THE weather was awful at 1.30am, but nothing was going to stop Gemma Tebble and her family from getting to the airport. They were about to jet off to Tenerife for a holiday with Give Us Time, a charity that provides free breaks for Service families in need of rest, rehabilitation and reconnection.
The organisation was the brainchild of Dr Liam Fox MP who felt that although the MOD has improved the care of those physically and mentally injured in combat, not enough was being done to support Service families.
He said: “Even a normal deployment can disrupt family life and situations can be made much worse if there is physical or psychological long-term damage.
“Sometimes, it takes only some quality time in a neutral environment to restore the normal dynamic to a family.”
Escaping the pressures
By asking those with holiday homes, timeshares or second homes to donate their unused weeks, Give Us Time provides breaks for the families of deployed military personnel.
The Tebbles took part in a pilot programme and thoroughly made the most of their time away. Gemma said: “The main aim of this holiday was to relax and enjoy some time without the pressures of life at home and that’s exactly what we got.
“We cannot thank Give Us Time enough for the amazing gift they gave us.”
Am I eligible?
If you’ve served in the Regular or Reserve Forces and have been deployed on operational tour from and including 2005, you’re eligible for a Give Us Time holiday.
Once registered and approved, you’ll be able to see the properties that have been donated. Holidays are accommodation-only except in a few circumstances and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis or by ballot for the most popular locations.
Register at www.giveustime.org.uk