HELPING OUR BOYS AND GIRLS in military action is the charitable cause of the week, and now there are new ways to help.

A memorial to British soldiers killed in action since WWII was unveiled today, drawing attention to injured survivors from Iraq and Afghanistan. Also the press recently unfavourably compared the MOD’s relatively small payouts to soldiers wounded in action to those handed out to civilians.

The relevant charities have traditionally focused on helping veterans of past conflicts, especially through the annual Poppy Appeal (fronted by the Royal British Legion (see profile)). But this is changing. The Legion’s latest campaign, Honour the Covenant, is designed to put pressure on the government to provide more compensation for wounded veterans.

The Current Operations Fund provides direct financial grants to soldiers and their families

Also a new charity was unveiled this week: Help for Heroes. Its aim is to help put the aforementioned injustices right. The first round of donations will go towards a pool and gym complex at the British Forces’ rehabilitation centre, Headley Court.

Help the Heroes is backed by the giant Army Benevolent Fund. If you want to get cash to soldiers and their families affected by ops in Iraq and Afghanistan, check out its Current Operations Fund which provides direct financial grants.

But some things don’t change and won’t sit comfortably with everyone: forces charities are fiercely patriotic. There is an almost universal focus on helping ‘our heroes’ who fought for Queen and Country. And there isn’t much room for soldiers who weren’t on our side.

The British Legion’s Falklands Appeal honours the 255 Service personnel, and three Falkland Islanders killed in the conflict, but makes no mention of the 1,000 Argentine dead. Their cause is without doubt a worthy one, but forces charities remain wrapped in the Union Jack.

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