01/04/2009

Veterans Get Lottery Boost For Battlefield Visits

There's been a warm welcome for a national Lottery-backed scheme to allow Irish World War II veterans support for anniversary trips to the places where they saw action.

The Big Lottery Fund has announced the opening of its funding initiative, 'Heroes Return 2', pledging funding for veterans, spouses, widows and carers wishing to mark overseas anniversaries throughout 2009 and 2010.

Breidge Gadd, the NI Chair of the Big Lottery Fund said: "The generation of men and women who served during the Second World War gave so much to protect the freedoms we enjoy today. As they get older, pilgrimages to the areas where they saw service become ever more poignant and precious to our veterans.

"We were proud that we were able to contribute to events marking the 60th anniversary leading up to the end of the Second World War - including helping 39,000 veterans and their carers go overseas to revisit those sites where they saw action," she said.

Bill Craig, Northern Ireland Manager of the Royal British Legion said: "We are delighted that the Big Lottery Fund have given us another opportunity for more of our veterans, some who have not had a chance to visit their areas of combat, to return and pay tribute to their comrades who never returned."

The Fund has opened up a special hotline for all veterans to ring for further information: 08450000121.

See: Soldiers Remembered In Cross Border Commemoration

See: Somme Commemoration For Knockagh

(BMcC/JM)

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