WHEN ex-RAF Valley Master Aircrewman Antz Males lost his life in tragic circumstances in 2012, the Forces Children’s Trust was a great help to his widow Bridget and two young children Jack and Macey. The Trust provides for a range of activities to support children of bereaved service personnel, from Outward Bound expeditions to counselling and emotional support.
Friends and colleagues at the Valley-based Search & Rescue Training Unit (SARTU) – which trains helicopter crews from all three armed services in vital search and rescue techniques – rallied round to organise a charity boxing night at the Anglesey base to raise money for the trust. Master Aircrewman Simon Allen explains:
“Antz was heavily into his boxing and had organised a charity boxing night with some SARTU pals in 2011 which was a great success. So to honour his life and raise funds for the Forces Children’s Trust we decided to do another one. We had help from the RAF Boxing Association, and over sixty local businesses generously put up auction prizes, as well as Brietling and the London Boxing Club. The event raised £3750 which will be a real help to the FCT which does some tremendous work. I’d like to thank all my friends and colleagues from SARTU, RAF Valley, the Llandudno Boxing Club and our catering and leisure contractors ISS who worked so hard to make this event such a success”
The Forces Children’s Trust is devoted to helping children whose father or mother has died, or has sustained life changing injuries whilst serving as a member of the armed forces. The charity, by reason of its aims and size, has the flexibility and ability to make decisions and offer help as needed, with minimum fuss. More details are available on its website: www.forceschildrenstrust.org
Image: Organisers of the Charity Boxing event in front of two Griffin helicopters of RAF Valley’s Search & Rescue Training Unit (SARTU)
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