News & Views Summer 2012 - SSAFA Forces Help

news viewsIssue 26 Summer 2012

from the heart of SSAFA Forces Help&

Gareth Malone Singing with the Military Wives

FalklandS MeMorieS 30 years on

headlines ........................................................................... 3 Association News

the best friends that i ever had ...................................... 4 Assisting veterans of the Falklands War

Sing .................................................................................... 6 An exclusive interview with choirmaster Gareth Malone

Sparkling celebrations ..................................................... 9 Our Royal Patron’s Diamond Jubilee

everyone counts ............................................................. 10 Forces Additional Needs and Disability Forum

Future client care ............................................................ 12 Welcome to our new Volunteer Department

Creativity transforms lives ............................................. 13 How art is helping a former serviceman

SSaFa saved my life ....................................................... 14 A Stepping Stone Homes story

Volunteer news ................................................................ 16 Branch and In-Service Committee events

the final, final word from the Controller ........................ 18

CONteNtS WelCOMe tO NeWS & VIeWS

Editor: Gabriele Black

Art Director: Yaél Dean

Editorial contributors: Athol Hendry, Michael Ivatt, Lucy Walters

Please send all feedback on News & Views to [email protected]

Contributions for the Winter 2012 Issue by 1st September 2012.

The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association – Forces Help

19 Queen Elizabeth Street, London SE1 2LP

T 020 7403 8783 F 020 7403 8815

E [email protected] www.ssafa.org.uk

Cover photograph: Gareth Malone and the Military Wives Choir celebrate Christmas No 1.

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Welcome to the Summer edition of News & Views. With the Jubilee and Olympics, this is truly a summer of celebration. Our Armed Forces will have a very high profile on both ceremonial and security duties. But when the cameras have switched off and the crowds have gone home, SSAFA Forces Help will continue to be there to support the Service community, past and present. You can read some of their stories in this edition.

Thank you to Gareth Malone for making time in his busy schedule to tell us about his work with the military wives and the amazing impact that it has had on his life. With new choirs being set up worldwide, we are proud to announce the formation of the Military Wives Choirs Foundation to support them.

Enjoy your celebrations!

Gabriele BlackEditor

2 news & views summer 122

headlines

SSaFa’s day at the racesSandown Park racecourse in Surrey, hosted another day of top racing with the Grand Military Gold Cup Meeting on 9th March. The Princess Royal attended and watched Oscara Dara (pictured) clinch the winning position in the SSAFA Forces Help ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle. SSAFA was the official race day charity and volunteers and Chelsea Pensioners were out in force with their collection buckets.

Jubilee tea & BiscuitsFortnum and Mason have produced a United Services Tin to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The special tin, containing Queen Anne tea - named after the monarch in whose reign Fortnum’s began trading - and clotted cream digestives, will be presented at the time of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June 2012 to 15,000 men and women on active service in Afghanistan. The remaining 7,000 tins will be sold by Fortnum’s, and £1 from each sale will be donated to SSAFA Forces Help.

happy Birthday SirThis Summer HRH Prince Michael of Kent is celebrating both his 70th Birthday and 30 years as President of SSAFA Forces Help Council. We would like to thank him

for his continuing support and wish him a very Happy Birthday. In 2011 he was awarded the SSAFA Forces Help Gold Medal for his contribution to the charity.

From 1st to 7th October the Big Brew Up is coming to a place near you! Every October, events are held around the world. Make sure that you’re part of it in 2012.

Whether it is tea for two or 2,000, a morning in the village hall or afternoon tea in the mess, it doesn’t matter what you decide to organise in your support of SSAFA Forces Help.

For more information, or to register your event, visit www.ssafa.org.uk/bigbrewup, email [email protected] or call 020 7463 9359

time for a Brew

news & views summer 12 3

news & views summer 12

the BeSt FriendS that i eVer had

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23 rd March 2012 proved to be an emotional day for seven Falklands veterans who gathered in London for

an informal reunion. Most of the group had not seen each other for more than 25 years.

One of these veterans was Gordon Hoggan, a former guardsman in the Scots Guards. Having received help from SSAFA, Gordon showed his thanks by featuring in a SSAFA client reach advertising campaign in November 2011. This led to him being recognised by one of his old comrades, John Hines, and numerous phone calls later, a decision was made to organise a gathering for a few of their old friends at Wellington Barracks.

