British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association (Blesma)

Blesma, the British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association, is a UK-wide membership-based charity founded in 1932 by limbless veterans to support serving and former British Armed Forces personnel who have lost limbs, the use of limbs or eyes, or suffered severe speech/hearing loss—whether service-related or not—along with their widows and dependents. Its enduring mission is to rebuild lives through comprehensive welfare, rehabilitation, financial aid, advocacy, peer networks, and skills-based activities, guided by core values of dignity, mutual support, empowerment, transparency, and beneficiary safeguarding. Governed by trustees including wounded veterans, Blesma prioritizes lived experience, fostering independence, wellbeing, and inclusion via direct interventions like home adaptations, prosthetics, hardship relief, and events such as adventure days and sports rehab.

It funds needs-led individual support exclusively for verified members, including mobility aids, urgent payments, entitlements advice, family mental health services, and collaborations with statutory bodies to improve prosthetics and care standards—never open grants to external organizations.

Eligibility is strictly for individuals: serving/former UK Armed Forces members (or dependents) meeting limblessness criteria, residing anywhere in the UK; first join via online membership form, then consult a Support Officer for tailored assessment. No organizational applicants, income thresholds, or geographic limits within the UK.

Grants typically range up to £1,500 (larger for major adaptations), awarded rolling on a case-by-case basis with prompt processing post-membership. Blesma stands out for its hyper-focused, personalized, lifelong advocacy model—rejecting general veteran projects, capacity-building, or unsolicited charity proposals—ensuring funds empower a precisely defined group to flourish, not just cope.