SSAFA Forth Valley Branch

30/04/2026

Last weekend SSAFA Forth Valley hosted a stand at Torwood Garden Centre for our first outing of the year – and what a great start it was!

A big thank you to Amanda, Billy, Liz and Toyin for giving their time to set up, run and pack down the stand. It was a cold one (even with a bit of sunshine!), but the team kept things positive and welcoming throughout the day.

It was especially special to be out in a part of the community where we haven’t been as active recently. Positioned by the exit, we had a steady stream of people stopping to chat, learn more about SSAFA, and engage with what we do.

We’re very grateful to everyone who took the time to stop by, together you helped raise £146.89, which will go directly towards supporting the Armed Forces community.

Our thanks also go to Torwood Garden Centre for hosting us, and to Bill for helping make the connection. We’re really pleased to have been invited back in the future, definitely one to add to the calendar!

29/04/2026

Our recent fundraising talk was a massive success, with over 70 people joining us and what a session it was! A huge thank you to Gary for delivering such an insightful, thought-provoking (and at times slightly unsettling!) talk on conspiracy theories. It definitely got people talking, with plenty of questions and discussion afterwards.

Thanks to everyone’s generosity, we raised an incredible £613 for SSAFA Forth Valley, a brilliant result that will go directly towards supporting the Armed Forces community.

We’re also so grateful to everyone who came along, and to our amazing volunteers who kept everything running smoothly behind the scenes. A special thank you to Islay Carmichael and the team at the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum for hosting us in such a unique and memorable setting.

All in all, a great event with a great turnout. Thank you all for being part of it!

13/04/2026

🎤 Our SSAFA Forth Valley Talk at Stirling Castle is this weekend!

Join us this Saturday 18 April at Stirling Castle for a fascinating talk by Gary Dunnagan: Conspiracy theories, from Ancient Rome to the storming of the US Capitol.

Gary spent over 30 years working in intelligence and counter-terrorism, including roles as a Captain in the Intelligence Corps and Detective Superintendent in Counter Terrorism Policing. He is now a Senior Lecturer in Counter-Terrorism at the University of Lancashire.

Those who attended Gary’s previous talk at Stirling Castle will know he is an extremely knowledgeable and engaging speaker, with a real talent for making complex topics both interesting and easy to understand. We’re so excited to welcome him back!

📍 Location: Colours Room, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum, Stirling Castle
☕ 10:30am – Tea, coffee and biscuits
🎤 11:00am – Talk begins

🎟 Entry is free, with donations welcome in support of SSAFA.
🏰 Entry to Stirling Castle is free for attendees, simply let staff at the entrance know you are there for the talk.

To book a place:
📩 [email protected]
📞 01786 479541
🗓 Please book before Thursday 16 April.

12/04/2026

Will you Purple Up! to show your support for service children? 💜

April marks the Month of the Military Child - a time to recognise and celebrate the important role children from Armed Forces families play in our communities.

Whether you’re part of the Armed Forces community or not, you can show your support by wearing purple for Purple Up! Day on 24 April.

09/04/2026

We are counting down to our next SSAFA Forth Valley fundraising talk!

Join us next Saturday 18 April at Stirling Castle for a fascinating talk by Gary Dunnagan all about conspiracy theories 🕵️

Why do conspiracy theories stick, and why do they spread so quickly? With over 30 years of experience in intelligence and counter-terrorism, Gary has a brilliant way of making complex topics genuinely interesting and easy to follow.

It’s set to be a great morning, with plenty to think about and chat about afterwards!

📍 Stirling Castle (Colours Room, Regimental Museum)
☕ 10:30am – Tea, coffee and biscuits
🎤 11:00am – Talk begins

🎟 Entry is free, with donations welcome in support of SSAFA
🏰 Free entry to the castle for attendees, just let staff know you’re there for the talk

To book a place:
📧 [email protected]
📞 01786 479541
🗓 Please book before Thursday 16 April

We’d love to see you there!

05/04/2026

SSAFA Forth Valley wishes everyone a very Happy Easter 🐣💛🌼

🐇 Wishing all of our Armed Forces family across the world and all our wonderful supporters a very !

