BAE Systems donates £50,000 to support Armed Forces community

Blackpool FC Community Trust has received a £50,000 donation from BAE Systems to expand its support for veterans, serving personnel and their families.

The funding will enable the trust to grow its Armed Forces programme, which provides coffee mornings, sports activities, peer support groups and one-to-one support for people facing challenges including unemployment, isolation, PTSD and substance misuse.

Simon Barnes, group managing director of BAE Systems' Air sector, said: "As a business with roots in Lancashire, we understand how critical it is to support those who work to protect our nation, past and present.

"The Blackpool FC Community Trust is delivering important and impactful support for the armed forces community here and we're proud to help the team with its work."

The donation is the latest in a series of funding commitments by BAE Systems to support the Armed Forces community in Lancashire. It follows a £140,000 donation to AFC Fylde Community Foundation and Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, taking the company's total commitment across the region to £190,000 since 2024.

Matt Hilton, deputy chief executive of Blackpool FC Community Trust, said: "This new funding will allow us to significantly increase our capacity, reaching more veterans, delivering more provision and strengthening our community engagement across Blackpool and the Fylde Coast."

BAE Systems employs thousands of people at its Warton and Samlesbury sites and says supporting the Armed Forces community forms part of its wider commitment to the region.