The below information was sent, via email to all volunteers and staff across SSAFA, on 29 August 2025.
To: all volunteers, employees, trustees
Dear colleagues,
Focus: welcoming our new Community Engagement Managers and celebrating local impact
As part of our ongoing commitment to strengthening SSAFA’s presence in local communities, we’re delighted to welcome several new Community Engagement Managers (CEMs) to the team. They join Gayle and Jess, who have been supporting the East Midlands and Wales over the past 18 months during the NDP trials. Each CEM will work closely with branches across their regions to support and grow community engagement efforts, helping volunteers connect with their communities and raise awareness, funds, and engagement for SSAFA.
From attending local events to developing outreach programmes, our volunteers are the heartbeat of SSAFA’s community engagement. The CEMs will empower and guide volunteers, ensuring everyone has the tools, encouragement, and support needed to thrive. They will support with creating local engagement plans and aligning activities with SSAFA’s strategic direction. They also support with continuous improvement, fostering a welcoming environment, while championing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion and upholding the BRAVE standards.
Your CEM is here to listen, collaborate, and help turn your local knowledge and passion into meaningful action. Each region has a dedicated CEM, details are below, and there is also a community engagement mailbox: [email protected]*.
| Scotland | Elaine Mcfadyen |
+44 7901 723 154 |
| North | John Gallagher |
+44 7747 536 893 |
| Central | Gayle Bee |
+44 7385 433 235 |
| South East & London | Chris Laker |
+44 7341 808 639 |
| South West | Kate Marshall |
+44 7887 051 999 |
| Wales, Overseas, NI & ROI | Jessica Carey |
+44 7385 513 079 |
Spotlight on Community Engagement in Action
Across the UK, volunteers are already making a powerful impact:
- In Merseyside volunteers, with support from local veterans and military families, have had a busy year tending to their allotment and have recently donated their first harvest to a local pantry.
- Grampian Branch host a monthly ‘‘brew and banter’’ session, attended not only by volunteers, veterans and military family members, but also representatives from other organisations for example Veterans Housing, Help for Heroes and even the local cadets.
- Through community engagement, the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire branch has fostered strong relationships within their local community. This has led RAF Wyton to select SSAFA as one of their primary charities for the second year, presenting the branch with a generous cheque of £500.
These examples reflect the creativity, dedication, and community spirit that defines SSAFA. You can hear about more fantastic examples in our Community Engagement videos. There is also a short survey open until 20 September, to capture great examples of community engagement.
Whether you’re new to community engagement or have years of experience, your contributions matter and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Community Engagement Strategy Update
Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on our draft Community Engagement Strategy. Your input has been invaluable in shaping a clearer understanding of the views and ideas across the organisation. We truly appreciated the positive and constructive way in which this collaborative process was approached.
All feedback has now been collated into a report for review by the Director of Welfare Operations and the Head of Casework and Community Engagement. Updates to the strategy will be made in line with the feedback received, and we aim to share the next draft with you by the end of autumn for further input.
Where can I get more information?
The NDP Frequently Asked Questions document covers a range of topics addressing questions raised during and since the trials.
The Volunteer Knowledgebase is accessible to all volunteers and employees and contains detailed information on processes and procedures for all volunteer activities.
NDP Information Hub on SSAFAnet and the NDP Information Hub on the Volunteer Knowledgebase both provide a variety of information on NDP – including caseworker feedback videos, Town Hall presentations, transition guidance and copies of past updates.
If you have further questions, please contact the NDP Project team: [email protected]*.
*For GoAssemble (GA) users, please copy and paste any email addresses supplied into a GA message to send a query.
Many thanks,
Kett McAfee, NDP Manager