Gordon and John were the first to arrive, greeting each other warmly, before the others (Bob Perry, Jeff Hart, Colin Gutherie, Steve Carnell and Kenny Mains) turned up. Stories of their time serving together were shared and laughter and tears flowed as they recounted their escapades.

All seven soldiers fought in the Battle of Mount Tumbledown, one of the bloodiest and most important battles fought by the British as they advanced towards Port Stanley, the last Argentinean stronghold. At the time, Gordon, originally from Kirkcaldy, Scotland, was 24 years old. Of this conflict, Gordon said: “I could hear the screaming coming from our lads and also the Argentineans. It was utter chaos.”

When the Argentineans surrendered in the morning of June 14th, Gordon’s Sergeant Major ordered him to find out what was happening and confirm the surrender. As he arrived at the top of the mountain, the bodies of eight British soldiers were being laid out in body bags and Gordon was tasked with identifying them. He knew all of them. Soon afterwards a sniper, who didn’t believe the Argentineans had surrendered, fired at the group and Gordon was hit in the stomach by a bullet that ricocheted off the ground, causing him to be hospitalised for three weeks.

Despite his injury, it is this memory of the bodies laid out that stayed with Gordon throughout the years and brought about an extreme case of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). “At the time it wasn’t too bad because I was pumped full of adrenaline. In the years following this it was these sights that haunted me.”

Gordon left the Army in 1993 and it was during this time that the flashbacks and nightmares took hold, resulting in him drinking heavily and suffering from mood swings. He ended up living rough in London for 18 months.

“I was begging on the streets for money to buy booze and drugs – anything for a buzz. I slept rough in Cardboard City by Charing Cross and also by Tower Bridge. One day I was sitting on the steps at Tower Bridge when a man started chatting to me and told me about SSAFA Forces Help. He said he worked for them and gave me his card saying that I could be eligible for help. I called up and was told to go to a hostel where I was cleaned up and given a bed.”

SSAFA Forces Help’s client reach campaign reunites comrades for the Anniversary of the Falklands War.

falklands war 30th anniversary


the BeSt FriendS that i eVer had

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Gordon then moved to the Birmingham area but his problems didn’t go away. He continued to have flashbacks and mood swings which resulted in him cutting his wrists and being sectioned for 13 weeks. Afterwards, he was re-housed and got in touch with his local SSAFA branch in Derby where he now lives.

“I don’t like to think of those times when I was living rough, but SSAFA were the first ones to help me and I never forgot that. They saved my life.”

Having received support from a number of forces charities over the years, including Combat Stress, Gordon decided to give something back and has been volunteering with the SSAFA Derby branch for over two years. “Working with SSAFA has given me a real purpose and I encourage others to do the same. I don’t know what I would have done without them. Being part of their ad campaign and getting back in touch with the guys has been fantastic.”

All of the group who were gathered at Wellington Barracks share similar stories about how they suffered from the memories of the Falklands War. Despite this, all of them said that they would do it all again. Gordon confirms this. “The camaraderie was second to none. These guys are the best friends I have ever had.” n

a FalklandS VeteranPaul Vickers found himself homeless after a work contract came to an end and he could no longer pay the rent on his flat. the former RAF Aircraft electrician, a Falklands veteran, ended up sleeping rough in Bristol.

He said: “For four months I was sleeping underneath the railway arches or in a graveyard. I was getting up in the morning and going to the library because it was warm.

“eventually I felt my health was suffering and I thought I’ve got to get myself sorted. I just picked up a Yellow Pages and phoned SSAFA. Within an hour SPACeS [Single Persons Accommodation Centre for ex Services] phoned me up and the next day I was on a train to the opening of Mike Jackson House in Aldershot. I was the second person in.”

Paul, who was 24 when he was sent to the Falklands, was deeply affected by his experiences during the conflict which left him suffering from Post traumatic Stress Disorder.

Following his stay in Aldershot he was rehoused in Horsham, West Sussex, but needed carpeting in the house and contacted SSAFA.

“When I moved in all I had in here was wooden flooring and no carpet in the bedroom or anywhere. My SSAFA caseworker came round and filled out the forms and I got my carpet funded by the Royal British legion and the RAF Benevolent Fund. SSAFA carpeted my house for me.”

