**1. Beneficiaries and Support Services:**
– SSAFA offers help and support to all serving and former members of the Armed Forces, including Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army, Royal Air Force, and Nursing services.
– Eligible individuals also include spouses, widows, civil partners, children, and caregivers of beneficiaries.
– Provides welfare advice and support through a volunteer network for serving personnel, veterans, and families.
– Local branches and military base committees offer assistance for veterans and families.
– Specialized support includes housing for wounded serving personnel, mentoring for service leavers, and adoption services for military families.
**2. Support for Veterans and Families:**
– SSAFA provides practical housing advice, debt advice, mobility assistance, and essential household items for veterans.
– Support is available for homeless veterans, offenders, ex-offenders, and older ex-service personnel in residential care.
– Glasgow’s Helping Heroes program aids armed forces members in various aspects.
**3. Forcesline Helpline and Locations:**
– Forcesline helpline offers free and confidential telephone, live chat, and email services.
– SSAFA’s volunteer network extends across the UK and 13 countries worldwide, with over 90 branches providing support to veterans and families.
– Service Committees operate on army garrisons, RAF stations, and naval establishments, reaching the Armed Forces community in 13 countries.
**4. Structure and Governance:**
– Governed by a board of Trustees responsible for policy and management.
– Charitable work funded by benevolent funds, public donations, and profits from Health and Social Care services.
– Founded in 1885 as the Soldiers and Sailors Families Association, expanded in 1919 to support the Royal Air Force, and rebranded in 2013 for improved awareness.
**5. Related Organizations and Support Services:**
– Related organizations include the Army Benevolent Fund, Help for Heroes, RAF Benevolent Fund, Royal Air Forces Association, and Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity.
– Support services offered by SSAFA include adoption services for military families, special needs support, short breaks for children with additional needs, health care for the military community, housing options, debt advice, and mobility assistance.
SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, the Soldiers', Sailors', and Airmen's Families Association, is a UK charity that provides lifelong support to serving men and women and veterans from the British Armed Forces and their families or dependents. Anyone who is currently serving or has ever served in the Royal Navy, British Army or Royal Air Force and their families, both regulars and reserves, is eligible for their help.
 | |
| Formation | 1885 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Major James Gildea |
| Type | Charity Veterans' organisation |
| Headquarters | 4 St Dunstan's Hill London EC3R 8AD |
| Location | |
Chair of the Council of Trustees | Sir Simon Bollom KBE, CB, FREng |
Chief Executive | Lieutenant-General Sir Andrew Gregory KBE, CB |
| Website | www |
SSAFA’s professional staff and network of more than 3400 volunteers assist more than 66,000 people every year, from World War II veterans to the families of young servicemen and women wounded or killed in Afghanistan.
Founded in 1885, SSAFA is the UK's oldest national tri-service Armed Forces charity.