Please support Mayor's chosen charity helping to rehabilitate veterans
Last updated: 14/8/2024
The Mayor of Rushcliffe Cllr Andy Brown is calling on residents to support his chosen charity SSAFA who help to rehabilitate veterans from across the UK.
He recently visited Norton House near Stanford on Soar, a building operating by SSAFA to provide a vital support service for personnel who are undergoing treatment.
It is one of the major Nottinghamshire based projects that rely on voluntary work and charitable donations to continually offer outstanding support to members of the Armed Forces and their families.
To support SSAFA and raise funds for their work Cllr Brown is running a number of events and launched a charity raffle which boasts 21 amazing prizes and is running until Thursday November 21 with tickets available now.
A two night break for two at a choice of 440 locations across the UK, a signed Nottingham Forest shirt and rounds of golf at three top local courses are among the host of prizes in the Mayor of Rushcliffe’s official charity raffle and tickets cost just £1 each and are available to purchase by emailing mayor@rushcliffe.gov.uk.
The full list of all 21 raffle prizes is available at www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/mayorsraffle
SSAFA use Norton House to provide accommodation for the friends and family of service men and women who are undergoing treatment for illness or injury at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC).
Norton House provides free, safe and supportive accommodation to families and friends, enabling them to stay close to their loved ones, and provide that crucial moral and psychological support they need to feel better and get stronger.
The facility offers rooms for friends and family of people completing their rehabilitation to stay in so they are close by to the DMRC and can enjoy essential face to face time with their loved ones without the worry of expenses.
The building features a large kitchen and lounge areas to allow for those in attendance to socialise with one another, providing support and sharing experiences during the recovery process, catering for visitors of all ages and physical abilities.
A key element of Norton House is the garden which provides beautiful views and a calming atmosphere, including a specially designed garden of reflection.
Mayor Cllr Brown said: “I have known about Norton House for six years and it perfectly justifies why I chose SSAFA as my chosen charity for my time as Mayor, the work that they do here is absolutely brilliant and the staff who run the facility are a credit to SSAFA as they do a phenomenal job.
“The project does not receive any funding from central government meaning that they rely solely on voluntary contributions and charitable donations.
“It costs tens of thousands of pounds to keep the building running so supporting them through my raffle and other fundraising events makes a real difference to the lives of so many people here in Nottinghamshire.
“It’s essential that we help to keep places like this open and support our Armed Forces.”
Norton House Housing Manager Cheril Bascombe added: “We want people to know that they can come to Norton House and be with their loved ones without the added hassle of worrying about cost.
“When families first arrive here their lives have been tipped upside down but when they look outside and see all the green space doesn’t take their problems away but it does let them stop, take a breathe and be able to sort through their thoughts.
Norton House Deputy Housing Manager Michael Barr said: “Norton House is built around the fact that shared knowledge is a good thing for the families and what they’re going through.
“Seeing the families and the personnel that come through these doors and following them on their journeys of rehabilitation into the next stage of their life gives you a sense of tremendous self-worth.”
You can support the Mayor’s charity raffle and find out more at bit.ly/MayorsCharityRaffle and you can donate to the Mayor’s JustGiving page at bit.ly/MayorSSAFAJustGiving.