Our armed forces continue to perform bravely on our behalf in trouble spots throughout the world – just as they always have. And some of these actions rightly receive much publicity.

But behind the headlines, problems frequently occur, and these need dedicated and professional help to resolve them.

The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) undertakes vitally important work for men and women who serve, or who have served, in the armed forces, together with their families and dependants.

A surprisingly large number find themselves in difficulties, such as illness, unemployment, financial hardship, marriage breakdown and so on.

With a large number of military bases near Swindon, there are, as you might expect, many former service personnel and their families who have settled in this area. Sadly, a growing number need our help.

With this increasing workload, SSAFA desperately needs your assistance, either as a caseworker or simply a friend, to enable us to continue this vitally important work.

A longer article is planned for the February edition of The Edge to explain more fully exactly what SSAFA does. But, meanwhile, if you could offer just a few hours of your time to help us continue this important work, we’d like to hear from you.

In the first instance, you should contact:

Peter Hartnell – 01672 – 514739 or email