Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation
446 Fulham Road
London
SW6 1DT
Tel: 020 7385 2110
Fax: 020 7381 7484
E-mail: info@oswaldstoll.org.uk
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Latest newsletter
Welcome to the May newsletter from the Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation keeping you up to date on activities and services and to thank you for your continued support.
HEALTH & WELL-BEING PROGRAMME
Your generosity has helped us provide a whole host of benefits for our residents some examples being our Health & Well-Being Programme which has been running for 25 months now.
Since April 2008 the programme has delivered -
Of the 257 people accessing the Health & Well-Being services, 228 were Stoll residents and 29 were ex-Service personnel living in the community.
ROYAL VISIT
His Royal Highness Prince Charles visited the Foundation's Fulham Road site at the invitation of Eva, Head of the Warrior Programme, whose innovative classes are held on the premises. The visit caused great media interest and much excitement amongst residents and staff too!
CHALLENGES AND EVENTS
On 7th March one of our supporters ran the Bath Half Marathon (13.1miles) to raise funds for the Foundation.On 27th March two supporters took part in the British Military Fitness 10k (6 miles) Challenge in Redhill to raise sponsorship for the Foundation.
On 23rd May one supporter is running the Edinburgh Marathon (26.2 miles) for the Foundation. Kenny Mair has nearly reached his target and with your help he will exceed it. You can still support Kenny by visiting his fundraising page. http://www.justgiving.com/Kenny-Mair
On 3rd July Red Watch, Fulham Fire Station and local TA HQ Putney High Street are combining to raise funds for the Foundation in Bishop's Park. ..more details to follow on this super family Fun Day!
On 11 July, twelve supporters will be running the Asics British 10k London Run to support the Foundation. Anyone wishing to sponsor our runners, or cheer them on, please contact the Fundraising Department.
CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT
WAITROSE LONDON BRANCHES
Our thanks to the London branches of Waitrose and their Community Matters Scheme, through which a staggering £3,652 has been donated to the Foundation.
With new kitchens and bathrooms being rolled out across our housing schemes, this income has been very gratefully received. Thank you so much, WAITROSE, to you and your customers.
GOLDMAN SACHS
Goldman Sachs has again this year, jumped at the chance to spend time with our residents and have kindly offered to take a group on a social outing as one of three projects being undertaken with us. We are indebted to you, many thanks GOLDMAN SACHS!
ALEXANDRA ROSE CHARITIES
Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation has teamed up with Alexandra Rose Charities (ARC) to deliver The Rose Raffle and ARC Collection Day this year.
The Collections take place on 16th June at the Fulham Broadway Shopping Centre and near Westfield Centres. All permits, collection buckets, stickers and badges are provided by ARC and all they ask is 10% of the collection be returned to them.
ARC Raffle tickets are now available to purchase, 50p each from the Fundraising Team at Stoll Mansions - 020 7381 7574
The Raffle cash prizes are donated by ARC with 20% of the sales returned to ARC, giving the Foundation 80% of the funds for our work. The Draw takes place on 28th October.
LOCAL BUSINESSES
The Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation wishes to thank all the local Fulham businesses who have kindly agreed to display one of our collection boxes to raise funds for our work.
We have been lucky enough to also have the support of local residents and are sincerely grateful for your continued help.
Anyone wishing to fundraise for the Foundation and in need of advice on where to start or wanting information to pass to others, please contact our Fundraising Team on 020 7381 7574 and we will gladly assist.
If you belong to a group or organisation and would like one of our collection boxes, please call Fundraising on 020 7381 7574 or email fundraising@oswaldstoll.org.uk
ANNUAL DINNER and AUCTION
This year's Annual Dinner is being held on 14th October on board HMS President on Victoria Embankment.
Treating our guests to glorious views of the Thames at moonlight, we will be greeted on board to the soothing sound of the piano and invited to relax on the Upper Deck before Dinner is called.
A beautifully prepared and cooked meal will follow, during which the Auction and raffle will take place.
The meal itself will be supervised by HMS President's chef but will be ably assisted by the Foundation's own Apprentices from Pryors Bank Apprenticeships Café.
I am sure that this event is a must in the calendar of all who have shared this great event with us before, but for those who have yet to purchase tickets or tables of 10, then I would urge you to call our Fundraising Team without delay to assure your place.
Tickets at £100 each, please call 020 7381 7574.
OUR RESIDENTS - Interview with Philip Hutcheon
Philip lives on our Chiswick War Memorial Homes site. He moved there with his wife Lynne and daughter in February 1994, when the homes had a different landlord.
Philip was born in Durham and joined the Army in 1969, when he was just 15. He was a junior soldier and was educated by the Army. He passed his A levels whilst serving.
Later he joined the Infantry and went to Northern Ireland. It was during the time of "the Troubles" and he had a few close calls whilst serving there. Philip is reminded of 2 incidents during his time in Northern Ireland.
The first was when he was told by his Major to go and get a GPMG (heavy machine gun) and some ammunition. Philip didn't know what the Major had in mind as he hadn't used a GPMG in Northern Ireland before, he was a marksman of small arms weapons.
"We went out in an armoured vehicle to the Falls Road and there the 2 of us (the Major and Philip) got out of the vehicle and walked down the middle of the Falls Road together, with me carrying the machine gun and bandoleers (bullet belts) strapped across my chest. I got out a liquorice cigarette paper, rolled it into a cigarette shape and stuck it in my mouth. We caused quite a stir with the local residents, it had never been done there before. I don't remember why I was asked to do it, but we probably needed a show of force, some sort of bravado at the time, I imagine. Then we got back in the vehicle and drove off."
