As a charity supporting veterans of the Armed Forces, the situation in Afghanistan is deeply upsetting for us and those we support. This is an emergency appeal quite simply because we are receiving more calls for support than ever before, calls of desperation and hopelessness.
Feelings of anger, resentment, guilt, fear and grief have been fuelled by the devastating images from Afghanistan. Images that have brought back memories and trauma for those who fought in many conflicts, be it Afghanistan, the Falklands, Bosnia, Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone; and their family members.
Statement from CEO of FirstLight Trust, Dorinda Wolfe Murray, “As the news unfolds from Afghanistan and images of parents trying to save their babies, of the fears over what will happen to the women and children surface, many of those who saw the difference that we were making in Afghanistan, feel devastated. And they are not the only ones. The ripple effect of guilt, anger felt by those who served and the families that supported them is very real. We have seen a massive increase in a request for support – usually a self-referral by those who think that no-one is prepared to listen or assist. We are listening, and we do help – as fast as we can. We are being overwhelmed by ‘asks’ and we will not turn anyone away. Please help us deliver real, face to face support; help us problem solve, create solutions and most importantly listen to those voices from those who gave so much.”
FirstLight Trust is named after the light you see in the morning when you’ve survived another night; a light that represents hope. We are amidst a crisis, one that so many fought to avoid. Please help us to support British Armed Forces, Emergency Services and families who are affected by Afghanistan and other conflicts by donating to FirstLight Trust today.
