In 1990, SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity embarked on a mission that would shape the welfare landscape of the Royal Air Force for decades to come. In 2025, SSAFA proudly marks 35 years of partnership, compassion, and commitment through the RAF Personal Support and Social Work Service (PS&SWS).
From the very beginning, SSAFA’s role has been clear: to stand beside RAF personnel and their families through every challenge whether on station, at home, or overseas.
Over the years and on most RAF stations, SSAFA’s dedicated teams have provided confidential, service user-focused support for issues ranging from mental health and bereavement to housing, domestic abuse, and family resilience through times of peace and times of war.
The foundation of RAF PS&SWS was timely. The invasion of Kuwait by Iraq took place on August 2, 1990, and just a few months later, the largest coalition since WWII was formed in advance of the battle to liberate Kuwait, a coalition that saw thousands of RAF personnel deployed to the region with countless more in the UK and elsewhere playing their critical roles. RAF PS&SWS supported them, and their families. It does still.
SSAFA’s CEO, Air Marshal (Ret’d) Steve Shell, commented:
“This anniversary is not just a celebration of years of partnership, but of challenges overcome, lives improved and futures made brighter, and demonstrates that we adhere to a key SSAFA principle by ensuring that our RAF colleagues never battle alone.”
The service is designed to be flexible and accessible and offer both face-to-face and digital-first remote support to meet the evolving needs of a modern RAF at home and abroad. In 2024 alone, the service supported 3,735 individuals, with 3,356 enquiries for support of which some 1,200 escalated to referrals for further support. Over the past 35 years, the total number of people supported and lives positively changed is enormous.
Cathie Johnson, RAF PS&SWS Head of Service, added:
“For an astonishing 35 years, SSAFA has worked in partnership with the Royal Air Force to deliver personal support and social work to serving personnel and their families. We’re extremely honoured to be given the opportunity to continue our work which has been essential in ensuring that RAF personnel can fulfil their roles.”
