Letter: SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, seeks contributions of experiences for its archives
On February 14, 1885, several British newspapers published a letter from Major James Gildea asking members of the general public to support the wives, widows, and children of soldiers and sailors who were killed or wounded through service to Queen and Country.
This was the founding of The Soldiers’, Sailors’, and Families’ Association, which in 1919 added Airmen to its title, and later became SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity.
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Hide AdMarking its 140th anniversary in 2025, SSAFA has come a long way since that letter.
It has a volunteer and staff network covering much of the world, and a rich history of service helping around 54,000 people annually.
To commemorate this, I am inviting your readers to contribute to our archive.
They can send stories, photos, video messages, or anything that highlights their or a family member’s experience of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity as a volunteer or as a beneficiary, and from any time.
Submissions may be sent to the following email address: [email protected].
Air Marshal Sir Simon Bollom KBE, CB, FREng, ational chair, SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity