SSAFA Herefordshire

We are the Herefordshire branch of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity.

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity is a trusted source of support for serving personnel, veterans and their families in their time of need. Founded in 1885, we’re extremely proud of our long-standing heritage and of all the work we do with inspiring people from Herefordshire, across the UK and around the world.

 

Useful Information for the Armed Forces community in Herefordshire

Herefordshire Veterans Support Centre
The HVSC was set up to provide a one stop shop of support and a friendly listening ear for anyone in the Armed Forces community in Herefordshire that may be experiencing issues or requiring support in other areas of life or work. They work in partnership with a series of organisations, local military charities and volunteers. Find out more about the support on offer, and upcoming events, here

Events and activities for veterans and serving personnel
Click here for info about events in March 2025
Click here for info about events in April 2025

Hereford Museum and Art Gallery Redevelopment Project - Co-Production Group: Veterans and Military Families  
Hereford Museum and Art Gallery is undergoing an exciting transformation to create a modern, engaging, and inclusive space for showcasing Herefordshire's rich history and culture. One key focus of this project is to explore and highlight the lives and contributions of military families in Herefordshire, ensuring their stories are woven into the county’s cultural narrative. To achieve this they are creating a Coproduction Group to ensure that the stories and contributions of veterans and military families are represented in the redevelopment and feature within the final permanent displays. 

They are looking for 8-12 individuals with lived experiences of military family life in Herefordshire, including:
•    Veterans
•    Spouses, parents, or children of military personnel
•    Whether you’ve experienced life in active service, supported a loved one, or navigated the unique challenges of military family life, your perspective is valuable.

You can find out more here. If you are interested in being part of this project, please contact Lewis Monkley at lewis.monkley@herefordshire.gov.uk or 01432 383059.

Need help or support?

This form is for those requiring assistance from SSAFA or who wish to contact a SSAFA Regional Office or Branch. Enquiries for any other purpose may not be responded to.

If you wish to contact the SSAFA Central Office then please do so here.

For all Volunteering Enquiries please contact the Volunteering Team here.

Thank you for trusting us with your data. For extra peace of mind about how we keep your data secure and how we manage your personal data, you can read more information in our Privacy Notice.

Contact branch

Opening times: Monday to Friday, 09:30-17:00

Telephone number: 0204 566 9116

If you need urgent help, you can contact Forcesline on

0800 260 6780

Or talk to our Forcesline advisors online with our new live chat service.

Live Chat

We are open 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Thursday, and 09:00 - 16:00 on Friday.

Meet the team

The team at SSAFA Herefordshire is dedicated to helping veterans, service personnel, and their families, in the local community. Our commitment is to provide support with experienced, non-judgemental and friendly advice, as well as a variety of practical services that cover a range of emotional, practical and financial issues. We are proud to say that we help our Armed Forces family whenever they need us, for as long as they need us. Here at SSAFA Herefordshire, we have a variety of different personalities that together make our team so special.

Penny Taylor

Branch Secretary

Penny served in Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps as a midwife. On leaving the service she continued to work as a midwife in the NHS . Penny joined SSAFA in 2002 and as she moved around the country has volunteered in three different Branches - Aldershot, Shrewsbury and Herefordshire, as caseworker and now Branch Secretary. Penny enjoys helping clients who approach SSAFA for help.

Kevin Ebsworth

Branch Treasurer

Kevin served for 23 years as a logistician in the Royal Navy, travelling the world on a variety of ships (grey funnel line), and in the late 70s was based for 2 years at HMS Tamar in Hong Kong. On leaving the Services, he went on to have a second career in Financial Services working with two high street banks and some time being self-employed. Kevin became a volunteer caseworker in 2009 and took on the role of Branch Treasurer in 2010, providing valuable support to both caseworkers and clients.

Philip Chandler

Divisional Secretary

Philip is a retired health and safety consultant. Phil has had the opportunity to work overseas in most of Europe and parts of Africa. Phil was in the Royal Corp of Signals for 24 years and served in the Army Cadets as an Adult Instructor for another 26 years after he retired from his Army career as a reservist. Phil was a full member of Longtown Mountain Rescue for over 20 years and is now an honorary member. Phil started as a caseworker for SSAFA and has progressed to being the Divisional Secretary for SSAFA Herefordshire.

Volunteer with us

We love what we do. The sense of pride you get when you know you’ve helped someone get their independence and dignity back is extraordinary. Through volunteering for SSAFA Herefordshire, you’ll have the chance to meet some truly inspiring people, with stories you’ll never forget. You’ll also gain new skills and experiences, but most importantly, you’ll make a difference in the lives of those who have dedicated their lives, often at great sacrifice, to protect and serve our country.

Available roles