Gordon and former comrades

Paul Vickers

three decades after the Falklands conflict, Paul considers himself one of the lucky ones.

“I’m lucky because I survived,” he said. “the Falklands 30th anniversary is a difficult time. there are certain things that bring it back but you have to put that part of you in the back of your mind.”


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Gareth Malone talks to SSAFA Forces Help about meeting the military wives and his plans for a lasting legacy.

interview


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When choirmaster Gareth Malone set out to teach a small group of military wives to sing, he could never have foreseen the effect it

would have on both their lives and his own.

More than six months later he is still slightly overwhelmed by the success of the project, which aimed to support and unite the women while their husbands were serving in Afghanistan, but culminated in a Christmas number one single, international acclaim and numerous television appearances.

The choir donated half the proceeds, some £250,000, from their hit single Wherever You Are to SSAFA and now the charity is working with Gareth to ensure the legacy of that success will help military wives for years to come.

Gareth spent much of last year living in Devon with his wife Becky and 18-month-old daughter Esther filming the latest series of his popular BBC show The Choir with wives from RMB Chivenor and Plymouth. Previously the programme had focussed on schoolchildren and the residents of a housing estate, transforming them from reluctant recruits to polished performers, so what was it that made him choose the Armed Forces community?

“The Choir for me has never been about singing,” he said. “It’s about people and confidence, uniting people and that is what music can do. We had a letter from a woman called Nicky Clarke in Catterick. It was just one of those letters from the thousands received that leapt out at me.

“Everyone has started to think more about the Armed Forces, but it was the first time I had really thought about what it would be like for the women left behind at home. I had a gut reaction that it was something I should do.”

Distance and scheduling clashes meant Gareth was unable to film at Catterick but early last year he moved from his London home to Devon and formed his first Military Wives Choir at Chivenor.

“I got completely immersed in it,” he said. “We were working with women from all three services but fundamentally they were all military wives and we wanted to unite them. Within the choir it does not matter what your husband does or what rank he is.”

With the women’s husbands just about to deploy it was a difficult and emotional time for them. Gareth said: “There was a lot of fear. There was no sense of persuasion really. On previous series of The Choir that had been the whole story, me trying to persuade people to sing but I think there was a real need for it here.”

The television series recording the wives’ progress was an instant hit but it was the song specially created for them by Royal Wedding composer Paul Mealor that really put them on the map. The powerful lyrics to Wherever You Are were created from letters sent between the women and their husbands.

Gareth said: “I had an inkling it would be something very popular because Paul really filled the brief. I wanted a piece that on first hearing would just pull on the heart strings and show what these women go through and he absolutely got that right.

“The success of the song was much more about the women and what they are rather than the choir. It’s testament to the change in the attitude to the Armed Forces and I think it shows that adversity sometimes brings out the best in people.”

After an emotional performance at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall there were calls for the song to be released as a single, most notably from Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans who backed it to beat The X Factor winner to the coveted Christmas number one spot.

“It was amazing to be on that wave,” said Gareth. “I was a bit overwhelmed by it all to be honest.

interview


“It was a given that the money raised should go to military charities because we were singing for Queen and country and for their husbands, and it felt right that it was SSAFA and the Royal British Legion. SSAFA was on my mind because I had met representatives at both Chivenor and Plymouth and when I asked the women we felt SSAFA represented everyone involved.”

Gareth is no stranger to SSAFA after the charity assisted his 91-year-old grandfather, a WW2 veteran. He said: “He was a wireless operator and second gunner in Lancaster bombers. He’s a real hero to me. What that generation did is unbelievable.”

Now Gareth is working with SSAFA to establish more choirs and has been instrumental in forming the Military Wives Choir Foundation with the military wife who got the whole thing started.

“At the moment we are trying to create a vision for the future. The Foundation is very much in line with SSAFA because it is fundamentally about welfare. All the tinsel of publicity and the opportunities to sing here and there and go on This Morning were kind of meaningless in comparison with the effect it had on those women while their husbands were away. It felt right that Nicky took the lead because her experience of establishing a choir outside of the glare of TV coverage and publicity was the real article.

