The RAF Widows’ Association is a national, member-led charity supporting those who have been bereaved through RAF service.
Founded in 1992, the Association provides friendship, understanding, practical information and lifelong peer support to widows, widowers and partners across the United Kingdom and overseas. Our members are connected by a shared experience of bereavement within the RAF community and by the reassurance of knowing they are among people who truly understand.
The Association is run by volunteers, who bring their own lived experience of service bereavement. Through regional groups, national events, newsletters, online communities and individual contact, we help members build friendships, reduce isolation and remain connected to the wider RAF family.
We also represent the voices of bereaved RAF families at national level, working with the RAF, Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces charities to help improve policy, training and support. At the heart of our work is a simple commitment: that no one bereaved through RAF service should feel alone, unheard or forgotten.
The RAF Widows’ Association supports those who have been bereaved through or after RAF service by providing friendship, understanding, practical information and lifelong peer support.
Our members include widows, widowers and partners from across the United Kingdom and overseas, all of whom share the unique experience of bereavement within the RAF community. Through our national network, regional groups, events, newsletters, online community and one-to-one contact, we help reduce isolation and provide a safe space where members can connect with others who genuinely understand.
We also provide information and signposting on issues such as pensions, welfare, entitlements and housing.
For those who are newly bereaved, early contact with someone who has lived experience can be especially important. The Chair often provides support during the initial period following a death, working alongside the Visiting Officer and helping both the bereaved person and, where appropriate, the Visiting Officer to navigate this extremely difficult time.
Alongside direct support to members, the Association ensures that the voices and experiences of bereaved RAF families are represented at a national level. We contribute to the Defence Bereaved Families Group, engage with the RAF, Ministry of Defence and other military charities, and support Visiting Officer and Casualty Notification Officer training by bringing the essential perspective of lived experience.
Our aim is to ensure that no one bereaved through RAF service feels alone, unheard or forgotten, whether their bereavement was recent or many years ago.
What makes us especially proud is the strength, compassion and commitment of our members. The RAF Widows’ Association was founded by people with lived experience of bereavement, and that experience remains at the heart of everything we do.
We are proud that our support is lifelong. Bereavement does not follow a set timetable, and the needs of a bereaved person can change over many years. Whether someone has been recently bereaved or has been a member for decades, the Association offers friendship, understanding and a sense of belonging among people who truly understand the impact of losing someone through RAF service.
We are also proud that the voices of bereaved RAF families are helping to shape wider support across the Armed Forces community. Through our involvement in the Defence Bereaved Families Group, engagement with the RAF and Ministry of Defence, and contributions to Visiting Officer and Casualty Notification Officer training, we ensure that lived experience informs policy, training and service development.
Knowing that our members support one another through anniversaries, life changes, practical difficulties and moments of remembrance is incredibly important to us. We are proud to be part of a sector that works collaboratively to ensure that bereaved Armed Forces families are recognised, represented and never left to face their journey alone.
Being a member of Cobseo helps the RAF Widows’ Association to work collaboratively with organisations across the Armed Forces charity sector and to ensure that the needs and experiences of bereaved RAF families are understood and represented.
Membership gives us valuable opportunities to share knowledge, learn from others, identify emerging issues and contribute to wider discussions about policy, welfare and support. It also enables us to build strong relationships with organisations whose services may benefit our members, helping us to provide effective information and signposting when specialist support is needed.
As a small, volunteer-led charity, being part of the Cobseo community strengthens our voice and helps us remain connected to developments across the sector. It allows us to bring the lived experience of our members into important conversations, while also benefiting from the expertise, collaboration and shared commitment of the wider Armed Forces charity community.
Ultimately, Cobseo membership helps us to ensure that bereaved RAF families are not only supported, but also heard, recognised and included in decisions that may affect their lives.
Afghanistan support
In light of recent events in Afghanistan, please find information and support resources here