Help support Armed Forces

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity recently highlighted how little people know about the Forces community – 64 per cent of Brits don’t know what the Armed Forces do on a day-to-day basis, while 48 per cent do not know where our Armed Forces are currently based.

So, I would like to take time to give thanks to the incredible military community in our own local area.

I am a local volunteer for SSAFA’s In-Service Committee at RAF Shawbury. Not many people know that RAF Shawbury trains around 500 students a year from across the Armed Forces at the Defence Helicopter Flying School, School of Air Operations Control and Central Flying School (Helicopters). Probably the most famous recently were Princes William and Harry who completed their helicopter flying training at RAF Shawbury.

The station’s association with flying training started in 1917 but the site reverted to agricultural use in 1922.

RAF Shawbury was re-activated in 1938 and became home to No 11 Flying Training School and No 27 Maintenance Unit; the maintenance unit has been here ever since and is now called the Aircraft Maintenance and Storage Unit.

Our role with SSAFA means that we are on-hand to provide practical, emotional and financial support to anyone in need on the base.

We call on you to support your local military community this Armed Forces Day by visiting ssafa.org.uk/donate

Your gesture of support will allow us to continue assisting the men and women working tirelessly to protect our country, when they are in need.

Esther Munro, Secretary at SSAFA Shawbury Committee

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