Give Us Time, a small tri-service charity supporting forces families with much-needed respite breaks, is celebrating its best year yet, having helped more than 280 serving and veteran families reconnect and make new memories through donated breaks and days out. This is a huge milestone for the charity as it continues its work to help those who have given so much.
The charity was founded in 2013 and since then has enabled 1,200 families to have breaks in the UK, Europe and the USA. Last year, with the help of funding from both the Army Central Fund and the Army Benevolent Fund, amongst others, Give Us Time was able to support more than 160 army families.
CHANCE TO RECONNECT
The challenges military families face are unique, with ongoing uncertainty around moves and extended separations during deployments, which can create stress for those in the immediate and wider family circle. For many, a break away from everyday life offers the chance to reconnect, relax and rebuild those vital bonds.
One of the families Give Us Time supported this year was Charlotte and her daughter Ava, who spent time in Spain following bereavement. Charlotte told us: “The break could not have come at a better time. We flew out to Tenerife on the second-year anniversary of Ava’s daddy’s passing. It gave her excitement and happiness at the hardest point of the year. Seeing the pure joy on my daughter’s face at a time that is extremely hard for us is priceless.”
REBUILDING BONDS
For Kerry and her family, a spring break offered a chance to bond and adapt to life as a family of four. Kerry reflects: “We all had an amazing time making memories and spending quality time together. After lots of deployments, my husband got to rebuild his bond with the boys.”
Andrew and his family, who spent a week in Cornwall, found their break to be hugely beneficial: “The past two years have been extremely testing for us all as a family, and a break away from everything has been long overdue… you have brought us back together.”
The funding from the Army Benevolent Fund and Army Central Fund has been key in helping the charity reach more families. As these families have shown, the experiences are more than just holidays, they are life-changing opportunities.
For more information, visit giveustime.org.uk
Main photo: Charlotte and her daughter Ava