Robert Clinton, BEM.
Photograph by Malcolm Crowthers
Robert Clinton, the Honorary Treasurer and Trustee of Veterans Aid, has been awarded the BEM.
The honour is in recognition of his work over the past six years providing the financial advice and guidance that has sustained the charity through recession.
The charity provides approximately 20,000 nights of accommodation a year and responds to around 2,000 calls for help. It puts an average of four people per month through detox and provides creative solutions to a wide variety of problems.
Veterans Aid’s Chairman Brigadier Johnny Ricketts said, “Robert’s drive and enthusiasm has led to a complete modernisation of the charity’s finance and governance system. The change of fortunes that he helped deliver has been so successsful that Veterans Aid recently won a European Business Award for business transformation. His wise council has helped to turn this relatively unknown charity into one of the most important organisations of it kind.”
Veterans Aid has been caring for ex-Servicemen and women in crisis for more than 80 years. Many of those seeking its help are homeless, drug or alcohol dependent, unwell or in despair. All receive immediate help and an enduring commitment to rebuilding their lives.
On hearing about his award Robert Clinton said, “It has been a great privilege to have been associated with Veterans Aid over the last six or so years and I am most honoured to receive this award, which I consider is as much for the great team running the charity as it is for myself.”
CEO Dr Hugh Milroy added, “Robert’s support for this charity has been inspirational. The honour is richly deserved and welcomed by all at VA where he is regarded with respect and affection. His unstinting and self-effacing voluntary support really typifies what is best about our country today. He makes me proud to be British.”
Robert Clinton joined Veterans Aid after a distinguished career in the City and in industry. He held appointments as Corporate Treasurer of a number of UK-based multinational companies and was Head of Corporate Finance at a well-known stockbroking firm until his ‘retirement’ in 1999. He served in the Honourable Artillery Company in the 1960s and has held a number of public and private non-executive Board appointments.
His dedication to Veterans Aid has given new impetus to the vital fund raising activity that makes it so successful and has made personal interventions beyond the remit of his official role to help recovering veterans find employment and accommodation.
Robert Clinton is married to Joan and lives in Stradishall, a village near Newmarket, in Suffolk.
