Personnel walk 3,500 miles in aid of RAF Benevolent Fund and NHS Charities Together

A group of 13 servicemen and women have collectively walked 3,466 miles over the course of a month to raise money for the RAF Benevolent Fund and NHS Charities Together. The team are currently deployed on Operations out of 906 EAW in the United Arab Emirates, and the number of miles reflects the equivalent distance from Dubai International Airport to RAF Brize Norton.

The challenge, which took place throughout May, saw each team member walking around nine miles every day in temperatures of 40 degrees and above, all while continuing their day jobs.

The team consists of personnel aged 22 to 49, ranging from SAC to Squadron Leader, having served from three years up to 31 years.

A spokesperson for the team said: "The RAF Benevolent Fund and NHS Charities Together are two very worthy causes which deserve recognition, especially in the current climate concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. Both organisations make significant differences to people’s lives every single day and we feel indebted to assist them in any way possible. 

"Some of us have partners who work for the NHS, whilst others have partners, children or other family members who require their services and support; this provides us with continued personal motivation to be as successful as possible. We wanted to show our appreciation and recognition for their continuous work even though we are not there in the UK."

The RAF Benevolent Fund provides financial, emotional, and practical assistance to serving and retired RAF personnel and their families. This includes grants to help with financial difficulty, specialist advice on benefits, support with care needs, and more.

You can support the team by donating through their fundraising page.