Grand Union Lodge No. 9641 in Buckinghamshire has presented a cheque for £1,500 to Scotty’s Little Soldiers

Scotty’s Little Soldiers is dedicated to supporting children and young people who have lost a parent whilst serving in the British Armed Forces. Inspired by the experience of Army widow Nikki Scott, following the death of her husband Cpl Lee Scott in Afghanistan in 2009, the charity is currently providing assistance to hundreds of bereaved Forces children around the UK.

Nikki and Lee have two children, Kai and Brooke, so Nikki saw first-hand the effect the loss of a loved one in these circumstances can have on a child. It was on a family holiday some nine months after Lee was killed that Nikki saw her son Kai, five at the time, laugh and smile for the first time since his dad’s death.

She realised that there must be so many more children who had also lost a parent serving in the British Armed Forces, but hadn’t had that opportunity to smile again. As a result, Nikki decided to set up the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers to do just that – to help children smile.

Support offered to the children includes fun activities such as holiday breaks and group events, personal development assistance through educational grants and access to professional bereavement counselling.