Page 17 - The Rifles Bugle Autumn 2019

Regimental finances are controlled in Winchester and presided over by a Board
of Trustees, with Sub Committees, that meet frequently throughout the year. They manage
a combined portfolio of around £24m split between three charitable funds. The largest
is the Benevolent Fund of around £15m that is used to support those serving and veterans (and their dependants), Regular or Reserve, in need who have worked in The Rifles and/or its Forming and Antecedent Regiments. Next is
the Regimental Fund of around
£7m that is used to support
what The Rifles wants to do to
improve the health and wellbeing
of the Regiment, noting that about half of this capital is specifically earmarked and only captured together here to maximise the investment return. Finally, the Officers’ Fund of around £2m is contributed to only by and used predominantly for officers.
Commanding Officers have been given a more detailed breakdown of how this portfolio has been built up and used since The Rifles was formed in 2007 so that they can brief their chain of command. The Forming Regiments assisted considerably by contributing much (not all) of their money towards The Rifles when the Regiment formed but there has been a considerable effort since to ensure our position continues to strengthen. The result is that the Benevolent Fund now deals with about 1000 cases a year, contributing towards about 600 of these cases and granting around £450k to individuals and £50k direct to battalions each year. Meanwhile the Regimental Fund pays out about £300k in grants each year, of which about £70k goes direct to the battalions; with other significant sums being paid to the Museum,
the Annual Rifleman’s Gathering and as
a donation to the Army Benevolent Fund
in recognition of the much larger sums T h e Soldier’s Charity dispenses to our Riflemen. Further financial details are freely available to the General Public on the Charities Commission Website.
The overall situation compares favourably with the healthy situation the Regiment inherited when it formed in 2007 and has been a very good news story for The Rifles since. However, we must not be complacent as there are always worthy calls for more money to support our people and activities and so every Rifleman is encouraged to raise funds for any of our three Charitable Funds.
This short article hopefully gives readers an abbreviated update on what their RHQ does, where its offices are now located and the happy story and scale of how RIFLES charitable money is currently used. Those wanting to know any more detail should contact RHQ at Peninsula Barracks in Winchester.
Regional Office Map Figure 2
Obituary
Anna Sheppard – RHQ The Rifles. Anna’s association with the Regiment began in 1990 when she became a Civil Servant at the Light Division Depot at Sir John Moore Barracks, Winchester. In 1997 she transferred to Regimental Headquarters The Royal Green Jackets in Peninsula Barracks where she eventually took on the Riflemen’s Aid Society work prior to becoming the Secretary to Benevolence upon formation of The Rifles in 2007. In 2018 she took on additional responsibility upon the departure of the Head of Welfare which she revelled in and made a difference to many members of the current and forming Regiments. Anna passed away on 19 December 2018 after a short illness. She is sorely missed.
THE RIFLES
REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS UPDATE 15