E d i t o r / C h a i r m a n
EDITOR’S words A
Good reading. Te Editor
From the Chairman 2
010 sees the RAF Families Federation enter its 3rd year of operations and, as each
year passes, the more convinced I am of the need for an independent voice to represent the concerns of serving personnel and their families. The Federation is slowly but surely gathering momentum and gaining stature as an independent evidence- gathering team and, as a fledgling team of only 8 staff, we look back with considerable pride on our achievements so far. This magazine is but one of our key outputs and, as distribution improves, we are receiving great feedback on its utility as an informative read for serving and non- serving family members. Our website is also a subject of considerable pride and, if you haven’t yet visited it, we’d encourage you to give it a try – you might be pleasantly surprised.
However, we recognise that we still have a long way to go before the quality and quantity of the evidence we provide is sufficient to really influence the policy-makers. For that reason, I repeat my ‘call to action’, asking each and every one of you to consider what matters most to you about RAF family life and encouraging you to provide evidence on these aspects you’d like to see improved. Because, believe it or not, we have access to some of the most influential people in the Defence business and, indeed, in Other Government Departments where services impact directly on military families, be that health, education, benefits, employment or housing. If you’re having problems and you feel that barriers exist purely because you are part of an RAF family, get in touch and we will represent your concerns to those who can make a difference.
To that end, in 2010 the Federation will again be running a programme of interactive workshops across the RAF,
ſter the snow, I see today that the snowdrops are beginning to show themselves; and a very welcome sight they are too. As we look forward to Spring and all it has to offer, we at the Federation are planning a very busy year of evidence gathering. Tere are very many topics of discussion in high places in the lead up to the General Election and the Strategic Defence
Review. Interesting times one might say. As we try ever harder to contact you, please remember that we thrive on your input on any subject ‘RAF’. I would also like to extend an open invitation to write something for Envoy. If you would like to chat before you put pen to paper then do call.
focusing on key subjects such as the definition of family, which will feed into an MoD review of entitlements and eligibility. We will also be exploring
education and training
opportunities for family members, discussing aspirations for home ownership versus Service-provided housing, and looking at the financial aspects of family life in the hope of continuing to influence the deliberations of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body. All in all, it promises to be another busy year and we hope to meet many of you as we travel around the RAF seeking your evidence. As our strap line says, “we’re in your corner”, so don’t be backward in coming forward – we’d love to hear from you!
The Federation is there for You T
he RAF Families Federation is here to represent the concerns of RAF personnel and their families on the issues that affect the RAF family. We operate
entirely outside the RAF chain of command, so we can always promise an independent and confidential service.
By gathering the facts, we put your view and concerns in front of the people who matter, such as senior RAF and MoD staffs and Ministers. Influencing change, where it is needed, for the better.
4 Spring 2010
So whether you’re in uniform yourself, a spouse, a partner, a parent, a child or a sibling of a member of the RAF, we are here to act on your behalf.
And do remember that if you don’t regularly get to see a copy of Envoy you can request your own copy. We will send each issue free of charge. There is a registration link on the website, you can call the Federation on 01780 781650 or email:
enquiries@raf-ff.org.uk
www.raf-ff.org.uk
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