The RAF Association is running one of its largest information gathering surveys ever and needs you to complete it.
The welfare team at the Association has put together a short (5 to 10 minute) secure online survey to understand more about the activities and needs of members of the RAF family. Whether you are currently serving, have served, or you are the family member of a serving person the charity wants to ensure that its activities are tailored to meet your needs.
Dr Prema Nirgude, Welfare Research and Insight Officer at the Association says: “Whether you volunteer, support someone as an unpaid carer or are a user of one of our many welfare services, it is important that your views are shared so we can best shape our current and future services.
From supporting the RAF family with Storybook Wings, to being there for serving personnel on station with our refurbished contact houses, free communal wi-fi and Mental Health First Aid Lite training, The RAF Association supports anyone in the RAF family. This doesn’t stop when you leave the service, as our befriending project tackles loneliness and isolation, our highly trained caseworkers support those with a welfare need and our network of branches and clubs are open to all those who are part of the RAF family or support the Association. It’s a few years since we last asked for the detailed information that is crucial to our understanding of the needs of people in the RAF and we hope many will respond to give us the most up-to-date picture.”
The survey was circulated to some 50,000 RAF Association members at the start of January, and many thousands of responses have already come in. But the charity is hoping for more extensive findings from across the whole of the RAF family. These findings will then be made publically available in June 2018.
To find out more and complete the survey please visit rafa.org.uk/survey. If you have any queries or would like further information, please contact Dr Prema Nirgude at the RAF Association on prema.nirgude@rafa.org.uk.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Contacts for media:
Lauren Park, PR and Media Team, RAF Association, Leicester – 0116 268 8755 or 07867 591057.
About the Royal Air Forces Association
The Royal Air Forces Association (or RAF Association) is a membership organisation and registered charity that provides welfare support to the RAF family.
The Association recognises that RAF personnel and their immediate families dedicate their lives to their country, and we believe that such a sacrifice should not result in suffering, poverty or loneliness.
Whether it’s an injured airman or woman fighting to get back on their 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 personnel and their families. We also support serving families if they need us. We give practical, emotional and financial support.
Our membership of more than 72,000 includes serving RAF personnel, veterans and members of the public who want to show their support for the work that we do.
Across the UK in 2016 the Association carried out 13,800 home visits, helped tell thousands of bedtime stories to children whose parents were away on operations, and gave tailored holidays to 2,500 RAF veterans, widows and family at our Wings Breaks hotels. Our support ranges from simply providing conversation and friendship to preparing and submitting application forms for financial assistance.
Charity numbers: 226686 (England and Wales), SCO37673 (Scotland).
