Veterans’ charities get royal seal of approval

Members of the royal family have participated in a number of initiatives that have helped to bolster soldiers across the country.

Just over a week ago, Her Royal Highness, the Countess of Wessex paid a special visit to the charity Stroll in order to open new housing, which they built for vulnerable and disabled veterans in Hounslow, London, according to a report published by Help for Heroes.

The charity is one which provides housing and enabling services to disabled and homeless ex-Service personnel and other people with disabilities.

This latest building, Countess of Wessex House, has been named in her honour, and will consist of 36 purpose-built flats for ex-Service personnel with community spaces and therapeutic landscaping. 

The charity, Help for Heroes has supported the building of the disability units and donated £450,000 towards the cause.

Commenting on the latest developments, Ed Tytherleigh, from Stoll said: “The Countess of Wessex House is the largest new project for Veterans in England in the past year and everyone at Stoll was delighted that our Patron, after whom it is named, has visited and formally opened this wonderful facility.

"The development replicates our other sites – including a therapeutic garden, extensive training and communal areas with a kitchen where we will provide a wide range of activities, an IT suite and tuition and a Support Worker will be on-site during the working week offering the same personalised, holistic support given to all the Veterans Stoll works with. This is an exciting new phase in Stoll’s life and I am delighted to have been part of this project.”

However, the Countess of Wessex is not the only member of the royal household to pledge her support for troops over the last couple of weeks.

Recently it was reported that The Princess Royal went to visit HorseBack UK in Scotland. HorseBack UK is a charity supported by Help for Heroes and it is responsible for providing a safe environment to aid the recovery of servicemen and women who have suffered either physical or mental injuries during their service.

Princess Anne was reported to have spent some time touring the HorseBack UK facilities and met with some of the beneficiaries of the charity 

Speaking about the visit, Tania Kindersley, a spokeswoman from HorseBack UK said; "For a small charity like HorseBack UK, having a Royal visitor is a tremendous boost. The Princess Royal was so well-informed, so interested, and so skilled at putting everyone at ease that she brought a smile to every face."

Zara Philips,  the second-eldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, recently joined a host of stars to cheer Rob Edmond and comedy stars as he crossed the finish line at Help for Heroes Recovery Centre, Tedworth House today to complete a celebrity relay race.

The Bell’s Barrel of Laughs has raised thousands for Help for Heroes, which is on top of the £1 million that has been raised by the whisky barrel roll.

The Whisky barrel roll completed a 517 mile journey from the Blair Athol Distillery in Scotland going through towns and cities across the UK.

Help for Heroes congratulated all the stars that took part in the event. Bryn Parry, co-founder of the charity, said: "What a Herculean effort by the guys. They’ve battled rain and snow and they’ve made it to Tedworth House with a smile on their faces. They’re a real credit to themselves."