Former City of Lincoln Mayor raises over £6,000 for local Armed Forces charity

12 June 2026

The former Right Worshipful the Mayor of Lincoln, Councillor Bill Mara, donated a cheque for a £6,072, to the Lincolnshire branch of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity – his chosen cause during his term in office. 

Cllr Mara was sworn into office as the 820th Mayor of Lincoln in May 2025 and chose to support local veterans, serving personnel and their families during his tenure. A proud veteran of 1st Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, he has chosen to support SSAFA having directly received support from the charity.
  
Over the course of his Mayoral year, Cllr Mara undertook numerous initiatives to raise these well-needed funds, committing hours of his personal time to complete them. In November 2025, Cllr Mara ran 5 kilometres a day, every day during November, racking up 150km across the month.

In December 2025, Cllr Mara hosted the inaugural civic carol concert held at Lincoln Cathedral – a sold-out event which raised £1,000 in donations alone. Guests were treated to an angelic performance from the children of Cranwell Primary School Choir, classic festive songs from Waddington Military Choir alongside powerful readings from local veterans and Lady Walmsley, the SSAFA National Vice Chair.

Lincoln’s Whisky Shop hosted a charity whisky tasting, at Lincoln’s Historic Guildhall in January 2026, where guests sampled a range of whiskies sponsored by various distilleries, alongside an auction which saw generous contributions add to the rising total.

Cllr Mara’s final fundraiser saw him lace his trainers once more, participating in the Lincoln 10km in April. Running alongside Mayoress, Donna Mara and Sheriff’s Lady, Sandra Daley – who were also supporting SSAFA Lincolnshire – Cllr Mara’s efforts came to an end after the race, which snakes around the Roman Walls, Lincoln Cathedral, and the city’s gardens.

Jim Evans, Branch Chair for SSAFA Lincolnshire, commented: “We are extremely thankful for the enormous efforts Cllr Mara has made over the course of his term, raising well-needed funds for the Armed Forces community across the county. Bill’s fantastic achievement will go towards supporting veterans, serving personnel and their families right here in Lincolnshire – and we are immensely grateful for the hard work, grit, and commitment he put into his fundraising. Every penny counts and we appreciate the generosity of those who supported Bill across all his challenges”.

These crucial funds will be used to support the Lincolnshire Armed Forces community - around 58,000 veterans and 8,000 serving personnel and their families.

Cllr Bill Mara added: “This year it has been a great honour to link up with SSAFA during my Mayoral year after choosing them as my designated charity for the term. As a veteran I took great pride in promoting this charity and raising much needed funds for people requiring support and in genuine need.”