, interests and memory of those who are serving or who have served in the Armed Forces. Currently, nearly 11 million people are eligible for our support and we receive around 300,000 calls for help every year.
Royal Observer Corps Benevolent Fund: The ROC was stood down in 1995 after 70 years serving the nation in war and peacetime, being awarded their 'Royal' prefix in recognition for work in support of the RAF in the Battle of Britain. The ROC also went on to provide valuable service through the Cold War. The Corps operated with a mainly volunteer force under RAF command; their Benevolent Fund still operates today, serving former members of the ROC in hardship, need or distress.
SSAFA Forces Help: The national charity helping serving and ex-Service men, women and their families, in need. The range of services SSAFA Forces Help provides include housing, financial aid and advice, friendship visits and professional health care and social work services.
Tourism For All: The UK Voice for Accessible Tourism. We are a national charity dedicated to making tourism welcoming to all. A break or a holiday, or a simple day trip is important to our lives, giving us something to look forward to, time to enjoy our families, a chance for adventure, or perhaps some time to ourselves, to recover, and acquire memories of happy times. In the past, some of us have encountered barriers to our participation in tourism - disabled people, older people, carers of young people or disabled or older relatives - Tourism for All works to overcome these.
Veterans Scotland: Veterans Scotland's objective is to relieve suffering hardship and distress and to promote the relief of need and to promote education among men or women who have at any time served with any branch of the naval, military and air forces of the Crown or her allies.
Defence Medical Welfare Services: DMWS works in partnership with the Ministry of Defence to provide practical and emotional support to military personnel and other entitled patients in hospital. Welfare Officers of the Defence Medical Welfare Service work with patients from all the Armed Forces, wherever they serve, including working within Field Hospitals during times of conflict.