Felix Fund: 15 Years Supporting the Bomb Disposal Community

Every day, bomb disposal experts put their lives on the line to keep others safe. In the UK alone, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams respond to roughly 3,000 callouts each year –with each incident a potential life-or-death scenario that can take a heavy toll on the operators and their loved ones. Amid the stress and danger faced by these unsung heroes, Felix Fund stands out as a beacon of support and gratitude. Founded in 2011 and based in Didcot, Oxfordshire, Felix Fund is the UK’s only charity dedicated to supporting the entire bomb disposal and search community, including serving personnel from the Army, Navy, RAF, and the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terror unit (SO15), veterans, along with their families. Over the past 15 years, this now volunteer-run charity has provided financial help, mental health support, and remembrance for those who risk so much to protect the public

 

Fund has evolved from a humble idea into a lifeline for hundreds of EOD professionals and their families.  It was born from a need to exercise an additional duty of care to our EOD and search community and beyond that which the MOD provides. In this article, we’ll explore Felix Fund’s journey – why it was founded, its key achievements and impact, notable initiatives (including a big 15th anniversary celebration in 2026), the voices of people it has touched, and its inspiring plans for the future – and share how you can get involved in supporting those who’ve kept us safe.

 

From Battlefield to Barracks: The Founding of Felix Fund

Felix Fund’s origins trace back to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts in the late 2000s. During those years, British bomb disposal teams were continuously deploying to war zones and coming home with scars both seen and unseen. The Ministry of Defence provided world-class trauma care for physical injuries, but the provision of bespoke support to EOD and search teams – in particular, dealing with mental health – was felt to be inadequate by the EOD&S Community. It was from this need that the Felix Fund’s was created. Launched by Holly Davies and members of the EOD&S community in April 2011, it had the express aim of delivering that extra support network for the EOD community in a timely manner.

 

The charity’s name “Felix” harks back to the Army’s bomb disposal mascot and call-sign from Northern Ireland in the 1970s – a cat symbolizing the lucky “nine lives” of EOD operators. Felix Fund’s official public launch took place in September 2011 at the House of Lords in London, signalling high-level support for its mission from early on. In its first year, the fledgling fund set an ambitious initial goal: raise £1 million to support bomb disposal personnel. By late 2013, thanks to many generous donors and a pivotal £85,000 grant from the Armed Forces Covenant LIBOR fund, Felix Fund had hit that £1M target – a remarkable achievement so soon after inception. The then-Prime Minister, David Cameron, even hosted Felix Fund’s team and beneficiaries at Downing Street to congratulate them, underscoring the nation’s “moral obligation to our troops” and the importance of Felix Fund’s work.

Early initiatives. In those first years, Felix Fund focused on helping bomb disposal teams readjust to normal life after gruelling deployments. The charity’s signature program was a series of therapeutic “normalisation breaks,” which reunited entire bomb disposal units for week-long retreats in peaceful settings. By 2013, over 100 EOD teams (roughly 400 individuals) had already attended these Felix Fund-funded respite weeks – free from work or family pressures – to decompress and support each other peer-to-peer. These breaks were credited with reducing risks of post-tour stress, and with a boost in funding, Felix Fund expanded them to include all members of the broader EOD squad (such as search dog handlers and forensics experts), not just the core bomb tech teams. Felix Fund also began issuing targeted grants for those in need: whether a soldier injured in Afghanistan requiring rehab support, or a veteran family facing hardship back home.

 

Mission and Programs: Supporting Heroes and Their Families

From the start, Felix Fund’s mission has been straightforward and compassionate: to relieve hardship and improve wellbeing for anyone in the UK EOD&S community, whether they are currently serving, have retired, or are a family member. This mission is carried out through three core workstreams:

 

	·       Health and Wellbeing: Helping bomb disposal personnel cope with the unique mental, physical and emotional stresses of their work.
	·       Financial Assistance: Providing grants and practical help to individuals and units in need.
	·       Memorial and Remembrance: Honouring fallen bomb disposal experts and preserving their legacy.

 

Felix Fund’s approach is warm and human-centred – focusing on individual stories and needs – yet delivered with professionalism and urgency (often stepping in when official systems are too slow or unable to help). Below, we look at each of these support areas and how the charity makes a difference.

Promoting Health & Wellbeing: Dashboard Resilience Courses

One of Felix Fund’s signature offerings is its “Dashboard” course, a groundbreaking preventative stress training programme for EOD personnel. Piloted in 2015 and officially launched in 2016, the Dashboard course is a residential retreat that teaches mindfulness, relaxation techniques, and coping strategies tailored for bomb disposal teams. The name evokes a vehicle’s dashboard – encouraging soldiers to notice warning lights (signs of stress) before a breakdown occurs. Over a few days, attendees participate in guided meditation and breathing exercises, group discussions, and outdoor activities, giving them tools to manage anxiety and trauma long-term.

