Vicky Meets... Milly Luxford, Digital Marketing & Community Engagement, The Naval Children’s Charity

You were a breakfast radio presenter before taking up your current role. What appealed to you about working with The Naval Children’s Charity?

It was a really easy decision and transition to make to be honest. Radio was my world, but the thing I loved most about it was getting out in the community and making a difference.

Helping people and projects was what drove me and I always said that I would move to the charity sector when I left radio. I do miss radio, but I certainly do not miss the 4.30am alarm call!

What support does the charity offer?

The Naval Children’s Charity really is one of a kind. We help children of Naval families up to the age of 25, financially and holistically. However, it is not just times of hardship and crisis that we can offer support; we help children thrive by providing fantastic ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunities, like joining a Tallships Youth Trust voyage for a week, or a debating team that ends in a debating session in the House of Parliament. These opportunities give our young people the chance to meet friends, learn new live skills and flourish in confidence.

What are the criteria for applying for help from the charity?

If you serve, or have served, in the Naval Service (Royal Navy, Royal Marines, QARNNS, WRNS, Reserves or Royal Fleet Auxiliary) and you have a child/children up to and including the age of 25 we will be able to help you. We support thousands of children and their families each year through grants and bursaries and our ‘Life Chance’ schemes. Children just need to have that connection to the Navy.

What campaign/s are you currently working on?

As the digital marketing bod I’ve taken absolute delight promoting and highlighting one of our current fundraisers, who just so happens to also be one of our beneficiaries. Polly decided to do a PINK ‘Toddlerthlon’ to raise lots of pennies for us, as we help to support her and her family in the challenges they face due to Polly’s medical conditions. Polly’s Toddlerthlon was a huge challenge: 1 mile walk, 1.5 mile cycle and a whole 1 hour swimming! Polly SMASHED it! She also smashed her target of £650 and raised a whopping £1,560!

Her mum told me that the family are beyond proud of how resilient and brave Polly is, and that because we help her, she cannot wait to come up with some more cool fundraising ideas to help the Naval Children’s Charity. It is fair to say that Polly brought a tear to my eye!

I hear that the charity has been nominated for an award. Will you tell me more?

We were thrilled to have recently been shortlisted for the Charity of the Year Award at the Celebrating Forces Families Awards. We find out in April if we win, so fingers crossed.

Where can we find further information?

Please visit www.navalchildrenscharity.org.uk