A charity which provides holidays to Jersey for injured ex-service personnel falls “between two stools” and struggles to access funding from both local and national sources, its new chair has said.
Holidays for Heroes Jersey recently appointed former governor Adele Langlois as chair.
Mrs Langlois takes over from Richard Harwood, who is stepping down after five years in post.
Speaking to Express following her appointment, Mrs Langlois outlined her hopes and fears for the future of Holidays for Heroes.
“I don’t foresee changing anything greatly,” she explained.
“As with all charities, getting the money is getting harder and harder.
“Travel and accommodation costs are absolutely escalating and skyrocketing, and it’s becoming an expensive thing to do.
“That said, we are hugely grateful for all the donations that we get, and we do very well.”
However, the Holidays for Heroes chair explained that the charity’s “biggest challenge” is access to grant funding due to its unique position as a Jersey charity that serves the UK community.
“We fall between two stools,” she explained.
“We aren’t eligible for grants that support the Jersey community – because we don’t support the Jersey community, as the service personnel we support come from the UK.
“But we also aren’t eligible for things like National Lottery funding, because we’re spending the money in Jersey.”
Mrs Langlois explained that this makes the charity “very reliant” on donations.
Holidays for Heroes was founded in 2008 to provide holidays to Jersey for ex-service personnel who have been injured in mind or body as a result of their service.
This year, the charity will host over 250 guests in Jersey across six holiday weeks.