27/03/2026

🎉 Proud to celebrate a truly exceptional volunteer 🎉

We are incredibly proud to celebrate Mary Kenyon, who has been honoured with a SSAFA Sir James Gildea Award 🏆, an award that recognises volunteers and employees for their exceptional contribution and commitment to SSAFA’s activities and values, which Mary exemplifies in every sense.

Mary has been a driving force within SSAFA Forth Valley for over three decades. Alongside leadership roles such as Branch Secretary, Branch Chair and Deputy Regional Chair for Scotland, she remained an active caseworker for almost all that time and has been a dedicated contributor at both branch and regional level.

In 2025 alone, Mary organised a highly successful inaugural fundraising talk, which is now an annual event, played a key role in SSAFA’s involvement in the Stirling900 Culture Night through Creative Veterans, and initiated the Branch’s involvement in the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative, helping to secure a £3,000 grant. She also supported SSAFA’s presence at major local events, including the Royal Highland Show, and organised much-loved community events such as the summer tea party and Christmas Cracker concert, which raised over £1,100 and supported families in need.

At regional level, Mary has continued to lead Dementia Awareness training across Scotland and has supported the delivery of key national events, including SSAFA’s 140th anniversary celebrations.

It would be difficult to find anyone more passionate about, committed to or active in furthering the cause of SSAFA than Mary. Her drive is second to none, underpinned by a genuine desire to support those in need. The impact she has made over many years is extraordinary and continues to be felt across SSAFA and the wider Armed Forces community. She exemplifies the very best of SSAFA and is highly deserving of the Sir James Gildea Award!

💙 Mary, thank you for your extraordinary commitment over the years, this recognition is so richly deserved.

Please join us in congratulating Mary on this fantastic achievement 👏

23/03/2026

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Get ready to don your tartan for the Kiltwalk 2026!

Join SSAFA at one of Scotland’s most popular charity fundraising events. Every step you take, and every pound you raise, will help support the Armed Forces community here in Scotland.

Every SSAFA Kiltwalker will receive a welcome pack, including an SSAFA t-shirt. On the day, you can enjoy entertainment along the route, regular pit stops with snacks and water, and an exclusive Kiltwalk finisher’s medal at the finish line.

There will be four Kiltwalks taking place in 2026:
Glasgow – April 25/26
Aberdeen – June 7
Dundee – August 16
Edinburgh – September 13

It’s a great day out for friends, families and walkers of all ages and abilities, with a route for everyone.

If you’d like to take part, you can find more information and sign up here:
👉 https://www.ssafa.org.uk/support-us/kiltwalk/

We can’t wait to see you there!

19/03/2026

📣 Upcoming SSAFA Forth Valley Fundraising Talk

Join us on Saturday 18 April for a fascinating talk by Gary Dunnagan at the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum in Stirling Castle!

Talk: Conspiracy theories, from Ancient Rome to the storming of the US Capitol.

Why do people believe conspiracy theories? Where do they come from, and why do they spread so quickly today?

This excitingtalk will explore the history and psychology behind conspiracy theories and why understanding them matters now more than ever.

We hope to see you there!

☕ 10:30am – Tea, coffee and biscuits
🎤 11:00am – Talk begin

🎟 Entry is free – donations to SSAFA welcome.

To book a place, please contact:
📧 [email protected]
📞 01786 479541

Please book by Thursday 16 April.

17/03/2026

🎤 Looking back on a fantastic SSAFA Forth Valley Comedy Night!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our Charity Comedy Night last month. It was an amazing evening with a great turnout and an atmosphere full of laughter from start to finish.

Our comedians were fantastic and kept the audience entertained all night. A special thank you as well to Mark Wallace, who did a great job hosting the evening.

Thanks to the generosity of everyone who attended, we raised over £220, which will go directly towards supporting members of the Armed Forces community.

The evening also gave us a great chance to introduce SSAFA to people who hadn’t come across the charity before and to share more about the support we provide to serving personnel, veterans, and their families.

Thank you again to everyone who came along and helped make the night such a success, we’re incredibly grateful!

📸 Here are a few photos from the evening!

03/03/2026