Where any fund has been raised by voluntary contributions for the purpose of providing assistance in some specific form to disabled officers or men, or to the wives,F1civil partners, widows,F2surviving civil partners, children, or dependants of officers or men, and provision has been made for such assistance out of public moneys, the Minister of Pensions may, on the application of the trustees or managing body of the fund, after taking such steps as he thinks desirable for ascertaining the wishes of subscribers, make with the concurrence of such trustees or managing body an order authorising the fund to be applied to such other purposes for the benefit of disabled officers or men or the wives,F1civil partners, widows,F2surviving civil partners, children or dependants of officers or men as may be specified in the order, and on the making of any such order the fund may be applied accordingly.