GOLD AWARD MARKS A 60 YEAR COMMITMENT TO SSAFA

15 December 2019

Charities like ours depend on hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of hard-working volunteers to carry out the work needed to help those requiring assistance once they have served in our forces. They seldom think twice about committing their time and energy carrying out the work they do to help others, but few can match the enthusiasm and dedication that has been shown by Lady Agnes Humphrey who is one of SSAFA’s longest serving supporters.

The widow of Sir Andrew Humphrey, who was Chief of the Defence Staff until his sudden death in 1977, Lady Agnes became a SSAFA volunteer in 1959. In the following years her input included being a caseworker, chair of RAF station committees, divisional and branch secretary, then president of the Gloucestershire branch for 12 years. She was also a national trustee of SSAFA as a whole.

To recognise her 60-year association with SSAFA and the county, Sir Francis Richards, our current county president, recently presented her with a commemorative gold pin and certificate signed by HRH Prince Michael of Kent, saying: “Now 97, Lady Agnes still maintains a keen interest in our activities and the work being done in the county. Her commitment has been inspiring to us all”

The presentation was made at the care home in the north of the county, where she now resides. Also at the event were volunteer Jacky Smith, who makes regular visits to Lady Agnes, and branch secretary Roger Wilson, who added: “We are very fortunate to have colleagues like Lady Agnes and Jacky, who is following in her footsteps, to maintain the tradition which SSAFA has developed for caring for our veterans and their families once they have served their country.”