“It is so big we needed a central organisation. When we had the first meeting in January we said ‘wouldn’t it be great if we could get ten choirs’. As of yesterday there were 36. One of the new choirs had their first performance last night and they are all on the ceiling. It’s singing that does that.” n

Military WiVeS Choir Foundation

The Military Wives Choirs Foundation has been established as a subsidiary charity of SSAFA Forces Help to support the growing network of choirs in British bases around the world. The aim of the Foundation is to build and co-ordinate a network of choirs throughout our Forces Community so that wives, girlfriends, mums and servicewomen can always benefit from the support, friendship and enjoyment that being part of a choir brings.

From the original wives choir in Catterick and the two TV-featured choirs in Chivenor and Plymouth, the network of Military Wives Choirs has gone from strength to strength. The Foundation is now supporting more than 40 choirs, located on military bases across the UK, as well as in British Forces Germany and Cyprus. New choirs are springing up all the time.

Athol Hendry, Director of Corporate Communications and Marketing, said: “At its heart, The Military Wives Choirs Foundation is all about strengthening and supporting our Forces Family. So it aligns perfectly to the wider aspirations and values of SSAFA Forces Help.”

Further success and recognition for the Military Wives has followed Wherever You Are. In the Spring, the choirs achieved another Number 1 chart position with their debut album In My Dreams, proceeds from which are helping to establish the Foundation. More recently, the Military Wives Choir was selected to lead Sing the official song of the Diamond Jubilee, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Gary Barlow. The recording featured singers from ten of the choirs, representing all three Services. n

diamond jubilee


SSAFA Forces Help is honoured to have Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II as our Patron. We are very grateful to Her continued

support for 60 years (selecting SSAFA as one of the five charities for Her Golden Jubilee). We would like to take this opportunity to wish

Her well on her Diamond Jubilee.


eVeryone CountS

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F amily life in the Armed Forces can be challenging. Regular postings, new schools and deployments are just some of the things Service families have

to cope with. So imagine how much tougher things would be if a member of your family had an additional need or disability. You might need a wheelchair accessible home, or access to specific healthcare and special schools and if that is the case SSAFA Forces Help can offer support and advice.

Our Forces Additional Needs & Disability Forum (FANDF) provides encouragement and support to parents of children with an additional need, Service personnel who have a disability or a family member with an additional need, and their partners.

Administered by Jane Barnes, SSAFA’s Additional Needs & Disability Adviser, it holds support group meetings, operates an online forum where people can talk about issues that affect them in confidence, organises a bi-annual conference and short breaks for children with an additional need, their siblings and young carers.

FANDF chair Rachel Price joined the support group after her son George, nine, was born with Down’s Syndrome. Rachel said: “George has no awareness of danger. He wants to be independent but he will just walk off. He wears hearing aids and we have hundreds of hospital appointments. It’s very hard to put into words, you just get on with it.”

When George was 18 months old Rachel went along to a FANDF meeting. She said: “What the Forum gave me was something concrete that would make a difference. I didn’t want someone patting me on the hand and saying ‘there, there’.

“There were other families with many more issues than me and I saw that the MoD and other welfare and housing providers were listening to what people had to say. If there is an issue that comes up with additional needs then we are well-placed to give our feedback and our opinion is respected.”

A unique forum supports Forces families affected by additional needs or disability.

support groups


eVeryone CountS

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For further information about FandF or the children’s short breaks scheme visit ssafasupportgroups.org.uk or contact Jane Barnes at [email protected] or 020 7463 9234.

Sgt Jeff Files’ son was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 11. Jeff, an Aircraft Technician who has been in the RAF for 27 years, said: “My son was excluded many times when he was at primary school and again when he moved to secondary school.

“We jumped through hoops with the Local Authority because they would not accept his diagnosis as the school had refused to co-operate in his assessment. It was very stressful and frustrating.”

Jeff attended the FANDF conference in 2002. He said: “We found out about the children’s holidays that SSAFA ran and my daughter got a place on the siblings activity holiday. Later I decided to volunteer to help on the holidays and have been doing that ever since. We understand what it’s like 24/7 and the importance of respite, something we never had.”

