DEFENCE procurement minister and Ludlow MP Philip Dunne has supported a national event for the armed services.

He attended the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund’s annual parliamentary reception.

Mr Dunne met 27 year old Luke Wigman, who was seriously injured in Afghanistan while mentoring a team of Afghan troops. After being medically discharged, Luke was unsure of a future career path but with support from the RAF Benevolent Fund is now working as an emergency care assistant for the East Midlands Ambulance Service.

“I was pleased to be able to support the RAF Benevolent Fund and particularly to speak to Luke Wigman about his experience finding work after being medically discharged,” said Mr Dunne.

Last year the RAF Benevolent Fund spent more than £18 million helping more than 60,000 members of the RAF family. Of this, £3.2 million directly helped serving RAF personnel and their families, who often have very different needs from older, ex-serving airmen.

The RAF Benevolent Fund provides serving families with a range of support, from helping families in financial distress to making homes of injured personnel more accessible and providing specialised equipment for children with disabilities.”

“The RAF Benevolent Fund helped me to get on to the right path to find a career outside of the service and assisted me to get back into civilian life,” said Mr Wigman.

It is the RAF’s leading welfare charity, providing financial, practical, and emotional support to all members of the RAF family, including serving and former personnel, their partners and dependants.

This year’s reception focused on how the RAF Benevolent Fund is helping serving personnel and their families, as well as those transitioning back to civilian life after service.