Rayleigh and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, recently attended an event at the National Memorial Arboretum, in which housing provider, Sanctuary, donated £200,000, to support members of the Armed Forces community.
It follows the company’s acquisition of Johnnie Johnson Housing (JJH) in March 2024. JJH were founded by decorated Second World War RAF pilot James Edgar ‘Johnnie’ Johnson, who left a legacy of £100,000 to JJH, stipulating that in the event of the organisation being acquired it should be passed on to SSAFA to support its work with the Armed Forces community. Sanctuary then topped this up to achieve the £2000,000 figure.
Commenting after the event, Mark said:
“As a former Armed Forces Minister, I was delighted to be able to attend this very special event and notable milestone, not least as Sanctuary own and manage much of the social housing stock, in my constituency. “This significant donation from both Johnnie Johnson and Sanctuary will make a tremendous difference to the lives of Armed Forces personnel up and down the country for years to come, and I am very pleased that the legacy of Johnnie Johnson lives on."
Craig Moule, Sanctuary’s Group Chief Executive, said:
“Sanctuary is dedicated to supporting veterans and their families. We believe that those who have served our country deserve support as they move back into civilian life and plan for the future. “In making this donation to support SSAFA with its vital work, it’s fitting that we remember the service and sacrifices made by our Armed Forces. I’d also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Johnnie Johnson for his extraordinary generosity.”