A couple of years later Jeff joined FANDF. He said: “I felt I would like to give something back. By that time my wife had been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis following a car accident. We have made numerous adaptations to the house and have a wide range of gadgets for my wife to enable independent living. We felt we were in a position where we could offer support to other people that were just starting out.”

everyone Matters, the Forces Additional Needs & Disability Conference 2012, took place at MoD Main Building on May 23rd.

the event was for Service families, welfare providers and other interested professionals and speakers included Maria Miller MP, Minister for Disabled People, and Dave Rutter, Armed Forces lead for the Department of Health. It also offered workshops by the Department of Work and Pensions, the Children’s education Advisory Service and National Autistic Society.

Catherine Cosby was living in Nairobi, Kenya, when her baby daughter Alexandra, now 27, was diagnosed with an extremely rare neurological disorder which left her unable to walk or talk and needing 24 hour care. She said: “Our doctor referred Alexandra to Great Ormond Street as he was concerned about her lack of walking ability.”

Alexandra underwent weeks of tests and Catherine was given the devastating news that her daughter had Rett Syndrome. A mother-of-three, she knew no other parents of a disabled child and, with her husband posted for long deployments, struggled to cope.

She said: “It was tough as no-one knew about Rett Syndrome. In the Navy many families live in their own housing so there was no local support from other wives or support groups.”

Catherine made contact with SSAFA and FANDF and it was suggested she apply for the activity holidays. “Alexandra did two of these which were amazing and I am sure she gained so much from them,” Catherine said. “When I saw that the FANDF was looking for members I wanted to share my own experiences and see what I could do to ensure more Naval families would benefit from the information it can provide.” n

George Price (left) and with mother, rachel, and sister, Charlotte (top).

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Future Client Care

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Recent restructuring within the Armed Forces has given increased significance to an ongoing review of SSAFA Forces Help’s strategic objectives. The charity’s

governing Council was keen to ensure that SSAFA remains relevant to the changing needs of its clients and the wider military environment.

The first outcome of the review has been to create distinct areas of specialism between SSAFA’s health & social care services and its volunteering & charitable departments. This will help nurture new projects while creating more robust systems for branches and committees.

The new Volunteer Support department will fulfil two very different functions. Liz Prosser will be taking care of Volunteer Operations, providing support to all volunteers in SSAFA, including training and membership, and bringing together the support services for branches and the In-Service committees. Suzie Worley will head up the new Client Services team. This role will take care of those services that are paid for from charitable funds. This includes telephone helplines, specialist volunteer services such as Victim Support and children’s short breaks scheme.

Cathy Walker, Deputy Controller, says that the new department will bring big benefits to the Association. “We have been reviewing the direction of SSAFA for a while now to ensure we offer the best service we can. The care of our clients is the ultimate reason SSAFA exists. Care is delivered through our volunteers on the ground so they need the best support possible.

“Leaving the military for civilian life used to be thought of as a pretty straight forward matter with people moving from one life to another. This is increasingly becoming blurred with a long period of transition as people slowly come to terms with their

new lives. SSAFA has to adapt to this and closer working between our branch and in service sides will help enormously.

“A simple example was of an RAF veteran who had been widowed. His problem was not just practical, he was lonely too. The branch worked with the local In Service committee to find someone currently serving he could talk with. A Community Volunteer was able to visit him, in uniform as requested, to chat about life in the Air Force. That seamless delivery of care is something that we should be aiming for.

“Ultimately the changes have to be for the benefit of our clients and eventually we will have a system in place where there is one point of entry for clients and one for volunteers. We need to reduce the number of times a client has to retell their story and provide continuity of care from that very first call.” n

The challenges faced by Service personnel and their families during the transition to civilian life is just one factor behind changes at Central Office.

From left, Suzie Worley, Cathy Walker and liz Prosser

ex-service support


CreatiVity tranSForMS liVeS

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Art changed Stephen Pratt’s life. Now he is using his talents to do the same for others.

When Stephen Pratt left the Army after 17 years service the examining officer at his final medical told him, “I’ll give you

a year before you try to kill yourself”.

That was in 1981 and, despite 30 years spent with that gloomy assessment hanging over him, Stephen has managed to turn his life around and now hopes to help other former servicemen and women do the same.

Stephen, 63, was sent away to join the Army by his mother when he was just 14-and-a-half. A five year spell with the Royal Engineers was followed by 12 years in Special Forces. He lived unknowingly with the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for three decades but found that art enabled him to make sense of his life, and overcome the hyper vigilance, nightmares and flashbacks.

