There was delight all round when the Argyll & Bute Branch of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity took top place in the Volunteer Team Category at the 2023 Third Sector Interface awards during Volunteer Week.
SSAFA Argyll & Bute has a small, but dedicated team of volunteers who go above and beyond to support veterans and serving personnel, as well as their families, in the region.
Support provided is financial, practical, or emotional or a combination of these, but each in the team wears more than one hat; their roles go from casework to branch executive management and back again to casework constantly.
Other strings to their collective bow are fundraising and awareness raising to keep SSAFA’s profile known in the local communities.
Wendy Taylor, Volunteer Development Manager, Scotland, said:
“This last year the branch volunteers have had their own personal challenges but have continued to support us along with the staff support from SSAFA’s Scottish Regional Office ensuring that the beneficiary cases are still being met by a team brimming with empathy, resilience, and a good dash of humour.”
She gave an example of David Anderson, Branch Chair SSAFA Argyll & Bute, who has volunteered for SSAFA for 18 years, adding:
“This is an amazing gift of time to one charity, and demonstrates the dedication and inspiring nature of each volunteer and the whole branch, which richly deserves to have won the Volunteer Team of the Year award.”
To volunteer, fundraise, or access support, visit ssafa.org.uk/argyll-bute.
