For 25 years, Okain McLennan of Fortrose has volunteered for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity. He has supported over 600 members of the Armed Forces community in the Highlands through some of life’s most difficult moments.
On Friday evening (5 September), the Highland Third Sector Interface (HTSI) recognised Okain as Volunteer of the Year at the organisation’s highly competitive annual awards. Okain and two others received the accolade during a ceremony held in Strathpeffer.
The awards were created to showcase the very best work of the Third Sector in the Highlands. The Volunteer of the Year award recognises individuals whose stories are “inspirational and extraordinary”, who have made a demonstrable impact.
Okain, who is a caseworker and branch secretary of SSAFA’s Ross & Cromarty branch, first started volunteering for SSAFA in 2000 after retiring from a career working in the public sector.
Okain grew up in a proud military family: his grandfathers served and were killed in World War One, while his step-grandfather served as a Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) in World War One and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, a British military award for gallantry in the field; as well as a prestigious Croix de Guerre, from the French military. Following in their footsteps, his father joined the RAF, serving in World War Two. Okain grew up taking inspiration from his father and step-grandfather’s stories, so volunteering for SSAFA gave Okain a way of connecting with and helping other members of the Armed Forces family in the Highlands.
Okain was nominated for the award by branch chair, Alan Whitelaw.
In the nomination, Alan said:
“I have known Okain for over 10 years and have been inspired by his selfless approach to volunteering. He is SSAFA’s most experienced caseworker in the Highlands, having dealt with over 600 cases, disbursing hundreds of thousands of pounds in grants to members of our Armed Forces family.
“His extraordinary effort is matched by his willingness to support other volunteers in SSAFA and in other charities. He is self-effacing and empathetic, and these qualities earn the respect, gratitude and friendship of people from across SSAFA and from the countless veterans and military families in the Highlands.
“Without Okain’s efforts, we would not be the thriving organisation that we are in the Highlands today, and many veterans and their families would have suffered.”
Commenting on the award, Okain said:
“I am both surprised and humbled to be named a Volunteer of the Year. Many years ago, I started volunteering for SSAFA simply to pass some spare time, but it very quickly became a meaningful way to make a real difference in people’s lives.
“The most rewarding part is knowing that I have helped to improve someone’s situation, whatever it may be, though I am continually surprised that at people’s reluctance to seek help when they really need it. I want people in the Armed Forces community in the highlands to know that we are here to help with whatever they may be facing.”
SSAFA has been working for the whole UK Armed Forces community for 140 years, since 1885. Its mission is simple: to reach and embrace the Armed Forces family, so they never battle alone.
To find out more about SSAFA’s Ross & Cromarty branch, and to access support, visit: https://www.ssafa.org.uk/ross-cromarty