The local people were shocked and it was reported in the newspapers there - the Wee Man was what they called me as I was a slight figure then. When I was out and about they would point at me and say "look, there's the Wee Man!"
The Falls Road was a notorious area of Belfast during The Troubles.
The second incident was in the Lower Falls Road. "There was a big gun battle and my men were called in to support the troops. We ended up being pinned down ourselves and couldn't return fire without being shot at. It was decided that I should make a run to draw their fire - I can't remember if I volunteered or it was just suggested but, that was it, it was me.
I concentrated on a door across the street that I was going to make for to draw the gunmen to me and away from my comrades, then my comrades could pick them off as they would be exposed. I started my run across the road and bullets were following me, I could feel them hitting my feet, but it gave my comrades a chance to take the gunmen out as planned. I reached the door and thought, "ah nice, I'll sit and watch the telly now, but when I tried to push it open it would not budge! I had to take a few deep breaths to make myself a smaller target that day."In 1971 he was shot in the shoulder. "I was off for a long time while they were repairing my shoulder. I was declared P7, fit for light duties only, so I could not undertake battle duties."
Philip returned to Northern Ireland with his unit, though he admits he shouldn't have, as he was not fit. Whilst on a Land Rover patrol he was blown up, the blast throwing him against a wall and severely injuring him - "it smashed all my body up" he recalls.
He completed a third tour of Northern Ireland and then trained in Jungle Warfare, later going out to Vietnam , where he saw the back end of that war in 1975. "Villagers had run all over the place, into Borneo, and we had to tell them the war was over."
Philip explains, "the British Army was caught short on jungle warfare back in 1965 and so we had to be trained up to do that, I trained with the Kiwis, Ghurkhas, Australian Army, Malaysian Army."
He was finally discharged from the Army on medical grounds, around 1978-80 as a Corporal, and was told by the Resettlement Team that he would be best in "service industries", insurance agents, estate agents, that sort of thing. Unknown to him at that time, the combination of his spinal injuries and all other injuries had resulted in a degenerative condition.
Philip has a philosophical attitude to life - "You have to accept things or you never move on. You just get on with things."
Philip decided to re-educate himself and, as he had touched on legal issues at work, he thought he would study Law at night school. "I'll have a go at that" he thought. He was reluctant to tell friends about his studying, "I kept quiet so no-one could rag me about it" and whilst there he met a barrister (a tutor) and got talking to him about his work. Philip thought "I could do that job" so applied to a number of universities all over the country and got an offer from Holborn College in London. He accepted this as London, Holborn in particular, was recommended with the Inns of Court there, and he completed his Bar course thereafter.
"I could only relocate once so I came to London and found a home to rent. The Bar advised me to choose Chiswick. I brought down my wife and daughter to join me and I went to university to study. I passed my university exams and now, having completed Bar exams, I am a barrister. I got a 2:1 degree at university.
"Unfortunately, while I was studying my body was falling apart and by the time of my last exam I was in terrible pain and did my exam strapped up. I used a stick to walk but kept falling over. After that I had an operation on my spine."
Given that he had taken his final exams when in terrible pain his wife felt he probably had quite a high pain threshhold, due to his previous high level of fitness. Lynne said he had been very fit and strong before his condition was diagnosed as degenerative. Philip had had a back operation and needed operations on both hips and knee replacements and further spinal surgeries but suffered two heart attacks, so the planned operations could not go ahead due to the risks involved. In intensive care, his wife was called back to the hospital 4 times as he was on the verge of dying. It was an awful time for them all.
Philip says Lynne is a special person as many wives could not have coped.
Philip has suffered brain damage.This has nothing to do with his time in the Forces, medication and serious infection caused it. "My joints are no good, I have osteoporosis, I take about 36 tablets a day plus other medication and have profound memory loss".
He attends a hospice because of his complex injuries. He is 2ic (2nd in command) gardener he says! Raised flowerbeds enable him to plant seeds and he makes people smile. Lynne shows me some photographs taken at the hospice last Christmas - Philip played Santa, giving out presents.
Philip and Lynne are looking forward to moving back to their house once the phase 2 development at Chiswick is complete. The view from their front window at present is a car park but they appreciate the efforts that Rick Brunwin (Chief Executive) makes to deal with any concerns they have. "Rick has been very helpful, to ensure that the house would be as it was. Zoe (Community Support Officer) is very kind too and visits us each week."
Philip's hoists and equipment are safely stored at present, ready for the move back in June or July. Philip will have raised flowerbeds there too, to continue his gardening because Philip is wheelchair bound.
I asked if they intend to have a housewarming party - Lynne replied they have a barbeque and their daughter lives nearby, so there is a chance of one.
Lynne thinks her daughter takes after her dad as she has a very good memory too. Phil could memorise whole books at one time and, whilst studying Law, committed multiple cases to memory.
He is an amazing person - determined, intelligent, articulate, no bitterness where his condition is concerned, just a get-on-with-it attitude that is shared by his wife. Devoted to each other, her pride in his achievements is obvious. She wonders if he would ever have made much money as a barrister anyway.
I believe he would have - he would have worked as a defence lawyer.
Thank you all for your ongoing support.
Fundraising Team.