Liam Fox wants soldiers to be able to use unused holiday homes

Published on 11/06/2012 00:00

Armed forces personnel should be given access to unused timeshare properties and second homes, former defence secretary Liam Fox said yesterday.

He said that from his previous experience as a forces doctor, it was important for morale to keep service personnel families happy. Offering them free holidays was one way of supporting families when the relatives returned from combat.

Dr Fox has set up the charity Give Us Time, in conjunction with Virgin Trains, which is offering free travel. The scheme encourages people to donate weeks at their timeshare or in their second home for service families to get away for a holiday.

He said: “It may be a family who has lost a father in combat, it may be someone who is injured back with their family, or just a family who is having difficulty adjusting to post-combat life.”