“When I came out of the Army I had a lot of problems resettling,” he said. “Everything I did was about life and death. I worked in these extremes, everything has to be perfect, everything has to be done right now. On operations you always looked for the escape route and I carried that with me into later life. Every time I came across a problem I ran away and eventually I escaped to Finland, but you can’t run away from what’s in your head so I developed a way of using art to express how I felt about the world at the time.”

After ten years in Finland gradually coming to terms with his problems Stephen felt that he could help other former service personnel living with PTSD.

He said: “Being creative is great because you are immediately accessing unconscious parts of your mind and the art object becomes something you

can discuss rather than the problems. If you can be creative in a little project you can transfer that creativity into your life. The creative act signifies a lot more than something on a piece of paper.”

Stephen’s story was recently featured on the BBC’s Culture Show. He got a place studying Art Psychotherapy at Goldsmiths University, London, and was awarded a £1,000 bursary, but struggled to raise the remainder of the fees. Many charities said they couldn’t fund an MA but finally Stephen contacted SSAFA and Lewisham-based caseworker Peter Ranken took up his case.

“Stephen could not move forward in his life until he was a qualified practitioner,” Peter said. “His whole aim was to help other soldiers and this course was incredibly important to that.”

Peter’s perseverance paid off and he secured £2,000 from Civvy Street, £1,000 from the Royal Engineers and £600 from ABF, The Soldiers Charity. Peter also helped Stephen find somewhere permanent to live.

Stephen said: “Housing was a really big problem for me. For ages I was just living out of a rucksack like I was on operations again.

“For me, what makes Peter special is that he’s not from a military background, he brought a wider perspective and a real sense of empathy to my situation. If I can rehabilitate through the help that SSAFA has given me it makes sense to me that I could somehow repay that debt and help others.”

Stephen hopes to work with former servicemen and women, including those in the prison system. He said: “I would like to introduce a new way of working that is more about outcomes and enabling people to make changes.” n


Mother of two, Gemma*, has had a tumultuous six months. During that time she was violently assaulted by her husband and had to flee their

family home, resulting in her struggling to make ends meet. She was eventually put in touch with her local SSAFA Forces Help branch who referred her to SSAFA’s Stepping Stone Homes. These homes offer temporary supported emergency accommodation to women who have a Service link.

More often than not, it is the husband who is the serving member of the Armed Forces. However, in Gemma’s case she is the one with the military connection, having served in the Royal Signals for six years. She joined the Army aged 16. “I really enjoyed my time in the Forces. I had my own money, made new friends - I had a life!.”

After she had her first child, Gemma left the Army and worked as a nursery assistant and a carer before returning to her studies to become a nurse. It was during this time that she met Paul.

She admits that they had a whirlwind relationship, she soon became pregnant and left university on Paul’s promise that he would support her. “I really fell for him, he literally swept me off my feet. He seemed so loving and kind, and said that I was the best thing that ever happened to him. Of course, I fell for it. He hid his past from me and didn’t tell me about his criminal record.”

The couple married in the summer of 2011. Soon afterwards Paul’s behaviour changed; he became verbally and emotionally abusive and physically assaulted her. One night, Paul came home in a drunken state and the couple had a violent altercation. By this stage, Gemma was aware of Paul’s previous conviction where he had assaulted six police officers and served time in prison. She was scared that he would attack the children and so decided to leave him.

When she attempted to go, Paul forced her into a car and made a serious attempt on her life. Speeding erratically down a motorway with the

SSaFa SaVed My liFe

Stepping Stone Homes provide a lifeline for families. One soldier and mother tells her story.

stepping stone homes


i For further information, please visit www.ssafa.org.uk

to find out more about our Stepping Stone homes’ service, individuals or families should contact their unit Welfare officer, a SSaFa Forces help Social Worker or a Welfare Worker.

alternatively, please contact our welfare team by email request via our website contact page www.ssafa.org.uk/contact, email [email protected] or call 020 7463 9224

passenger door open, he held her so that her legs were dragging on the ground. The friction was such that she burned the soles of her feet. “I was absolutely terrified, I thought that I was going to die. When I looked in his eyes there was nothing there. He was soulless…. I can’t understand why I loved him because there was nothing in him. Nothing.”

