Helpforheroes.org.uk Reviews
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Help for Heroes (H4H) - website http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/ is a charity set up in October 2007 by an ex-British soldier and his wife after visiting wounded soldiers at Birmingham Selly Oak Hospital, the main receiving centre for British battle casualties from Afghanistan and Iraq. Britain has supported George Bush's "War on Terror" with considerable money and energy, but as ever, the real price is paid by the soldiers and airman who are wounded and killed.
Servicemen and women are not particularly well paid in Britain, and while initial battlefield medicine in superb compared to what was available just a few years ago, it is the long term support of wounded soldiers and their families that concerns 'Help for Heroes'.
The charity and its supporters are completely non-political – they neither publicly support nor condemn the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. They function purely to help the British service victims of the conflicts. The charity hit a public nerve and it has received a huge amount of publicity in the UK. They have very low administration costs and most of the donations, income from sponsored events and collections are spent on direct support of the wounded.
Unfortunately, the 'wish list' requirements are steadily growing and the donated money is allocated very quickly.
Prince William opened a new rehabilitation centre at Headley Court (June 2010) and said:
"Very occasionally – perhaps once or twice in a generation – something or someone pops up to change the entire landscape. 'Help for Heroes' is one such phenomenon. What it has achieved here at Headley Court is, in truth, but the tip of the iceberg."
In Britain we don't have the VA system as the USA does (although I know that many ex-soldiers slip through the American VA net). Once British veterans have left the service, they are often really struggling to rebuild a worthwhile life for themselves and their families. H4H does its best to help those in need.
I know this doesn't address the Afghan civilian casualties of the war - another huge concern, but still, H4H is doing a terrific job in the UK and deserves our support.
Two thumbs up.
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Sophie N. I've heard that private charitable giving is less common in the UK and Europe than in the US. Do you think it's true or just pro-US propaganda? =)
T N. speaking of charity, this is interesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpAMbpQ8J7g
K D. Interesting link, clever presentation – as with most philosophy lectures there are few answers, just more questions – ‘Yes, good point, but what if…?’
On Sophie’s question a much greater part of income is taxed in Europe – so more ‘charity’ support is provided by the state, but charity giving is still very important, especially for the many causes that governments decide are not high priorities for the public purse.
Most North Europeans approve of their National Health systems, which usually provide a reasonable health care system for all citizens. However, these systems are now reeling under the impact of ‘self inflicted problems’ especially obesity / diabetes / cardiovascular / cancer problems linked to over consumption of junk food, alcohol, sugar, salt and cigarettes. There are also economically speaking, lesser problems such as ‘recreational’ drug users and treatment of illegal immigrants which get disproportionately high profile hostile responses in the more right wing press.
Health care is certainly becoming more expensive – advanced treatments are keeping people alive who would simply not have survived thirty years ago. Europe is also suffering from the import of American type legal practices where patients sue for what they believe are malpractices by the doctors who then put their prices up as they have to pay heavy insurance, etc., etc.
Health support and charity support are obviously not bottomless pits of money. At some point there has to be a cut off but few people agree where that line should be drawn. National borders? What about disasters overseas? Dementia patients? Kids charities? Genetic problems? Old people? The disabled? War wounded?
The suggestion that we should just let the poor and sick die quickly seems a trifle brutal – even for Oscar Wilde, better known as a wit than a philosopher?
So why not have a national health system? But should you provide free or subsidised treatment for people who have functioning brains, were blessed at birth with healthy bodies but are now eating, drinking and slobbing themselves to death?
Hmmm…
Maybe we just have to go on doing what we can?
Sophie N. Keyth, that's very interesting. I think you're saying the way you are taxed in the UK provides less of an incentive to give to charity. But as a result the government picks up more of the slack. Our health care system in the US seems particularly messed up because we spend so much more than you do in the UK but we don't cover everyone <sigh>.
Tran, what a fascinating video. Thank you for sharing it. I think it makes some very good points but its greatest weakness is that it doesn't offer an alternative!