THE RAF ASSOCIATION TODAY

Who are we?

• Membership Organisation & Welfare Charity

• Offering help and support for the whole RAF family

• Self financing

What I’ll cover today…

• Running our Association

• Our Members

• How we help people

• The Families Federation work

• Fundraising opportunities

• Getting our messages heard

• Our challenges together

Running our Association

2011 Finances

• Challenging economic climate

• Reliance on fundraising: WINGS APPEAL

• Need to plan for less legacy income

• Investments took a hit, but…

• £8.7M in reserves

• Operating surplus of £2K in 2011

2011 Income – Total £8.5m2010 £’m 2011 £’m Variable

£’m

Total Income

10.4 8.5 -1.9

Legacy Income

3.7 1.8 -1.9

Wings Appeal

2.0 1.6 -0.4

Other Fundraising

2.2 2.5 +0.3

2011 Expenditure – Total £8.1m

Welfare Support 54%

Fundraising 28%

Membership 15%

Governance 3%

Our Members

Membership today• 67,000 members

• A 96% retention rate

• A loss of 215 members per month

• Lifestyle changes impact on Branch network

• Economic climate

Where we are now…

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Your membership• Quarterly magazine – Air Mail

• New dedicated website – rafa.org.uk

• Network of branches

• Discount on RAF News

• Variety of affinity partner discounts

• Eligibility for a retired service card

• Temporary hon membership at UJ Club for ex-RAF

• Access to over 100 Association clubs

Membership challenges

• Subscriptions must cover costs

• Trustee leadership

• Improved Branch support

• Increasing Club appeal

• Recruiting new members

• What do our members want?

• 70th Anniversary of Association in 2013

How we help people

Veteran welfare projects

• Jointly funded homes for respite breaks

• War pensions & AFCS advice

• Sheltered housing & supported living

• Alabaré homeless centre partnership

Honorary Welfare Officers

• Cornerstone of welfare provision

• Over 50,000 visits and calls each year

• RAFBF referrals have increased

• Quality accredited training and support

• On-going targeted recruitment drive for welfare volunteers

Serving welfare projects

• Miles More Minutes

• Storybook Wings

• Contact Houses on over 30 Stations

• WiFi Access

RAF Families Federation work

Acting as a barometer of family morale

InvestigateRAF FF Focus for 2012:

• Family Support

• Evidence to the Armed Forces Pay Review Body

• Impact of SDSR and the Armed Forces Covenant

• Evidence Gathering – Online Surveys & workshops

InfluenceTop level engagement includes:

• The Families Forum

• The Armed Forces Covenant Ref Group

• The Armed Forces Pay Review Body

• The House of Commons Defence Committee

• Air Member for Personnel

• CE Defence Infrastructure Organisation

• The Service Complaints Commissioner

• The Expert Group on the Armed Forces in Wales

Fundraising opportunities

Wings Appeal logo

The future together• Corporate/Major Donors

• The Blades

• Wings Lotto Weekly/Wings Lotto Grand Draw

• Instant Win Lotto Cards (£8k profit in first 2 months)

• Challenge Events

• Remembrance Garden

Getting our message across

• New rafa.org.uk website

• Focus on social media

• Email marketing

• Air Mail

• Connect

• Events

• Annual Review 2011

• Jon-Allan’s Paralympic Story

Our challenges together• Membership recruitment & Clubs

• Membership costs

• Staff review

• More welfare volunteers

• Homes review

• New donors/increased support for volunteers

• Economic climate

• Crowded charity sector

• Communications

Thank you Any Questions?