SSAFA’s 20th Anniversary Christmas Carol Concert from The Guards Chapel will be broadcast by BFBS at 5pm on Christmas Eve.
Presented by Field Marshall The Lord Guthrie it features reflections by Mr Brian Cumming (representing the Army), Mrs Siobhan Payne (the Royal Navy) and CEO of Veterans Aid Dr Hugh Milroy (the Royal Air Force). One of the readers is 81-year-old Chelsea Pensioner Brian Cumming.
Much of the money raised by this year’s concert will be used to support the work of Veterans Aid.
The fact that SSAFA and VA work hand in hand to help ex-servicemen/women and their families is something often not visible or obvious to outsiders, but it is a key part of ensuring that effort is not duplicated.
Dr Milroy said, “SSAFA funds a key post at our Victoria Drop-in Centre. That investment is a true force-multiplier, enabling us to retain embedded expertise at the heart of our organisation without diverting money that could pay for food, new clothing, a hotel room, a place in rehab or a much -needed rail ticket.
“Our teams liaise regularly to ensure that effort is not duplicated or time wasted. Veterans Aid may be the ‘A&E’ unit of the ex-Service world, but SSAFA’s regional links, wider welfare services and shared commitment to providing practical and emotional support to veterans and their families for life, augments and complements all that we do.”
