We are delighted to award a £230,000 grant to SSAFA The Armed Forces Charity, to provide welfare support to Armed Forces families, and fund its Stepping Stones Home.
ABF The Soldiers’ Charity has a special friendship with SSAFA and, since 1945, has supported its mission to provide welfare advice, specialist health and social care to Armed Forces families and veterans. Among the military charities, SSAFA has the broadest reach across the UK in providing welfare services to individual beneficiaries. By funding SSAFA we can ensure individual needs are speedily assessed so we can provide help quickly.
During 2022, SSAFA’s Stepping Stones Home supported 56 women and children – most of them survivors of domestic abuse – 45 of whom were from Army families. Many of those seeking help face problems unique to military life, such as homelessness due to eviction from base, or as foreign and commonwealth partners of UK service personnel.
Lieutenant General (Ret’d) Sir Andrew Gregory KBE CB DL, Controller of SSAFA, said:
“SSAFA supports serving military personnel, veterans and their families when they need help, something we can only deliver in partnership with Government and other military charities. Our links to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and the many regimental associations means that together we can assist serving soldiers, veterans and their families. This grant will allow us to sustain our network of staff and volunteers and the services to our beneficiaries. I am extremely grateful to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity for these funds and their wider engagement with SSAFA; together we really make a difference.”
Brigadier (Ret’d) Peter Monteith, Chief Operating Officer, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, added:
“SSAFA is one of our closest partners in looking after the needs of the Army family. We are always proud to support its impressive welfare work across our local communities. This is especially important in these economically challenging times when service families are facing increased living costs, higher bills and issues around mental health and wellbeing.”
Read more about SSAFA’s work here.