RMA-RMC-Impact-Report-2023-24 - Flipbook - Page 15
Case studies
100 years’ young —
a little goes a long way!
Margaret, the widow of a former
Royal Marines Commando from
D-Day, has suffered loneliness and
isolation in recent years and was
approaching her 100th birthday.
RMA – The Royal Marines Charity
heard about this through a local
charitable organisation it happened to
be working with at the time. It asked
if there was any help we could give
so that Margaret would have a day to
remember and so that this very special
occasion would not slip by unnoticed.
Without hesitation, a £300 grant was
awarded. It made all the difference,
ensuring that Margaret did celebrate
in style, with a party attended by
‘at least three former Royal Marines’
who were only too pleased to
travel to Wales to be by her side.
It was heart-warming to hear back
that: “A wonderful day was had by all,
courtesy of the RMA grant. Margaret
was made to feel very special.”
We think she might possibly have been
the first member of the Royal Marines
Family to have received a 100th
birthday card from the His Majesty King
Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen.
www.rma-trmc.org
Living life
The family of serving Royal Marine
Bandsman, Iain Ferguson, was left
devastated by his sudden death
in 2020. His partner Rachael was
struggling and signed off from work.
The impact on the young family’s
wellbeing was something the family
just didn’t know how to cope with.
The Charity’s Health & Wellbeing
team met Rachael during a bereaved
families’ reception it hosted at the
annual Mountbatten Festival of Music
in 2022. It was obvious they needed
some immediate support — something
that would help bring them together
again emotionally and allow them to
share their grief in a healthier way.
Having assessed the situation and
to assist their overall situation, the
Charity offered a grant towards
the cost of a family respite break.
Spending time together in totally
different surroundings would
hopefully fit the bill in putting some
sunshine back into their lives.
Your donation, no matter how
small, makes a huge difference
When you are almost 94 and have
spent many proud years as a Royal
Marines Commando serving your
country, you should expect to live
in some degree of comfort.
Ralph spends most of his
time in his kitchen as it is the
warmest room in his house.
However, after a water pipe burst,
he found the unsightly mess
on the ceiling very depressing
and difficult to live with.
RMA – The Royal Marines Charity
heard about his plight and awarded
him a grant to have it re-painted.
He says: “To have my kitchen ceiling
freshly decorated has done wonders
for me. It’s really raised my spirits.
Thank you. I cannot believe the Royal
Marines remembered me — it continues
to be a source of amazement.”
In a follow-up letter, Rachael said:
‘The boys and I have just returned
from Greece thanks to your Respite
Grant given to us. We had such an
amazing time. I saw my boys relax
for the first time in I don’t know how
long. They excelled in things I didn’t
know they could do and we spent
the perfect time as family — quietly
raising a glass to Iain on our last night.’
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