Army Benevolent Fund
| ABF The Soldiers' Charity Information | |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1944 |
| Type | Charity |
| Purpose | National Charity of The British Army |
| Headquarters | London |
| Region Served | United Kingdom, Ireland (pre-1922) |
| Official Language | English |
| Chief Executive Officer | Major General (Retired) Martin Rutledge |
| Website | http://www.soldierscharity.org |
ABF The Soldiers' Charity, formerly the Army Benevolent Fund is a British charity. It is the National Charity of the British Army and provides financial and practical support to soldiers, veterans, and their immediate family in times of need, even after they have left the Army.
The charity spends on average £5 million on individuals who need help every year, and provides grants to over 80 charities, which deliver specialist support on its behalf – reaching over 70,000 people annually.
ABF The Soldiers’ Charity was founded in 1944 as The Army Benevolent Fund. The demobilisation of soldiers after the two World Wars had put an enormous strain on Regimental and Corps charitable funds and highlighted the need for a national charity to give practical help to soldiers and veterans. Its first patron was His Majesty King George VI.
In January 2010, the charity rebranded as ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and continues to support the Army family by giving grants to individuals and other specialist charities that help soldiers and their families. It works with veterans from every conflict since the Second World War, including those from recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The charity runs key national events as part of its fundraising activities:
Cateran Yomp – In partnership with Alliance Trust, the annual Cateran Yomp sees participants trek across the 54 mile Cateran Trail in Blairgowrie, Perthshire. Since the first Yomp in 2010 it has raised over £1,000,000 for the Charity.
Big Curry – The national Big Curry month takes place every October where participants are encouraged to hold a Big Curry charity night. Celebrity supporters of the event include Jamie Oliver, Heston Blumental, the Hairy Bikers, Anjum Anad and Rick Stein.
British Military Tournament – Following the closure of the Royal Tournament in 2009, the charity formed the British Military Tournament, which ran for four years. The tournament was the biggest of its kind in the UK and featured massed bands, The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery’s Musical Drive, the White Helmets and the Field Gun Competition.
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