The keys to a Housing Trust property opened the doors to a full family life for the Green family

Steve and Mari Green are just one of many RAF families the RAF Benevolent Fund has helped. We bought the family a house and adapted it to make getting around easier for Steve who suffers from a spinal injury.

Steve and Mari Green only received the keys to their RAF Benevolent Fund Housing Trust property a few weeks ago, but family life is already better than ever.

Steve and Mari were young parents when Steve was injured on duty in May 2011, with a little girl at home and their son on the way.  Steve was serving at RAF Lyneham as an airframes engineer and looking forward to a long RAF career.

His severe spinal injury dramatically changed their plans and Steve was medically discharged in December 2013. 

Steve says: "Our SSAFA caseworker pointed us in the direction of the RAF Benevolent Fund, who recently bought and adapted a property for us to live in to make family life as normal as possible.  Being able to get around the whole house, with no inaccessible areas, and really getting to take a fuller role in family life is wonderful."

Steve and Mari’s son, Carlos, was born shortly after Steve’s injury, but Steve had never before been able to bathe him and tuck him into bed at night because he couldn’t reach the first floor of their previous home. The RAF Benevolent Fund adapted the new house to be wheelchair accessible and both Carlos and his older sister Lucia love bedtime stories with their dad. 

Daughter Lucia, aged seven, said: "In the new house, Daddy can get upstairs and help out with bath times.  If Carlos is unhappy, Daddy can see what is wrong if Mummy is out."

Steve said, "My father, aunt, uncle and grandfather all served in the RAF and I’ve known about the RAF Benevolent Fund for as long as I can remember. They are there, no matter how long you’ve served or how your need arises."