The Tunbridge Wells Branch of the Royal Air Force Association was formed in 1946 and covers the Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge areas, it holds monthly social meetings on the second Monday of each month in the upstairs meeting room at Christ Church, High Street, Tunbridge Wells starting at 1-30 p.m.and occasional Welfare Get Togethers for tea, refreshments and general chat which are held in St Philip’s Church Hall, Birken Road, Tunbridge Wells.

General Information

The RAF Association (RAFA) is a membership organisation of current and past members of the Royal Air Force, and those with an interest in aviation.

It supports serving and retired members of the Royal Air Forces and their dependents from those involved in the Falklands, Bosnia, the Gulf Wars to World War II veterans and more recently Iraq and Afghanistan.

It is a network of approximately 80,000 members, over 500 RAFA Branches and about 800 volunteer Welfare Officers.

It has one residential home, three short stay respite care homes and 74 sheltered houses. The respite care homes are jointly funded with the RAF Benevolent Fund

The RAF Association fundraises to help those in need and provides:

• Advice and support, undertaking 26,000 welfare visits each year, this represents 70 a day.
• Over £8 million in small grants, welfare and short term respite support and residential care.
• Access to funding and assistance from other organizations.
• Respite breaks for those with medical or welfare needs, about 25,000 people benefit per year.
• Long-term care for the elderly, 54 residential care places at Sussexdown House in West Sussex.
• Sheltered housing at locations throughout the UK.

The principle means of raising welfare funds is through the Wings Appeal.