Travel Information
The Royal Air Force and Dependants Disabled Holiday Trust
The aim of the Trust
The Trust exists to make it possible for serving and ex-RAF personnel, or members of their families and dependants, who are severely disabled, to take holidays at home or overseas on equal terms with able bodied people. An important part of this aim is to enable families to holiday together in property integrated with the able-bodied community.
Why was the Trust formed?
The late Flight Lieutenant Gordon Sykes MBE, a fighter pilot who became paralysed when ejecting from his aircraft, formed this charitable Trust in 1982. He had established there were over 4000 severely disabled ex-Royal Air Force personnel in receipt of 100% disability pension. Many of these are confined to a wheelchair for life and few have the confidence or means to enjoy a holiday in morale boosting sunshine. Some have attempted holidays and have found a great number of frustrations and problems which have destroyed their will to try it again. In spite of assurances, they have arrived at their costly destinations only to find that the doors are too narrow, bathrooms and toilets inaccessible, rooms too small, lifts too tight and multitude of steps to contend with.
The answer is to provide holidays in the sun which cater for special needs of disabled people and in a location where they can live alongside able-bodied families enjoying the same facilities.
Who Qualifies?
All ex-Royal Air Force personnel with a severe disability which might be tetraplegia, paraplegia, amputation, blindness or any of the disabilities which severely handicap. Likewise any severely disabling illness such as polio, multiple-sclerosis, mental handicap etc which has occurred in or out of service.
How the Trust operates
The Trust co-ordinates a programme of reserving free and specially adapted accommodation at holiday locations at home and overseas. The accommodation is provided free of charge by the Trust and normally includes maid service and the full cost of water, gas and electricity. Those taking part will need to meet the cost of travel and of course food. However, in special cases the Trust may be able to help with financial support individual holiday-makers.
Generally the accommodation will be sited at holiday developments which are primarily for the use of able-bodied people. This serves to provide a choice between a restful break and full participation in normal holiday and social activities. Only one disabled person need apply to use the Trust's facilities. This means that the disabled person may take family, friends and helpers up to the limit of the accommodation.
Applications
Applications for the holidays that the Trust provides are considered irrespective of service rank or membership of RAFA. They should be sent to:
Address:
Mr M F Sykes BEM
Correspondent to the Trust
57 Junction Road, Ashford
Middlesex TW15 1NJ
Tel:
Website: http://www.rafddht.org.uk/
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