Luckily, Gemma managed to escape and called the police who ensured that her children were put in a safe place. In the following days, Paul was arrested for driving offences and put back in prison.

Although Gemma received a huge amount of assistance from the police and social services, she was struggling to take care of the children and was frightened that Paul would come looking for her upon his release from prison. It was at this stage that she heard about SSAFA and Stepping Stone Homes.

“My SSAFA case worker went above and beyond the call of duty for me; he was amazing and found me a place at one of the Homes. The staff at the house are incredible; they picked me up and put me back together again. Stepping Stone Homes saved my life.

Gemma has been supported in various ways since she arrived at the Home. As with all residents, the initial concern was to maximise her income and assess her situation. On her behalf, staff at the house applied for the appropriate benefits. They sign-posted her to debt and emotional support services, and continue to assist with any legal and welfare issues.

She was continually assisted with appointments and meetings and accompanied by staff whenever possible. As well as practical support, staff at the house ensure that Gemma and her children remain safe at all times, working alongside other agencies to ensure that her needs are catered for. When the time is appropriate, she will be fully assisted into ongoing permanent housing, and with the help of SSAFA, she will have everything she needs to rebuild her life.

“I have a future now,” she says. “I want to give something back and tell people about the support

A playroom at one of the Stepping Stone Homes was given a make over as the room desperately needed a facelift. The project was supported by the local In-Service Committee, who provided funds for new storage. The Carmichael Walker Fund also kindly donated funding to help pay for new curtains and the decoration of the room, and local schoolgirl, Maisy Seal, raised £130 following a successful sponsored 24 hour silence. The resident children painted pictures of the house, that were framed to give the new playroom an atmosphere of fun and playfulness! The refurbishment has proved to be a big hit with all the families.

I received so that others in a similar situation will reach out for help. If spreading the message about SSAFA can get one person out of a bad situation, then it would make everything worthwhile. So, to anyone who has ever donated their loose change to SSAFA, thank you from the bottom of my heart!”

Now aged 27, Gemma has a bright outlook on life. Pending Paul’s imminent release from prison, she has been advised by the police to stay in protected accommodation. However, she hopes to find work soon and stable housing. “I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am to everyone at SSAFA who has helped me. I know they are here for me and that’s a great comfort.” n

* The names of all individuals named in this article have been changed to protect their identities.


dubbed Scotland’s Charity Festival, the Big Stooshie took place at the howe Country Centre in Fife, on behalf of SSaFa and help for heroes. it was rounded off by rock band James, and also included music from the hoosiers, the damned and Simon and oscar from ocean Colour Scene unplugged.

SSaFa Forces help Chairman, Sir kevin o’donoghue visited Cardiff in January, meeting officials and community leaders. the aim of the visit was to look at ways of ensuring that all agencies who meet veterans in crisis know where to sign-post them, and at ways we could work together to provide greater assistance for those struggling in Wales.

Peterborough united Football Club mascot, Peter Burrow, helped Courtney and other cadets and SSaFa volunteers at a match day collection for the Cambridgeshire Branch.

the 6th Carol Concert held by our French Branch has become one of the local social highlights. Carols, readings and poems in both French and english were enjoyed by the audience, including the local Mayor. the SSaFa singers (pictured) opened and closed the show, raising £750 for the Branch.

volunteer news


SSaFa is delighted to be one of the beneficiary charities of row2recovery, which has raised £880,000 and inspired many among the injured and disabled. a crew of two able-bodied and four injured servicemen successfully rowed the atlantic ocean, taking 51 days, despite many equipment failures.

Mike Francis and his brother-in-law neil Barker did a sponsored walk from Southampton hospital to SSaFa norton house, headley Court, over three days in May. the pair were joined for the final five miles by Ben Wagon, a royal navy aviation engineer who was severely injured in a car accident last october. after initial treatment in Southampton, he was transferred to the defence Medical rehabilitation Centre.

Mike said: “i occasionally visit Ben at weekends at norton house and see at first hand the support they give not only to Ben but his parents tracey and richard. i said if the fundraising hits £1,000 Ben has to wear a tutu – i think it’s up to £1,400 now!”

