Miliary charity awards local volunteers

=Plymouth volunteers were recently recognised in SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity’s annual award nominations. SSAFA’s Sir James Gildea Awards were created to recognise volunteers and employees for their exceptional contribution and commitment to SSAFA’s activities and values.

SSAFA Plymouth’s Chair, Colin Stockman, was presented with the prestigious Prince Michael of Kent Award for his services to the charity. Colin was particularly commended at SSAFA’s Annual General Meeting in London, for his excellent leadership during the Covid years, ensuring that support for veterans and their families in the region continued throughout this very difficult period. Colin has done much to modernise the branch and selflessly devotes an enormous amount of time to looking after his team and ensuring that need in the community is met.

Mike Vine, SSAFA Plymouth’s Treasurer, was not only awarded a 10 year Long Service Award, but also a Gildea Award for the dedicated and assiduous care and management he has exercised over the Branch finances for the last ten years.

Colin said: “Mike’s Gildea Award is richly earned, reflecting, as he does, the virtues espoused by SSAFA.”

Nancy Hill received a 20 year Long Service Award, and has been a stalwart fundraiser for her local branch over the past two decades.

Kathy Howard has been a steadfast SSAFA supporter, as volunteer and employee, for 35 years, earning herself another Long Service Award. She started volunteering whilst still serving in the Army and continued after leaving the service. For the past 20 years she has been Plymouth Branch Secretary.

Kathy said: “SSAFA Plymouth has always invested heavily in its volunteer staff. That’s why I, at 35 years’ service, am not the longest serving member of our volunteer staff. That investment also pays great dividends to SSAFA clients in Plymouth.”

SSAFA always welcomes new volunteers, who do not need to have any military background. www.ssafa.org.uk/volunteer