War Widows' Association Competitors

Founded in 2016, the Veterans’ Foundation (VF) works with hundreds of charities and organisations across the UK that share our mission to provide a better life for our Armed Forces family in need. As a pan-service funder, we provide grants ranging from a few hundred pounds to £200,000 to support organisations delivering life-changing projects for the entire Armed Forces community — veterans, serving personnel and their families across the Navy, Army, and Air Force. We have awarded over £31 million to more than 500 charities and organisations since our inception in July 2016. This vital work is made possible thanks to our loyal Veterans’ Lottery players and the generosity of fundraisers and donors, each playing a crucial role in transforming lives. Our mission is simple: to fund projects that help veterans and their families overcome hardship, recover from mental and physical challenges, and regain independence, wellbeing, and purpose within the community.

Operation Christmas Box (formerly uk4u Thanks!) is a registered charity which provides Christmas Boxes full of presents (affectionately known as the 'Square Stocking') as a gift from the nation to all those serving unaccompanied overseas in the UK Armed Forces away from their families and loved ones on Christmas Day. Each year, thanks entirely to generous donations from members of the public and our sponsors, Operation Christmas Box is able to send Christmas gift Boxes to unaccompanied UK Armed Forces personnel on duty overseas over the Christmas period and at its peak, 24,500 boxes were produced annually for several years. The charity does not receive any public funds, but the Ministry of Defence (MOD) supports the charity with advice and guidance on the number of boxes required and the contents. It also assists with the massive logistics operation it takes to deliver the boxes in time for Christmas Day. We ensure that all Servicemen and Servicewomen who are serving on tours of duty unaccompanied overseas away from their families and loved ones at Christmas receive a box, whether they are in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army or the Royal Air Force, and wherever they are in the world. The initiative was inspired by the 1914 Christmas Gift Fund, established by Princess Mary, the daughter of King George V. You can find out more about how the charity Operation Christmas Box was formed on this website.

The National Gulf Veterans and Families Association (NGVFA) was established as a registered charity in March 1999. After returning from Gulf War 1 (90-91), service personnel developed illnesses and could not understand why. Many told their stories in local and national newspapers, and began to realise how wide-spread and common the problems were amongst Gulf Veterans. Responding to this need the NGVFA was established and set up to run from its base in Kingston Upon Hull. Over subsequent years, as further desert conflicts took place the availability and scope of the charities' services expanded to cover Veterans of Gulf 2 (Iraq 03-09) and Afghanistan (01-Present). A Board of Trustees, which includes Veterans, help ensure that Veterans of desert conflicts and their families, partners and carers are at the heart of all we do. Day to day management and administration is undertaken by a small team of staff and a small number of dedicated volunteers. Thousands of service personnel were deployed in both the Gulf Conflicts with many more in the current ongoing conflict in Afghanistan. Many returning home develop health or social problems, requiring support from the NGVFA. As of August 2013 there were 9603 ill Gulf War Veterans claiming a war pension from Gulf War 1, and 5864 from Gulf War 2 (Iraq) (Source: Service Personnel & Veterans Agency (SPVA) August 2013). The need for the Charity to remain and help these individuals and their families grows with each day.