The impact has been profound. “My life has honestly changed. I have no built-up anger and can

communicate with my wife without arguments. I am far more considerate of others. It has made such a difference,” one attended shared after completing the Dashboard course. This heartfelt testimony is one of many. Units now routinely send their members to Dashboard training as a preventive measure, having seen the improvement in attitude and mental health it can bring. As of 2026, over 1000 individuals (including some spouses) had undergone Felix Fund’s mindfulness training, and the program continues to grow.

 

Felix Fund prides itself on constant evolution and in 2025 conducted a deep dive review on dashboard and in response to feedback, Felix Fund introduced a revamped “Dashboard 2.0” in with a shorter 3-day format course, making it easier for personnel to attend with less time away from duty.

 

Beyond the courses, Felix Fund also champions health awareness campaigns. Notably, it has spotlighted a potential link between repeated exposure to bomb blasts and bladder cancer among EOD veterans. In 2024 the charity helped survey former bomb disposal officers, finding higher-than-average cancer rates under age 70 and prompting the UK Minister for Veterans to convene an independent medical panel. Felix Fund now spreads the message “if you see blood in your urine, tell your doctor about your explosive exposure” – a simple warning that could save lives through earlier diagnosis. It’s another example of how Felix Fund combines care with advocacy, leveraging its expertise to protect the long-term wellbeing of the bomb disposal community.

Financial Assistance: Grants for Times of Need

Helping personnel through hardship is a key deliverable of Felix Fund’s activities. Often, servicemen and women pride themselves on toughness, but emergencies do happen – and that’s when Felix Fund’s financial grants become a lifeline. The charity’s grants are versatile by design and can vary from adapting a veteran’s home after a serious injury, to simply putting food on a veteran’s table during a rough patch. As the Felix Fund team puts it, their ability to respond quickly means “help arrives when it’s needed most”.

 

The impact is best illustrated by the personal stories:

• Felix Fund helped pay for travel expenses for a former bomb technician to travel to Australia for pioneering surgery after he lost both legs to an explosion in Afghanistan.
• It funded a specialised sports wheelchair for the disabled son of a veteran soldier, allowing the boy to play wheelchair football and improve his quality of life.
• When two ex-sappers qualified for the Invictus Games, Felix Fund provided bespoke sporting equipment to help them compete – one of them went on to win a silver medal for Great Britain.
• For the family of a serving EOD officer with a sick infant, Felix Fund purchased a special medical protective cap for the baby, easing the parents’ worries during treatment.

These are just a few examples of hundreds of grants Felix Fund has delivered since 2011. In total, the charity has distributed over £1.8 million in such assistance across the EOD community. Uniquely, Felix Fund doesn’t restrict support only to those injured in the line of duty – anyone who has conducted or assisted bomb disposal or search duties, and their immediate family, can qualify if they are struggling. That broad mandate means Felix Fund has helped serving soldiers, veterans transitioning to civilian life, bereaved spouses, and even children of fallen heroes (for whom a university scholarship scheme exists). All requests are vetted by the trustees with compassion and diligence to ensure funds are used where they’ll have genuine impact.

Did you know? Felix Fund can turn around urgent grant applications in just a matter of hours when time is critical. This rapid response capability is something the charity has always prided itself on, especially as demand for help with mental health and cost-of-living challenges has risen in recent years. ]

Memorial and Remembrance: Honouring the Fallen

Bomb disposal is dangerous work, and sadly, not everyone comes home. Felix Fund plays an important role in remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice and supporting those left behind. This facet of the charity’s mission includes funding EOD memorials and preserving the stories of the community’s heroes.

Felix Fund has contributed to permanent memorials such as the EOD remembrance stone in Didcot and the National EOD Memorial at the National Arboretum in Staffordshire. By ensuring these sites are maintained, the charity provides a place for colleagues and families to reflect and heal. In 2018, Felix Fund also set up the Holly Angharad Davies Memorial Fund (named after its founder, Holly, who sadly passed away from illness in 2014) specifically to support the children of EOD personnel who lost their lives in service. Through this fund, the charity can help with education costs or other needs of the bereaved families, keeping Holly’s caring legacy alive.

