Page 119 - Chronicle Vol 17

WELFARE UPDATE 2023
In 2023 The Rifles Benevolent Trust disbursed £422,753.94 via 745 benevolence cases. 745 cases were processed, of which 92 were rejected. The average amount disbursed per case was £647.40.
690 cases related to veterans and 55 cases were for serving Riflemen.
76 of the cases in 2023 were supported by Care for Casualties and accounted for £62,604.
A total of £34,057.89 was disbursed via 163 cases for mental health counselling sessions. Some of these costs are now shared with the Joanna Booth-Mason fund. Most mental health cases were linked to the Always a Rifleman Programme (AARP).
All the above figures include grants made via the AARP.
The AARP continues to focus on stopping suicide. Recently, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has been conducted twice on Riflemen who called the 24-hour helpline. During Christmas 2023, the AARP took three Riflemen to hospital dur- ing lifesaving interventions and, sadly, failed to reach one Rifleman who hanged himself. Pre AARP rates of RIFLES suicides were approximately four per year. In year three of the programme, they are at two per year. The SARA process is the route to this decrease. Isolation and thwarted belongingness remain the greatest problem. The AARP continues to collaborate with established and trustworthy organisations to minimise costs and improve efficiency.
Mrs Kate Badcock and Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Baz Melia MBE
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