About - History of the Falklands Veterans Foundation

The FVF was officially formed in November 2002. The founders Colin Waite, former Royal Marine, and Derek (Smokey) Cole, former Royal Navy, both served during the Falklands, Colin on HMS Fearless and Derek on HMS Intrepid.

The FVF came about after the Reunion in Gosport, which was organised solely by Derek, who had taken it upon himself to organise the 15th and the 20th anniversary weekends, which were hugely successful, more details from the 2002 event can be seen at www.falklandsreunion.co.uk . The event saw Colin help Derek in a small way with the event and a friendship was established.

After the Reunion they both talked at length about the issues affecting veterans and the fact there was no Charity specifically for Falklands Veterans, though there had been such a charity after the War it had been absorbed into the major forces charities. They decided that this was something which needed to be addressed and that the veterans and their families had need of such a charitable organisation which could work closely with all other organisations and charities for the welfare of the Falklands Veteran and their families.

So after many months of hard work the FVF was formed and officially sanctioned with the issue of a charity number.