Heroes Return 2; New Funding Programme
Second World War veterans across the country are today signing up for a new multi million pound commemoration scheme that will provide financial support to make anniversary trips across the world.Heroes Return 2 announced today by the Big Lottery Fund (BIG), pledges to fund veterans, spouses, widows and carers to mark overseas anniversaries throughout 2009 and 2010.
Sir Clive Booth, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund, said: “The generation of men and women who served this country during the War gave so much to protect the freedoms we enjoy today. As they get older, pilgrimages to the areas where they saw service become ever more poignant and precious to our veterans.
“Today’s Heroes Return 2 funding announcement builds on BIG’s previous support for our veterans. We were proud that we were able to contribute to events marking the 60th anniversary leading up to the end of the Second World War - including helping 39,000 veterans and their carers go overseas to revisit those sites where they saw action.
“This is why I am personally delighted today to announce that we are making a further offer to fund the travel costs for those veterans who need our support to attend anniversary events across the world. In this way, we hope to do our bit on behalf of the whole nation to honour the service and sacrifice so many of our veterans made.”
John Taylor, Big Lottery Fund Head of Region for the West Midlands, said: “We are delighted to once again support our veterans. Through a previous funding programme, Heroes Return, BIG made awards that benefited 4,107 veterans, spouses, carers and widows across the West Midlands region. With this new funding we look forward to helping many more.”
For more information visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk or call the Heroes Return Helpline on 0845 00 00 121.