An RAF corporal who trained at or is associated with RAF Halton has been privately funding and organising large consignments of aid to Sierra Leone after a chance visit to relatives in 2021 sparked an expanding charitable effort.
From a single act to shipping containers of aid
According to an interview on Bucks Radio, Emile‑Josiah Bangura MBE travelled to Sierra Leone over Christmas 2021 and initially gave a small number of locally purchased items to an orphanage. The experience prompted him to scale up his giving. He now ships donations in ISO containers, at times as large as 40‑foot, containing a range of goods bought or gathered personally.
- Types of aid: school supplies, sanitary items, football kit
- Scale: up to 40‑foot ISO containers
- Funding: paid for out of his own pocket
Recognition and future plans
His work was recognised in last year’s King’s birthday honours list when he was awarded an MBE. Despite the accolade, he has told interviewers he wants to do more. He has established the Hands of Hope foundation in Sierra Leone and is now exploring the creation of a community interest company (CIC) in the UK to focus on veteran mental health.
“Initially he thought he was in trouble!”
The CIC idea in the UK is partly motivated by personal loss: Bangura has spoken about the death of his close friend, Ryan Tomlin, in 2012 while they were serving in Afghanistan. He intends the new UK venture to offer support for former service personnel, recognising the enduring need for mental‑health services tailored to veterans.
Local service links and community impact
Halton and the wider county have long ties with the armed forces through training establishments such as RAF Halton. Initiatives led by serving or former personnel — particularly those combining international aid and veteran support — can have several local effects: strengthening ties between service families and civilians, creating voluntary opportunities for logistics and fundraising, and prompting local charities or councils to consider partnership or support for veterans’ mental health provision.
| Detail | Known information |
|---|---|
| Individual | Emile‑Josiah Bangura MBE |
| Charity | Hands of Hope (Sierra Leone) |
| Shipments | Up to 40‑foot ISO containers |
| Items | School supplies, sanitary items, football kit |
| UK plan | Establish a CIC for veteran mental health |
Anyone in Halton wishing to learn more about the work or discuss local support for veteran mental‑health projects should look out for further announcements from Bangura’s team as plans for the CIC develop. The combination of international aid and a focus on veterans’ wellbeing reflects an intersection of local service heritage and wider humanitarian concern.
