Felix Fund
The Felix Fund is a registered charity (1142494) which exists to support any military personnel who have conducted or assisted with Explosive Ordnance Disposal (Bomb Disposal) duties, and their families.
This includes ammunition technical Officers, ammunition technicians, ECM operators, drivers, infantry escorts, weapons intelligence specialists, dog handlers, searchers or any other military personnel involved in EOD duties.
We have three main ways of helping:
Mental health support
In the first years of its existence Felix Fund provided normalisation breaks for over 100 EOD teams on
their return from Afghanistan. These breaks consisted of a week’s adventure training plus the
opportunity to regroup with colleagues (as teams were brought back together after their tours were
completed) and they proved vital in reducing the risk of poor mental health among individuals in these
teams. Today we continue to focus on mental health issues and have launched a new welfare programme
providing training in mindfulness techniques. Known as the Dashboard Courses: We know what to do when a
light comes on the dashboard of our car, but we are not taught to recognise the warning signs in
ourselves. The Dashboard Courses will give you the skills and understanding to get the most out of your
‘vehicle’ in life.
Financial support to individuals
Felix Fund provides financial assistance to serving and ex-serving soldiers plus family members when
they find themselves in times of need. This has ranged from helping with transport costs for regular
hospital visits with a sick child, help with a large funeral bill and funding towards a flight home for
a soldier whose father was dying. Financial support has been given to help the injured through home
adaptations, for example the installation of a lift for a multiple amputee, funding for a specially
adapted vehicle and the purchase of specialist equipment, such as electric wheelchairs and bespoke
sporting equipment. Other examples include a wheelchair for the wife of a serving soldier as she suffers
from MS and could not go out with her young family. An adapted buggy for the son of a soldier who was
born with severe disabilities and funding towards pioneering surgery for a soldier who lost both legs in
Afghanistan, which will enable him to walk with prosthetics.
Grants to units
We provide limited grants to units to enable them to engage in adventure training activities, which is
hugely beneficial in reducing work related stress and enabling greater team bonding. Also we have helped
units refurbish on-camp welfare facilities in order to provide a comfortable and relaxed environment for
individuals to spend time away from work and singles accommodation.
Further information can be found at www.felixfund.org.uk
