Elaine McFadyen
Branch Chair
For the last 20 + years, Elaine worked across both the public & private sector in leadership, project management and business relationship roles. She also worked in a shoe shop, as an IT Trainer, in a factory, in many many pubs and had quite a varied career!!!
Her last role was with Dell Computers, where she worked for 12 + years as a Senior Project Consultant but as many people did over the pandemic, Elaine re-evaluated her priorities and one of the main things she missed was working as a team to help others. So, Elaine made the decision to leave Dell in 2022, did some travelling in her motorhome, then went about finding her ideal volunteering role.
Like all of the team in Ayrshire and beyond, Elaine is volunteering because she believes in SSAFA and enjoys being part of a team that wants to help and give back to those who have given so much for us. She is connected to the Armed Forces through her husband who is a Veteran of the Royal Air Force.
Colette Chiesa
Branch Support Coordinator
Colette was living in Portugal and relocated back to Scotland at the end of the COVID pandemic, settling just outside Ayr.
Colette's hobbies include dogs, walking, walking dogs and her newest interest is sewing, which is testing her dexterity, eyesight and cognitive skills to the limit! Colette donates all her creations to a Hospice to raise much needed funds.
While her hobbies keep her busy, Colette knew that she wanted to do something worthwhile and enquired about volunteering for SSAFA. Whilst she has no military background, the idea of helping those who have given so much for us and are often forgotten about, very much appealed to her.
Gary Houlton
Branch Digital Marketing Volunteer
Gary is a Royal Air Force Veteran having served in various squadrons within the Royal Air Force Regiment. Gary left the RAF in 2002 and has had a varied career path since becoming a "civvy". He worked in the public sector for a few years in one of Glasgow's Local Development Companies. He then went onto running electrical contracting businesses until 2014 when he completely re-invented himself and started a freelance Digital Marketing business.
Gary is the Marketing and IT Director for a company based in Spain who are in the language education industry.
In the past he has been heavily involved in volunteering for the Scout Movement but work commitments meant that he had to give that part of his life up.
His connection and bond with the Armed Forces has never gone away he regards his volunteering for SSAFA to be a way to give back to the community that he has always felt a part of and looked after him during his service.
Keith Tulloch
Branch Treasurer
Keith is a Royal Yeomanry Veteran and has been the Branch Treasurer for 17 years.
Bob Whiteford
Caseworker
Bob has been volunteering for SSAFA for 13 years and we are incredibly grateful for his dedication to the Caseworker role and for his unwavering support. Bob has won awards for his service to volunteering and goes without saying that a huge number of serving personnel, veterans and their families in Ayrshire have been helped via SSAFA because of Bob.
David Hepburn
Caseworker
David is a Veteran of The Royal Scots and has been volunteering for SSAFA for 3 years. David continues to be an extremely valuable member of our Caseworker team and has helped countless serving personnel, veterans and their families in Ayrshire.
Bill Ponsford
Caseworker
Bill is a Royal Air Force Veteran and served as an Aircraft Engineer for 22 years.
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