Chairman's Intro - Annual Review

Good morning. Welcome to the first Annual Review for Help for Heroes.

Help for Heroes was set up October 2007 out of a desire to provide support to those members of the armed forces that are injured in current conflicts. It was borne out an immense  respect for those men and women who put their lives in danger on a regular basis on our behalf. There was a basic belief, as there is now, that those who put themselves in that danger and are unfortunate enough to be injured deserve the very best level of support.

This first year has been remarkable. The charity was launched out of passion and commitment by, frankly, a bunch of amateurs. But right from the start volunteers, the media and the public have all rallied to this cause and we have raised over £1m a month for every month since the start– much of this money is now being put to work.

The purpose of this review today is to say a big thank you to all those that have supported this cause, and at the same time to outline the task ahead. We also ask you to carry on supporting so we can deliver more, because more help is needed.

As we go through the review, you will hear how Help for Heroes has evolved during the year, how the money has been raised and how it is being used.   

There are however 5 themes that I would like to pick out that I think underline today.

1. First – the concept of 'the best'

1. These men and women deserve the best possible support. They choose a career but they do not choose a conflict. But injury can occur and the rest of their lives can change completely. We believe that just as they go the extra mile on a regular basis for us then, if they are injured, we need to be there for them.  If they choose to serve the country then it is our hope that the country will choose to serve them.

2. Secondly, we are not critical of those providing care or those that set the level of that care. The men and women that provide rehabilitation are quite fantastic. We simply want them to have more resources so they can provide the best support. We want to ‘top up’ whatever resources are available.  Our question is simple – We want to help - what more can we do?

3. Also, we are non political. We are not pro or anti war. We simply want to help the wounded.

4. Recognising those that already help provides the third theme – that of partnership. We work with the Armed Forces, MOD and other charities so we can deliver the support to where it is needed most in the most efficient way. We are not competitive  - we are additive.

5. Long term injuries need long term solutions. We recognise that injuries can be  physical, visible and permanent. But they can also be non physical , invisible and take years to surface and be just as impacting. Both need support and both represent an ongoing need.

6. Finally, today is not about us – its about the wounded and it is about you. We are, in essence, just a vehicle for the country to show its support. Any  ‘success’ you see today is just a reflection of the passion and commitment of the fundraisers or supporters and the visible appreciation by the country of the sacrifices the armed forces make on our behalf. Ultimately, for those who are injured, belief in what you are doing and being appreciated for what you have done is a vital part of any therapy.

So whether you have helped over the last 18 months by fundraising or by raising awareness, any success we show today is your success. So I’d like to start this review by saying 'thank you'.