More recently, Felix Fund has turned to storytelling as a form of remembrance. In 2023 it launched Felix Fund Publishing, creating a platform for EOD veterans to share their experiences in print. The first project, “The Long Walk: An Anthology by EOD & Search Veterans,” collected personal accounts from bomb disposal operators – tales of camaraderie, courage, and sometimes heartbreak. By publishing these memories (the first two volumes are available on Amazon), Felix Fund not only honours those who have served, but also educates the public about the human realities behind the job’s technical façade. They have also recently published the Feix Paradox recounting the stories of EOD personnel from the first Gulf War. Each story is a tribute to those who have “walked towards the bomb” and a reminder of why organisations like Felix Fund are so crucial. As Felix Fund eloquently states, its efforts ensure “no one in the bomb disposal community is forgotten”.

 

The 15th Anniversary and Beyond: Future Goals & How to Get Involved

2026 marks Felix Fund’s 15th anniversary, and the charity is celebrating this milestone not by resting on its laurels, but by gearing up for the future. A highlight of the anniversary year will be the “Felix Feast” – a gala dinner on 12th May 2026 at the historic Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London. The Felix Feast will bring together supporters, military personnel, and some celebrity guests to honour the work of Felix Fund. The 15th Anniversary Dinner will raise vital funds to for Felix Fund’s next chapter, with corporate sponsorships and auction prizes (such as unique EOD-themed experiences) contributing to the total. It promises to be a celebratory evening reflecting on successes while rallying support for the road ahead. More details on the vent can be found at www.felixfeast.info.

 

Looking to the future, Felix Fund’s goals include expanding its reach and enhancing its programs in several ways. It has just launched a monthly mental resilience webinar to complement its in person courses. It will be running advanced Dashboard course to allow previous attendees to take their knowledge to the next level. By scaling up these resilience workshops Felix Fund aims to embed mental wellness as a core part of bomb disposal culture.  Another goal is to continue raising awareness of health issues like the potential bladder cancer link and pushing for further research. On the financial side, the charity is focused on maintaining stability in uncertain economic times – diversifying its fundraising through events like the Felix Feast, grassroots challenges, and partnerships with businesses (such as the recent collaboration with Raffle House prize lotteries). Felix Fund’s leadership envisions a “digitally optimised” charity that can engage supporters nationwide and share its message widely via social media. Yet they are equally committed to the personal touch – continuing “old fashioned” outreach with EOD units and one-to-one support where needed. In short, the next chapter for Felix Fund is about building on 15 years of trust to help even more people, wherever they may be.

How readers can help.

 

As a small charity, Felix Fund thrives on the involvement of supporters from all walks of life – not just those with military connections. Here are several ways you can get involved and make a difference:

• Donate: Every contribution, large or small, fuels grants and services. You can donate directly via the Felix Fund website or set up a fundraiser. (For instance, some supporters have run marathons, cycled across Britain, and even rowed the Atlantic to raise money for Felix Fund!) One-off gifts, monthly donations, or legacy gifts in wills are all hugely appreciated.

 

• Attend or Sponsor Events: Consider buying a ticket to the Felix Feast or future charity dinners – or if you represent a company, sponsor a table or auction prize. Community events are also common; keep an eye out for local coffee mornings, challenge events like the Holdfast Challenge, or EOD-themed charity auctions. Participating is a fun way to show support and learn more about Felix Fund’s work.

 

• Volunteer: If you have skills or time to offer, Felix Fund welcomes volunteers. This could mean helping at events or offering professional services (like photography, marketing, or counselling expertise) pro bono. The charity’s board is composed of volunteer trustees, and additional hands-on help is often needed for specific projects.

 

• Spread the Word: Follow @FelixFund on social media and share their posts to raise awareness. Many people still don’t know about the unique stresses bomb disposal teams face in peacetime Britain – by simply talking about Felix Fund’s mission with friends or online, you contribute to its success. If you know someone in the EOD community who might need support, let them know Felix Fund is there for them (confidentially, and with no stigma attached to asking for help).

 

Felix Fund’s story is a powerful reminder of the good that can happen when a community comes together with empathy and resolve. In 2011, it began with a few colleagues passing the hat around for their comrades; in 2026, it stands as a robust charity that has supported bomb disposal experts since 2011 and will continue to do so for many years to come. The challenges faced by EOD professionals – whether on distant battlefields or dealing with unexploded ordnance at home – are extraordinary. Thanks to Felix Fund, these brave men and women, and their families, know they are not alone in those challenges. Instead, they have an extended family of supporters, experts, and peers ready to catch them when they fall, help them heal, and celebrate their service. In the words often repeated within the Felix Fund community: “We look after our own.” And with its warm, inspiring, and relentless efforts, Felix Fund does exactly that – turning public gratitude into tangible care for those who have given so much.

 

If you would like to find out more about Felix Fund and how you can help them, please contact the volunteer Chair of Trustees Daniel Reyland through or visit their website www.bit.ly/FelixBT.