SSAFA Inverness-Shire & Western Isles

We are the Inverness-Shire & Western Isles 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 Inverness-Shire & Western Isles, across the UK and around the world.  

The Inverness-shire and Western Isles branch of SSAFA is organising drop-in clinics for armed forces veterans over several dates in 2024. Following a very positive response so far, we have managed to secure three more dates this year at Inverness Library. View a flyer with more information by clicking on this image:
The Inverness-shire and Western Isles branch of SSAFA supports Fighting With Pride.

 

See the latest news from the branch at the bottom of the page.

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

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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 Inverness-shire and Western Isles understand the challenges of living in the Highlands. We are determined to work with our partners in the community, to provide a second to none service and support to our veterans and the wider armed service community. Whether its emotional, practical or financial support, we are here to help.

David Hurley

Branch Chair

David comes from a background in IT security and consultancy. Through several years of case working across Grampian, he has come to appreciate the varied challenges experienced by our armed services community.

Mike MacDonald

Branch Secretary

Mike grew up near Inverness and worked as an IT Manager with UHI. Now retired, he is bagging the Munros and hopes to finish next year. He is still serving with the Army Cadet Force.

Ranald Cameron

Branch Treasurer

Born in Aberdeen, Ranald was involved with Aberdeen University OTC for 4 years as a member of the Pipe Band. On graduation he moved to London working in accounts, and carried on his involvement with Pipe Bands. He returned to Aberdeen after 17 years.

Anna Masson

Casework Coordinator

Anna is originally from Belize. She married a soldier and followed him over to the UK in 1992. She has been a volunteer for SSAFA over 18 years as both a Caseworker and Branch Secretary.

Alistair Gray

Caseworker

Alistair grew up in Morayshire but now lives in the heart of the Cairngorms. After taking a degree at the University of Aberdeen he joined the Queen's Own Highlanders and served for 20+ years.

Debbie Anderson

Caseworker

Debbie lives in Inverness and is originally from Zimbabwe. She served for many years in the NHS in England.

Jackie Robertson

Caseworker

Jackie is a new remote Caseworker having joined SSAFA in 2024. She lives on the remote Knoydart peninsula running two self-catering properties. Her husband is a veteran ex Gordon Highlander and her son is currently serving. Before her family she was a TA and Adult Cadet Force Instructor. She is proud to be able to support our military family wherever she can.

Alastair Kendall

Caseworker

Alastair is a new Caseworker. At Glasgow University he was part of the Royal Navy University Unit, serving as a midshipman on HMS Droxford. After University he trained as an accountant in the City and returned to Scotland, where after a masters degree at Strathclyde Business School he spent 18 years in the agricultural and food industries. He then retrained as a teacher and spent 12 years teaching Chemistry in two Highland Schools before leaving to run his farm. His time at sea gave him an interest in exploring opportunities with SSAFA, and his experience working with families as a teacher will be useful.

Antony McCord

Caseworker

Antony left the Royal Air Force in 2023 after 37 years. He had a rewarding career covering a range of different jobs, starting off as Secretarial Officer on a flying station and finishing as the Air Attache in Paris. He has now settled in Moray and is keen to help fellow veterans which is why he is a SSAFA mentor and is working to become a Branch Caseworker.

Eddie Boyle

Digital Marketing Volunteer

Eddie has been with SSAFA since 2023. He manages the social media channels for the branch and supports other digital requirements like multimedia and web content. He comes from a military family and has been aware for a long time of the valuable work that SSAFA does for members of the British armed forces and their dependents.

Beverley Cartwright

Fundraising Coordinator

Beverley served in the RAF for 30 years as a Catering and Logistics Officer. She was aware of the work of SSAFA throughout her service career and knows how important it is for the military community and their families to have someone to turn to in a time of need. She was approached to become involved with SSAFA when she retired and is now taking on the task of Fundraising Coordinator for the branch and is hoping to come up with ideas to boost funds and help as many people as we can. She moved to Grantown-on-Spey in 2019 and is involved in the local community.

Paula Speirs

Fundraiser

Paula joined SSAFA originally as a Caseworker when she lived on Bute where she had a gift and coffee shop with products sourced directly from veteran owned and operated businesses. Her husband is a veteran and it was through her shop that she met him. When she moved to the mainland she wanted to get back to helping veterans so decided to join the Inverness-shire and Western Isles branch of SSAFA as a Fundraiser.

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 SSAFAInverness-Shire & Western Isles, 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 nation.

Available roles