FOUR Marks and Medstead Rotary hosted a retired senior Army officer who gave members an insight into the many ways the services look after soldiers, veterans and their families.

Lieutenant Colonel Paul Duncan, who lives in Four Marks, served in the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) and for the last five years has been responsible for a programme of support for former servicemen and their families.

As the RLC’s controller of benevolence, Lt Col Duncan administers a scheme which handles more than 2,000 cases of hardship and real need each year. His role is to ensure that help is delivered appropriately and targeted at those in “need, hardship or distress”.

Grants are awarded from the Royal Logistic Corps’ Benevolence Fund, which has been built up over many years through the One Day’s Pay Scheme – a scheme where serving soldiers voluntarily donate each year a day’s pay to be used for benevolent purposes for veterans and their families.

Paul explained how the various service charities, such as the Royal British Legion, SSAFA, The Forces Charity, The Soldiers Charity and Help for Heroes – all play a vital role in this field by supplementing the RLC’s initial grant in many cases, and who work with all the military benevolence funds to support both young and old veterans.

Help can be given in the form of grants for specialist disabled equipment and fittings, furniture or domestic appliances.

Rotary president Sally Duncan also explained about the welfare role of SSAFA with currently-serving military families, providing midwives, district nurses and social workers to British military units worldwide.

She said: “Their role is crucial to the caring side of military life. It is not so much a financial support role, but a very important human one.”

* Four Marks and Medstead Rotary will be hosting Ceilidh 2018, their annual barn dance, at Medstead village hall on Saturday, March 24, with music provided by The Bursledon Village Band.

The doors will open 7pm for a 7.30pm start, there will be a cash bar available, as well as a raffle and a Champagne prize draw. Tickets, priced £15 to include a ploughman’s supper, are available from Paul Smy on 07974 203708 or by emailing [email protected].