RAF Association asks public to support annual charity Wings Appeal in support of 6000 veterans in Northern Ireland
The RAF Association has launched its annual ‘Wings Appeal’, to continue offering support to the 6000 veterans of the organisation living in Northern Ireland.
The RAF Association (RAFA) charity aims to improve the lives of those who serve and have served with the RAF, and for their families.
In 2023 and 2024 it spent over £21million helping individuals and families – boasting that 89 pence of every pound its raises is spent on welfare work.
RAF Association Northern Ireland Chairman Wg Cdr Noel Williams told the News Letter there are six branches of the charity in Northern Ireland, based in Carrick, Bangor and Ards, Armagh, Causeway Coast and Fermanagh.
They have some 600 members to support some 6000 RAF veterans here, with around 200 volunteers attending any given RAFA meeting.
He said: “The RAF association continues to play an extremely important role right across the Province with its wellbeing support and the camaraderie generated at our branch meetings.
“There are some 6.000 former RAF veterans in NI and we are determined, with the help of a supportive public, that no veteran, who has served in the RAF, should face poverty or loneliness in the future."
He gave recent examples of how RAFA helps veterans, such as paying for taxi fares for the wife of an RAF widow to visit her husband in hospital and covering flights for a veteran from Northern Ireland to visit his dying father in England.
The charity can cover one-off costs such as buying a new household appliances if a veteran cannot afford them, or help them cover the costs of food.
The branches also organise regular social events for veterans to stave off loneliness and make regular phone calls to veterans living alone.
An RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, including a Lancaster bomber, will fly over Belfast and other areas, on Friday 5 September as part of the campaign.
RAFA stalls will spring up to raise funds in the coming days across Northern Ireland, he said, urging people to give generously wherever they see a RAFA collection tin in shops or restuarants.
Donations can also be sent to Wings Appeal Account 51041150; Sort Code 95-02-61.