Felix Fund chosen as charity partner for security exhibitions

The charity was selected for the Security and Counter Terror Expo, which took place in May 2017, and DSEI (Defence and Security Equipment International) on 12-15th September at London’s Olympia and ExCel venues respectively.

For the charity, the announcement is hugely significant for meeting its aims to care for the mental and physical wellbeing of those who search and disarm bombs in the armed forces and SO15 - the police’s special counter terror unit.

Sophie McKimm, Event Manager of DSEI, said: “We’ve chosen to partner with Felix Fund for this year’s event because it’s simply impossible to quantify what would happen to our bravest soldiers and their families if they were not able to help. Felix Fund is becoming interwoven in the world community of EOD, so we only felt it was right the world recognised its incredible efforts at this event.”

The first event in May - Security and Counter Terror Expo - focused on UK based knowledge-sharing of strategies, intelligence and infrastructure. It attracted over 10,000 delegates from the public and private sectors. September’s event - DSEI - is altogether a much more global collaboration: Defence Ministers, international military representatives and private stakeholders visiting the event will total 34,000 people.

Melanie Moughton, Felix Fund’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “It is clear to everyone, I’m sure, what it means for a charity like ours to be sharing our story with national and international leaders in security. From my own family’s involvement with EOD, to every family and individual we support, it’s important to know that security leaders care for the commitments made. It’s an honour to represent them all at these huge events.”

Felix himself, the charity’s mascot, will at DSEI to welcome guests and make friends. Meanwhile, representatives of the charity will also be the exhibition highlighting its latest ‘Dashboard Courses’ - designed to help individuals see the ‘warning lights’ for mental health issues - and the life-changing impacts of its grant-making activities.

The charity acts to support those in desperate and rapidly deteriorating situations. In one scenario, a soldier on tour overseas whose dying father was at home in the UK, was flown back by Felix Fund for one final goodbye.

Recognising the need to support families with day-to-day stress and anxiety, however, the charity also makes grants to serving units and their bases. Outdoor adventure training and has been successful at bonding teams and reuniting friends, while updated facilities and accommodation has created spaces for increased relaxation.