Mother’s Day 2025: How the Fund was there for Amileigh and her family

To mark Mother’s Day 2025 this Sunday, we spoke to mother-of-two Amileigh Salt about what Mother’s Day means to her and her children, and the impact of the RAF Benevolent Fund’s support for her family.

In 2020, the Fund awarded RAF Leeming a Station grant to cover the cost of a polytunnel, raised beds and compost to create allotments.

For Amileigh and her husband Ash, trips to the polytunnels became a daily occurrence during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving the couple something to focus on, that positively affected their mental health.

Amileigh said: “The Fund supported us through the provision of the Polytunnel at RAF Leeming in 2020. My husband, my eldest son, and I (our youngest wasn't born then), attended the Polytunnel every day and this allowed the reflection space which aided our mental health – it’s like natural medicine.”

She continued: “Gardening gives me the chance to escape from the real world. I can reflect on what’s going on around me and take everything in. It is like a little recharge, just pottering around doing my pots. You feel as if a weight has been lifted off your shoulders.

“The Fund also supported us financially when we had an unexpected utility bill when we moved into our most recent military quarters.”

Speaking on what Mother’s Day means to her, Amileigh said: “Mother’s Day to me is a day to be thankful for having two beautiful and healthy boys. We faced difficulty when trying for our first son who is nearly six. We were trying for a baby for 19 months, we had one miscarriage and started fertility treatment. I remember on a monthly basis being in tears at the thought of never being able to have children of our own.”

Amileigh’s eldest son Archie, five, said: “Mother’s Day is a day to show Mummy how much we love her, she is the best Mummy and my best friend.”