Overview

RAFA, the Royal Air Forces Association (or RAF Association), is a membership organisation and registered charity that provides welfare support to the RAF Family. Receiving no government contributions, our work is completely funded by the generosity of our members and through vital donations from our supporters in the general public and from businesses.

The RAF Family includes all serving and ex-serving personnel and their dependants. To be eligible for welfare support, for both themselves and those who depend upon them, service personnel need to have served a minimum of one day in the RAF.

The Association exists in the recognition that RAF personnel and their immediate families dedicate their lives to their country, and to ensure that such a sacrifice does not result in suffering, poverty or loneliness.

Whether it’s an injured airman fighting to get back on his feet, a young child missing their parent away on overseas operations, or a World War II veteran needing a shoulder to lean on, we are here to help all generations of RAF Service personnel and their families

What we do

The Royal Air Forces Association is committed to providing confidential, professional and fair services to members of the wider RAF family from the youngest recruit to the oldest veteran and their families. On-going training and support for welfare volunteers and staff ensures services are consistent and of the highest possible standard. All will be treated with dignity and respect at all times.

The kind of welfare support provided by the RAF Association is wide-ranging: everything from providing home visits and respite care breaks, to offering advice and, in some circumstances, financial assistance in times of difficulty.

Simply, we are here to make sure that members of the RAF Family past and present are never left alone or in need.

You can find out more about the type of support we provide, along with a few recent examples of what we’ve been up to, here.

How we help the RAF Family

The RAF Association is here to help the whole Royal Air Force family, providing friendship, help and support to current and former members of the RAF and their dependants.

You do not need to be a member to receive our help. It is estimated that there are around 2.4 million ex-service people, some 33,000 currently in uniform and an increasing number of reserve forces. This group, their families, dependants under 18 years old and dependants with a disability over 18 years old are all eligible for assistance from the RAF Association.

With a UK-wide caseworker network of over 540 volunteer Honorary Welfare Officers undertaking almost 13,000 welfare visits annually, help ranges from simply providing conversation and friendship to preparing and submitting application forms for financial assistance.

Just a typical working year for the RAF Association!

In a typical year, these are just some of the ways that we help our servicemen and women, past and present. You can find out more information about all of this great work on this site.

• Over 61,900 members offering friendship and support to one another
• Over 540 volunteer welfare officers who receive professional accredited training
• Our network of volunteer welfare officers make over 102,200 welfare visits and calls offering personal support to meet each individual’s and families’ needs
• We help to support those of the RAF family with War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation claims achieving more than £540,000 in pension and compensation payments
• We support around 2,500 people to enjoy a much needed Wings Break
• Our Storybook Wings initiative has helped to ease the pain of separation for over 2,300 children with parents serving away from home
• We fund the refurbishment of 30 contact houses on stations, which allow single and unaccompanied parents access to their children in a homely environment or provide short term accommodation for families with a welfare need
• We assist around 50 RAF veterans or their widows/widowers to lead safe, independent lives in our sheltered and supported housing
• Through the RAF Families Federation we give RAF personnel and their families the chance to influence future policy
• We distribute more than £1.8m in welfare grants to serving and ex-serving personnel
• We work with Alabaré and The Soldier’s Charity to help homeless ex-military personnel to rebuild their lives

Of course, this work needs your support. So please do take the time to look around the site, find out more, and discover the ways that you can help us help members of the RAF family when they need us.

Where we do it

Midlands Office Contact Details

Address:  The Windermere Club, 110 Wake Green Road, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 9PZ
Tel: 0121 449 9356 Fax: 0121 449 9546

How to access

We are here for you. You can contact us using any of the below methods:

Freephone: 0800 0182 361
or call our Central Headquarters on 0116 266 5224

Write to us at:

117½ Loughborough Road,
Leicester,
LE4 5ND

Armed Forces Compensation Scheme advice

Call Chris Francis on 01392 464445 or email him here.

