DERBYSHIRE FORCES LINK ACTION GROUP

5, STRUTT STREET BELPER, DERBYSHIRE DE56 1UN

Tel / Fax / Answer machine 01773 828085

OFFICE HOURS 10.0am UNTIL 1.0pm DAILY MONDAY TO FRIDAY

Charity Registration Number 298390

The aims of the group is to LINK together Service and Ex-service charities and provide LINKS to the Military, Statutory, Welfare, Social, Charitable and Voluntary bodies in the County of Derbyshire

The Group was formed as a direct result of a suggestion made at a SSAFA workshop some years earlier when a number of organisations asked if it would be possible for one single point of contact to be established for contact with the Service and Ex-service organisations.

The office is staffed entirely by volunteers.

During the Gulf War the office took on the mantle of County Co-ordinator and was staffed 24hrs a day. At this time advising relatives of service personnel where sick and wounded were hospitalised and assistance on visiting etc. was just one f the many important roles played by the volunteer staff in conjunction with the Armed Forces.

Amongst the more commonplace requests are those for information on Welfare maters such as “Can I get help to obtain a wheelchair for my ex-service relative who has recently become housebound”. “ I lost my spouse a few years ago and am finding it impossible to meet all the household bills on my State Pension”

It is in cases like this that our liaison with Soldiers’, Sailors’, and Airman’s Families Association / Forces Help (SSAFA / FH) comes into play and we have direct communication with all branches of that Organisation as well as contact addresses etc. for most of the Service Charities.

Advice is also available on lesser matters such as where to obtain medals, Regimental ties, existence of branches of ex-service associations etc.