SSAFA Ayrshire

We are the Ayrshire branch of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity. We cover South Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and East Ayrshire.

Welcome to SSAFA Ayrshire Branch

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 Ayrshire, across the UK and around the world.

We run drop in sessions around Ayrshire every month. Please check out our Facebook page for updates or our list of upcoming dates on this page. Come in and meet members of the team, find out more information about the branch, learn about what SSAFA does and take away some leaflets 🙂

If you would like to contact the branch direct, donate to the branch directly or have collection tins that need returning, please email the team at ayrshire.branch@ssafa.org.uk

 

Christmas Opening Hours.

SSAFA’s Regional Offices are closed for the festive period from Tuesday 24th of December at 1400 until Thursday 2nd of January 2025 (Friday 3rd of January for Scotland). Any emails or voicemails left over this period will be responded to in the New Year.

Forcesline will close on Tuesday 24th December at 1400, re-opening at 0900 on Friday 27 December 2024. The service will then again close at 1600 on 31 December 2024 and re-open at 0900 on Thursday 2 January 2025.

For urgent emotional support, we would encourage you to contact the Samaritans Veterans Hub on 116 123, for support which is available 24/7.

 

If you have any mail for any of our branches in Scotland, please send to;
SSAFA in Scotland
C/o Toryglen Community Base
179 Prospecthill Circus
GLASGOW
G42 OLA

 

SSAFA Ayrshire Branch Drop In Sessions

 
Wednesday 13th November - 10.00am - 1.00pm - Stewarton Initiatives Hub
 
Wednesday 27th November - 10.00am - 1.00pm - Stewarton Initiatives Hub
 
We have other sessions in other locations around Ayrshire coming up so please keep an eye out for more dates by checking this page or our Facebook page. See you there 😊


For more information, contact the branch directly via email: ayrshire.branch@ssafa.org.uk


SSAFA Ayrshire Out and About

Meeting the DWP Armed Forces Champions

Meeting with the DWP Armed Forces Champions in Stewarton

Drop in session in the Stewarton Hub

Elaine with Christian Lewis

Branch meeting in Fenwick

David attending the Armed Forces Day on behalf of the branch

Graham and Bob receiving VASA Lifetime awards

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Contact branch

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

Telephone number: 0141 488 8552

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 Friday.

Meet the team

The team at SSAFA Ayrshire 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 Ayrshire, we have a variety of different personalities that together make our team so special. To contact the branch directly, email us at ayrshire.branch@ssafa.org.uk

Elaine McFadyen

Branch Chair

For the last 20 + years, Elaine worked across both the public & private sector in leadership, project management and business relationship roles. She also worked in a shoe shop, as an IT Trainer, in a factory, in many many pubs and had quite a varied career!!! Her last role was with Dell Computers, where she worked for 12 + years as a Senior Project Consultant but as many people did over the pandemic, Elaine re-evaluated her priorities and one of the main things she missed was working as a team to help others. So, Elaine made the decision to leave Dell in 2022, did some travelling in her motorhome, then went about finding her ideal volunteering role.​ Like all of the team in Ayrshire and beyond, Elaine is volunteering because she believes in SSAFA and enjoys being part of a team that wants to help and give back to those who have given so much for us.​ She is connected to the Armed Forces through her husband who is a Veteran of the Royal Air Force.

Colette Chiesa

Branch Support Coordinator

Colette was living in Portugal and relocated back to Scotland at the end of the COVID pandemic, settling just outside Ayr.​ Colette's hobbies include dogs, walking, walking dogs and her newest interest is sewing, which is testing her dexterity, eyesight and cognitive skills to the limit! Colette donates all her creations to a Hospice to raise much needed funds. ​ While her hobbies keep her busy, Colette knew that she wanted to do something worthwhile and enquired about volunteering for SSAFA. Whilst she has no military background, the idea of helping those who have given so much for us and are often forgotten about, very much appealed to her.​

Gary Houlton

Branch Digital Marketing Volunteer

Gary is a Royal Air Force Veteran having served in various squadrons within the Royal Air Force Regiment. Gary left the RAF in 2002 and has had a varied career path since becoming a "civvy". He worked in the public sector for a few years in one of Glasgow's Local Development Companies. He then went onto running electrical contracting businesses until 2014 when he completely re-invented himself and started a freelance Digital Marketing business. Gary is the Marketing and IT Director for a company based in Spain who are in the language education industry. In the past he has been heavily involved in volunteering for the Scout Movement but work commitments meant that he had to give that part of his life up. His connection and bond with the Armed Forces has never gone away he regards his volunteering for SSAFA to be a way to give back to the community that he has always felt a part of and looked after him during his service.

Keith Tulloch

Branch Treasurer

Keith is a Royal Yeomanry Veteran and has been the Branch Treasurer for 17 years.

Bob Whiteford

Caseworker

Bob has been volunteering for SSAFA for 13 years and we are incredibly grateful for his dedication to the Caseworker role and for his unwavering support. Bob has won awards for his service to volunteering and goes without saying that a huge number of serving personnel, veterans and their families in Ayrshire have been helped via SSAFA because of Bob.

David Hepburn

Caseworker

David is a Veteran of The Royal Scots and has been volunteering for SSAFA for 3 years. David continues to be an extremely valuable member of our Caseworker team and has helped countless serving personnel, veterans and their families in Ayrshire.

Gordon Mckenzie

Caseworker

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Jim Flynn

Caseworker

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Bill Ponsford

Caseworker

Bill is a Royal Air Force Veteran and served as an Aircraft Engineer for 22 years.

Angela Seymour

Fundraiser

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Volunteering

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 Ayrshire, 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. To contact the branch directly, email us at ayrshire.branch@ssafa.org.uk

Available roles

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