SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity has launched ‘SSAFA’s Together Project’ thanks to a £100,000 donation from the National Lottery Community Fund. The project aims to better support lonely and isolated veterans.
There has been a growing need to tackle loneliness and isolation amongst veterans, with 41 per cent of working age veterans admitting they have experienced loneliness and isolation in 2017. A further 31% said they have only one or no close friends*. In response to this need, some SSAFA volunteers have introduced veterans’ groups to bring individuals together and ease the feelings of isolation.
The National Lottery Community Fund will go towards developing and sustaining five established groups across SSAFA’s local branches. The areas that are involved in the initial stages of SSAFA’s Together Project include Romford, Southend, Port Talbot, Gloucestershire and Morley. The groups have been chosen due to the high number of veterans in the local communities.
The fund will also provide SSAFA with a dedicated staff member who provide guidance to volunteers and develop a framework which allows flexibility for local need. The fund will also aid the recruitment and training of dedicated volunteers and gives SSAFA the opportunity to explore the potential for similar activities in other areas of need.
Sophie Nathan, Together Project lead, said:
“The impact of feeling lonely or isolated can be devastating, and many of our volunteer caseworkers are finding that our beneficiaries are seeking help far too late.
SSAFA’s Together Project aims to bring veterans and service leavers together to ease the feelings of loneliness and isolation but also prevent those feelings from surfacing. We are so grateful that the National Lottery Community Fund has recognised the need and enabled us to develop and sustain the work we’re doing to help these veterans.”
To find out more, please contact Emily Housden by emailing Emily.housden@ssafa.org.uk
Notes to editors
About SSAFA
SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, has been providing lifelong support to our Forces and their families since 1885. Last year our teams of volunteers and employees helped more than 82,000 people in need, from Second World War veterans to young men and women who have served in more recent conflicts, and their families. SSAFA understands that behind every uniform is a person. And we are here for that person – any time they need us, in any way they need us, for as long as they need us.
About The National Lottery Community Fund
We are the largest community funder in the UK – we’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Since June 2004, we have made over 200,000 grants and awarded over £9 billion to projects that have benefited millions of people.
We are passionate about funding great ideas that matter to communities and make a difference to people’s lives. At the heart of everything we do is the belief that when people are in the lead, communities thrive. Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, our funding is open to everyone. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.
- Data compiled by YouGov in 2017
