We are delighted to award a £8,000 grant to The Gwennili Trust towards its yachting adventure trips for soldiers and veterans with physical and mental disabilities.
Our charity regularly supports charities that promote veterans’ mental health and wellbeing through sporting and outdoor activities. The benefits of yachting include physical exercise, a sense of adventure, close teamwork and developed self-confidence.
Since 1995 The Gwennili Trust has provided offshore yacht sailing opportunities for military personnel with physical and mental disabilities. Beneficiaries include both veterans and serving soldiers on recovery programmes from the Personnel Recovery Centres (PRCs) at Tidworth, Catterick and Colchester.
Our donation will partly fund the costs of the Gwennili Trust’s summer sailing programme of five-day cruises in The Solent, which are expected to involve around 70 Army beneficiaries.
Colonel (Ret’d) John Thornton, Chairman of Trustees, The Gwennili Trust, commented:
“The Gwennili Trust is an all-volunteer organisation whose specific effort is to make sailing a yacht accessible to those in the military community who have disability or are disadvantaged. A big part of the challenge is financial and we are very grateful for the support of the ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.”
Brigadier (Ret’d) Peter Monteith, Chief Operating Officer, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, added:
“Our charity is committed to helping the mental and physical recovery of injured and disabled soldiers and veterans. We fund a range of other charities engaged in outdoor adventure challenges and activities. We are proud to support The Gwennili Trust’s sailing programme this year.”
Read more about The Gwennili Trust’s work here.