Help for Heroes Christmas Message . . .

It has been a quite extraordinary three months since Help for Heroes was launched on 1st October. In twelve weeks we have raised £2.2 million towards the rehabilitation complex at Headley Court, sold hundreds of thousands of wristbands, worked some silly hours and helped to raise awareness and support for our Servicemen and women. We have had the most extraordinary support from the media, particularly The Sun and The Sunday Times and of course, Francie and Jeremy Clarkson who have done so much to get us into the glare of the public spotlight.

Our H4H volunteers are simply wonderful and I have been honoured and humbled to work with people who have put in so much enthusiasm, determination, sacrifice, humour and frankly love, to do something practical to help. You are a very special team and deserve some time with your families over the break; thank you all so much.

By focusing not on the reasons for war but on the results, we have enabled thousands of people to show their support for our Armed Forces, for our boys and girls. We have been part of a great swell, a wave of affection and admiration for people who are prepared to risk their lives to do their duty on our behalf. They don’t think that they are Heroes, they say that they are just doing their job. We think that just by volunteering to serve, they demonstrate that they are true Heroes and we support them.

At Christmas it is particularly hard for those who are fighting overseas and for their families who would prefer they were at home. Everyone at H4H has personal experience of a loved one being away and everyone here understands. We send all of you our love and best wishes for a happy and safe Christmas.

We have had the privilege of getting to know some of the wounded and the medical staff who care for them. Each time we have felt daunted by the task ahead and the small sacrifices we have had to make, we have only had to think of you, the reason we are doing this, to feel more determined to make a difference, to do something really good. You, the wounded, are the reason for this and it is you that we are all thinking about this Christmas.

All of us at Help for Heroes wish you all the very best Christmas and a Happy New Year.

With thanks to you all, for everything

Bryn and Emma

PS. We are closing down the office from the 19th Dec until 9th Jan so, while the telephone will be on answer-phone, the donations button on our website will be very much on duty, so please keep the donations coming in and we will be back in the New Year!