Big Lottery Heroes Return 2 programme offers veterans chance to revisit old battle grounds

Nov 6 2009 by Mark Smith, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

WAR veterans from Halton are being urged to apply for lottery funds to help them re-visit their old battle grounds.

The Big Lottery’s Heroes Return 2 programme is currently running until January next year.

The fund has already enabled 590 North West veterans, widows, spouses and carers to go on emotional trips, home and abroad, to honour and remember those that did not

return from the battlefields of 1939-1945.

More than £417,000 has been awarded in the region to date.

And in the wake of Remembrance Sunday, grants of up to £5,500 are being made available to pay travel and accommodation costs for veterans’ emotional journeys.

Helen Bullough, Big Lottery Fund head of Region for the North West, said the scheme reflected the debt owed to war veterans.

She said: “A huge debt of gratitude and recognition is owed to the men and women who valiantly fought in the Second World War.

“I am delighted we are able to offer Lottery funding for them to return and pay their respects at the places they served.

“The funding is open to veterans who fought with or alongside British forces in the Second World War and are resident in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, as well as their widows and widowers.

“Anyone wanting to find out more about the programme and how to apply can call us.”

The Heroes Return 2 line has been set up to provide further information on the programme and details of how to apply, and can be contacted on 0845 00 00 121.

Information is also

available on www.biglotteryfund.org.uk