SSaFa’s young achiever awards, held earlier this year, recognised the outstanding personal achievements of 24 young people living in British Forces Germany. Pictured with BFBS radio Presenter anthony Ballard is five-year-old alissa Ford, presented with an award for coping admirably with chronic illness after being diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of three.

ian Sloss passed away in 2010 whilst swimming the london triathlon for SSaFa. in his memory, we have set up fundraising awards for those that have gone above and beyond what is asked of them whilst fundraising for the association.

For further details about the ian Sloss awards contact Penny Prince at [email protected] or call 01327 263512.


the Final, Final Word FroM the Controller

19

Having announced my intention to stand down as the Controller of SSAFA Forces Help, after nearly eight and a half years, I thought

this might be a good opportunity to set out some of my thoughts about the Association, and to hazard a guess as to where it will be in ten years time. What I have to say will not clash with the recently endorsed strategic plan and objectives but may help to add some flesh to those bones.

I am about to leave a quite different military charity sector to the one I joined in 2004. Then, the country was beginning to come to terms with the longer term implications of the war in Iraq. Afghanistan was still quiet at the time but was waiting in the wings for what was to become a fierce and attritional battleground, resulting in many deaths and serious injuries to our servicemen and women.

Within our sector, I think there was an understanding of the work done by different charities and where each charity stood. Of course, there were some slightly awkward interfaces but, on the whole, it was recognised who did what and for whom. Everyone was busy, but busy in a perhaps more ordered world.

I think that an examination of SSAFA then, now and in the near future would not throw up any major changes to what we do. I think that this is a massive strength. We have not tried to re-invent ourselves and risk diluting our capability but, rather, we have remained constant, very good at what we do and always determined to improve our quality.

That is not to say that we have not been very good indeed at meeting the changing needs of those that we are here to support. The SSAFA Norton Homes and our support groups for the families of the bereaved and badly wounded are perhaps the most recent examples of the Association at its most agile and most effective. We continue to make a very real difference where we are most needed.

In four or five years time, the Services will exist in a different and perhaps quieter environment. I hope so. Their needs (to which SSAFA has always responded) may be a little less demanding. We will need to come through the current smoke and haze doing what we have always done and doing it as well as we ever have done. Our strength lies in the depth of expertise we bring to meet the needs of the military community.

the final word


To this end, it came as no surprise to me and my colleagues that the hard work we recently put in to review the Association’s future, identified that SSAFA is still doing what it should be doing and for the right people. Council has endorsed this and has confirmed that we should continue to support the health and social work needs of the Armed Forces, both here in the UK and abroad, and that we should continue to carry out casework wherever the need arises, delivered by volunteers to the highest professional standard. Further, they are adamant that we must work more closely with our charity colleagues and we

in Central Office are pledged to do that, knowing that this relationship will be mirrored in the branches and elsewhere.

Let no-one tell SSAFA that the work of volunteers is unsustainable in this modern, risk-averse world and that casework, for example, can only be carried out by paid staff. Let no-one dare to suggest that the work done by our volunteers is anything other than extremely professional, delivered with imagination and total commitment and without an eye to a ticking clock on a Friday afternoon. It is truly the jewel in the charity crown and those who knock it are perhaps rather jealous of this capability.

I am really sad to be leaving, but I do think that it is important to have someone at the helm in Central Office who is a little closer than I now am, with those who still serve and who can empathise better with another generation of servicemen and their families. And the Association, change or no change, needs new ideas, not all of which stem from Central Office but most of which come from you.

It has, of course, been huge fun and I have enjoyed the friendships I have made and the ‘sparring’ I have occasionally become involved in. It has added much to my life and I hope I have contributed something to SSAFA. I plan to take a gap year to do some travelling and then I may well return as a volunteer myself to irritate Central Office! Good luck to you all and thank you for your support and friendship. n

Major General Andrew Cumming, CBE

Controller, SSAFA Forces Help

the Final, Final Word FroM the Controller

the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association – Forces Help.

Practical help and assistance to nearly 50,000 people each year.

www.ssafa.org.uk 020 7463 9225 facebook.com/ssafafh

We’re all about people.

Jim CoxWhen Jim, who spent 8 years in the tA, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis we provided funding to buy an electric wheelchair and a specifically adapted bed, allowing him to keep his independence.

He was just one of 45,203 veterans we helped last year.

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News & Views Summer 2012 - SSAFA Forces Help

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