Service Personnel

You could also contact your Hive or speak to the Community Support team on your station.

Overview

RAFA, the Royal Air Forces Association (or RAF Association), is a membership organisation and registered charity that provides welfare support to the RAF Family. Receiving no government contributions, our work is completely funded by the generosity of our members and through vital donations from our supporters in the general public and from businesses.

The RAF Family includes all serving and ex-serving personnel and their dependants. To be eligible for welfare support, for both themselves and those who depend upon them, service personnel need to have served a minimum of one day in the RAF.

The Association exists in the recognition that RAF personnel and their immediate families dedicate their lives to their country, and to ensure that such a sacrifice does not result in suffering, poverty or loneliness.

Whether it’s an injured airman fighting to get back on his feet, a young child missing their parent away on overseas operations, or a World War II veteran needing a shoulder to lean on, we are here to help all generations of RAF Service personnel and their families.

What we do

The Royal Air Forces Association is committed to providing confidential, professional and fair services to members of the wider RAF family from the youngest recruit to the oldest veteran and their families. On-going training and support for welfare volunteers and staff ensures services are consistent and of the highest possible standard. All will be treated with dignity and respect at all times.

The kind of welfare support provided by the RAF Association is wide-ranging: everything from providing home visits and respite care breaks, to offering advice and, in some circumstances, financial assistance in times of difficulty.

Simply, we are here to make sure that members of the RAF Family past and present are never left alone or in need.

You can find out more about the type of support we provide, along with a few recent examples of what we’ve been up to, here.

How we help the RAF Family

The RAF Association is here to help the whole Royal Air Force family, providing friendship, help and support to current and former members of the RAF and their dependants.

You do not need to be a member to receive our help. It is estimated that there are around 2.4 million ex-service people, some 33,000 currently in uniform and an increasing number of reserve forces. This group, their families, dependants under 18 years old and dependants with a disability over 18 years old are all eligible for assistance from the RAF Association.

With a UK-wide caseworker network of over 540 volunteer Honorary Welfare Officers undertaking almost 13,000 welfare visits annually, help ranges from simply providing conversation and friendship to preparing and submitting application forms for financial assistance.

Just a typical working year for the RAF Association!

In a typical year, these are just some of the ways that we help our servicemen and women, past and present. You can find out more information about all of this great work on this site.

• Over 61,900 members offering friendship and support to one another
• Over 540 volunteer welfare officers who receive professional accredited training
• Our network of volunteer welfare officers make over 102,200 welfare visits and calls offering personal support to meet each individual’s and families’ needs
• We help to support those of the RAF family with War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation claims achieving more than £540,000 in pension and compensation payments
• We support around 2,500 people to enjoy a much needed Wings Break
• Our Storybook Wings initiative has helped to ease the pain of separation for over 2,300 children with parents serving away from home
• We fund the refurbishment of 30 contact houses on stations, which allow single and unaccompanied parents access to their children in a homely environment or provide short term accommodation for families with a welfare need
• We assist around 50 RAF veterans or their widows/widowers to lead safe, independent lives in our sheltered and supported housing
• Through the RAF Families Federation we give RAF personnel and their families the chance to influence future policy
• We distribute more than £1.8m in welfare grants to serving and ex-serving personnel
• We work with Alabaré and The Soldier’s Charity to help homeless ex-military personnel to rebuild their lives

Where we do it

Midlands Office Contact Details

Address:  The Windermere Club, 110 Wake Green Road, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 9PZ
Tel: 0121 449 9356 Fax: 0121 449 9546

How to access

Get Help

We are here for you. You can contact us using any of the below methods:

Freephone: 0800 0182 361
or call our Central Headquarters on 0116 266 5224

Write to us at:

117½ Loughborough Road,
Leicester,
LE4 5ND

Armed Forces Compensation Scheme advice

Call Chris Francis on 01392 464445 or email him here.

Service Personnel

You could also contact your Hive or speak to the Community Support team on your station.