ISSUE 14 | SPRING 2020 THE POWER OF Volunteering VE DAY 75 VOLUNTEER PROFILE RAF SSAFA’s VE Day 75 Jack Oakley, Personal Support & celebrations SSAFA Southampton Social Work Service INSIDE THIS ISSUE CONTENTS 18 Borneo - jungle makeover 04 SSAFA’s 135th birthday 19 Volunteer profile: from our Gren Morgan 06 VE Day 75 20 Case study: Keeping Katrina NATIONAL CHAIRMAN 08 The Big Lunch in good health 09 Volunteering - making a 22 Chris walks the UK 18 difference 23 Cyprus - eRedbook project I think it fair to say that from the outside decades. We can all look 10 Volunteer profile: SSAFA is in rude good health. We are supporting forward to recognising Jack Oakley 24 Top mental wellbeing tips increasing numbers of beneficiaries; our profile and celebrating the 12 SSAFA@140 26 Case study: Becoming new continues to rise; we have kept on the right side winners at our branch parents of the regulators; have a healthy balance sheet, Annual General 14 RAF Personal Support and; our reputation is as strong as ever. But in Meetings (AGMs) and at & Social Work Service 28 Working together some areas, we are struggling to recruit new our National Annual 16 Case study: 30 Dates for the diary volunteers, so we have amalgamated branches Members Meeting on Helping Gurkhas 20 and in others, we have piloted the employment 16 July. And while we are doing that, we need of paid support hubs. Our streamlined online to think about who else warrants recognition in volunteer recruitment process and associated 2020? marketing campaigns are bringing in new applicants and we must all ensure that we This edition of Despatches focusses a spotlight respond and bring them into the SSAFA family on VE Day 75 celebrations; there is now an 6 as quickly as possible. In the longer-term, opportunity for folk around the country to see SSAFA@140 is looking at a more sustainable the live feed from the Royal Albert Hall Concert volunteer network model and this issue of on 8 May. We also take a look at celebrating 135 Despatches brings you up to date with the years of SSAFA and 30 years of supporting the progress thus far. RAF through the Personal Support & Social Work Service. There are also Volunteer Profiles On the brighter side, our Adoption team were and case studies about supporting those in recently graded OUTSTANDING by OFSTED, we need, including Gurkha Services and Adoption. have been awarded the Community Healthcare contract in Cyprus, and there will be a SSAFA I hope to catch up with many of you at your Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show for the first local AGM or our own National meeting in July. time this year. After the show, the garden will be In the meantime, I hope that this edition of transplanted to our Norton House at Stanford Despatches will not only inform you about Hall. Eighty-six nominations for the Sir James wider SSAFA activity, but stimulate you to even Gildea Awards have been received, reflecting the greater heights in support of the Armed Forces level of commitment and excellence achieved by family in need. so many volunteers and employees in 2019. As If you have any stories for future ever, reading through the citations I am humbled by the dedication and selflessness editions of Despatches, or feedback of our people, in many cases, sustained over about our SSAFA magazine, I think it fair to say that from the outside please email [email protected] Lieutenant General 26 SSAFA is in rude good health. Sir Gary Coward KBE, CB Chairman SSAFA, Queen Elizabeth House, 4 St Dunstan’s Hill, London EC3R 8AD Phone: 0207 4639 200 | [email protected] | Facebook: SSAFA | Twitter: @SSAFA | Instagram: ssafaarmedforcescharity Registered as a charity in England and Wales Number 210760, in Scotland Number SC038056 and in Republic of Ireland Number 20202001. Established 1885. S507.0220 02 0303 Volunteer profile HAPPY 135TH BIRTHDAY TO SSAFA As the oldest, tri-service military charity in the country, we are proud to have reached 135 years of service. It’s time to celebrate some of our achievements over this time. MEET SSAFA was one of the first SSAFA was the first to set up a The first military charity RICHARD 1. charities to recognise the 2. ‘nursing service’ even before 4. to offer a home for hardships that military the NHS existed families with loved ones families face In 1892, SSAFA set up a Nursing undergoing medical treatment Before SSAFA was Branch to offer home care to the This started following a BATEMAN established, military families UK families of serving men in campaign led by Major Peter had little or no help from the large garrisons and seaport Norton’s family, after he was “CUT ME IN HALF AND I AM SSAFA British Government. In the towns; a revolutionary