The grant, applied for by Sub Branch pensions and welfare officer Kevin Setter, was provided under the Building Excellence in Support Training (BEST) program.

“This will pay for the phone, internet, stationary, print cartridges, postage and the like,” Mr Setter said.

“It will keep us going.”

Eden-Monaro MP Peter Hendy said that the 2014-15 federal budget provides an additional $1 million per year to the Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) program over the forward estimates.

“This funding will support the work of veterans’ advocates in helping veterans, war widows and widowers to access important information and services,” he said.

The grant is good news in what has been a hard year so far for the sub branch.

“We have lost members this year,” Mr Setter said.

“Elaine Sage, Cliff Evans, Cec Clarke, William Olive, Thomas Dall, Arthur Bunt, Arthur Bell Tower and Robert Winton are among those we have lost. Most of them were World War II veterans. We have never had a year that we have lost so many.”

Part of Mr Setter’s job is to examine military records and present the resulting paper work to the families, and he also organises the RSL part of funerals.

He visits ex-service personnel and their families each week in Moruya Hospital to ensure that they are looked after and are getting the Department of Veterans Affairs benefits they are entitled to.

“I have been surprised to find that some people were getting nothing,” he said.

“Without the sacrifice of our ex-servicemen and women, war widows and their families, this country would not be able to enjoy the freedom and quality of life that exists today.”