Thank you to The RAF Benevolent Fund

We’d like to thank the RAF Benevolent Fund for their grant of £2,500 which will help us continue providing our vital services to over 100 families that are caring for a physically or psychologically injured RAF serving person or veteran. As a charity, we rely on support like this and are extremely grateful.

The Ripple Pond’s core services include our National, regional, and interest-based peer support forums, wellbeing workshops to strengthen coping strategies and resilience and regular art workshops led by a Member who is a qualified Art Therapist. While not formal therapeutic interventions, these sessions support emotional regulation, reflection, and peer connection through accessible, non-clinical activities. We also have a “Member Voice forum, regular member meet ups and opportunities to engage with the team, book clubs, quiz nights and our Members resource area of our website which provides trusted, on-demand resources, including recorded talks from subject-matter experts, crisis support information, signposting to specialist services, and practical guidance to support wellbeing and navigate statutory systems. In addition, we also provide one-to-one support and navigation.

Alongside the above, we respond when Members are in crisis, working closely with statutory partners. This includes referrals to Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASH) and joint agency working with statutory providers and specialist civilian charities. To date, we have successfully supported 12 RAF families through high-risk safeguarding situations, including suicidal behaviour of a loved one, addiction in the family, potential homelessness, child and adult safeguarding issues and domestic violence. One of these Members is B, who we supported through a complex domestic violence situation. You can read her case study here.

Carolyn Aggar, Engagement and Business Development Officer at The Ripple Pond, explains: “As a national charity supporting people that are caring for loved ones with physical, psychological, emotional and moral injuries, we rely heavily on grants from organisations such as the RAF Benevolent Fund. We really appreciate their support.”

Irene Greenwood, Welfare Programmes Manager at the RAF Benevolent Fund, said: “Working closely with charities that support the Armed Forces community is central to the Fund’s commitment to the RAF Family. The vital work undertaken by The Ripple Pond makes a meaningful difference to serving personnel, veterans and their families affected by injury – whether that be physical, psychological, emotional or moral. We are proud to stand alongside them and remain ready to offer support whenever it is needed.”