idea at a injured serving in Iraq. Norton THROUGH AND THROUGH” 1800s, men had to ask time before home nursing or the House first supported the work permission from their NHS were available. The UK’s done at Headley Court but Commanding Officer to be NHS adopted our Alexandra relocated iin 2018 to Stanford married. Without this Nurses’ practices for the District Hall, nearby to the Defence Concerned by what he was Richard, a former Private in the permission, wives were not Nursing Service, which was set Medical Rehabilitation Centre. seeing in the news and hearing 1st Battalion Worcestershire and allowed to live with their up in 1948. Norton House provides on the streets of Derbyshire about Sherwood Foresters Regiment, husbands and were refused a provides free accommodation difficulties ex-service personnel has a Forces family history dating military pension if their UK’s first and only Registered to friends and family of service were facing, Richard Bateman back to the Second Boer War. “I know I can call on husbands were killed in action. 3. Adoption Agency for military personnel. decided he wanted to act. He Most recently his niece served SSAFA, formerly known as families joined SSAFA in 2019 and hasn’t in Iraq and his grandson is due anyone of the team...” Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Families SSAFA’s Adoption service has SSAFA was one of the first looked back – already getting to join the Army as an Engineer. Association, was established been running since 2000 and 5.military charities to offer stuck into helping serving and He believes since joining SSAFA “You can’t be half-hearted as by Major (later Colonel Sir) has helped hundreds of military transitional mentoring former military personnel in he has found his calling. a Caseworker and it’s important James Gildea for the families personnel create a family. SSAFA The SSAFA mentoring service need within his local area. to remember that, obviously not of military personnel, after he is the expert in navigating launched in 2014 to help “I enjoy it – it’s probably selfish every case runs smoothly. Here in sent a letter to The Times on military adoption and motivate and empower service “I joined SSAFA because I really, but I get a massive sense Derbyshire, we work so that I 23 February 1885. Following understands the complex leavers in their transition to recognised more and more, that of satisfaction after I have finished know I can call on any one of the his petition, a fund was set up demands of military life. In 2019, civilian life. The service first people in my community needed a case successfully. I don’t think team for advice and support. I for married women our SSAFA Adoption service was launched for wounded, injured help. People who served were there is anything I could do, apart learn so much from everyone in irrespective of whether their rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted. or sick service leavers and has forgotten or kicked to the curb. from joining the Army again, that the team.” marriage was recognised by rolled out to all service leavers SSAFA are the charity that pick would give me such an enormous the regiment or not. this year. them back up again.” sense of satisfaction. Cut me in Richard also supported ex- half and I am SSAFA through Queen’s Gurkha Engineer Tilak and through.” Rai and his family when they If you’re a SSAFA volunteer like moved to the UK. Read how he Richard and wish to feature in our Richard thinks being a SSAFA did this on page 16. next Despatches magazine, please Caseworker is a fantastic email [email protected] opportunity and is candid about Welcome to the SSAFA what it takes to do the job well. family, Richard! 04 05 SSAFA’S VE DAY 75 CONCERT We are delighted to be the official charity partner for a special concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 8 May. This high-profile event will feature internationally renowned soloists and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, providing a fitting close to a day of celebrations in London and across the nation. There will also be live streaming of the concert in more than 400 cinemas. To find out which cinemas will be screening this unique SSAFA’S concert near you, visit veday75.co.uk. VE DAY 75 SSAFA is the official charity partner for the VE Day 75 series of events, organised by Pageantmaster, Bruno Peek LVO, OBE, OPR, during the bank holiday weekend of Friday 8 May to Sunday 10 May 2020. There are more than 1,400 events taking place THE MAIN EVENTS ON FRIDAY 8 MAY: ‘The Cry’. The wording for the cry can be MORE EVENTS all over the country, registered on the VE Day 75 3pm The Nation’s Toast to the heroes of Second downloaded from veday75.org.