Mayor raises nearly £8k for charity supporting Armed Forces personnel undergoing rehabilitation
Last updated: 6/7/2025
Former Mayor of Rushcliffe Councillor Andy Brown has raised nearly £8,000 for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity dedicated to supporting Armed Forces personnel, veterans, and their families, across the UK.
Throughout his mayoral term from May 2024 to May 2025, Councillor Brown hosted a series of fundraising events, including a charity skydive, a pie and races night, and a raffle - all in aid of SSAFA’s vital work with the Armed Forces community.
SSAFA is a UK based charity which provides support within the Nottinghamshire area, including Norton House. Their work relies on volunteers and charitable donations to continually offer outstanding support to members of the Armed Forces and their families.
Cllr Brown presented a cheque of £7639.92 to Norton House Housing Manager Cheril Bascombe and other SSAFA representatives on Sunday July 6 at Norton House in Stanford on Soar.
SSAFA uses Norton House to provide accommodation for the friends and family of service men and women who are undergoing treatment for illness or injury at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC).
It gives free, safe and supportive accommodation to families and friends, enabling them to stay close to their loved ones, and provide that crucial moral and psychological support they need to feel better and get stronger.
The facility offers rooms for friends and family of people completing their rehabilitation to stay in, so they are close to the DMRC and can enjoy essential face to face time with their loved ones without the worry of expenses. DMRC patients are also allowed to stay at Norton House when their friends and families are visiting.
The building features a large kitchen and lounge areas to allow for those staying to socialise with one another, providing support and sharing experiences during the recovery process, and caters for visitors of all ages and physical abilities.
A key element of Norton House is the garden which provides beautiful views and a calming atmosphere, including a specially designed garden of reflection, which featured at RHS Chelsea in 2022 and later transferred to Norton House.
Cllr Brown said: “I’m extremely honoured to handover a cheque of the monies raised to support them with their brilliant work. The staff who run the facility are a credit to SSAFA as they do a phenomenal job.
“Thank you to everyone who has donated to my chosen charity during my time in office and helped to raise these vital funds. The project does not receive any funding from central government meaning that they rely solely on voluntary contributions and charitable donations.
“It costs tens of thousands of pounds to keep the building running so supporting them through my raffle and other fundraising events throughout the past year has made a real difference to the lives of so many people here in Nottinghamshire.
“It’s essential that we help to keep places like this open and support our Armed Forces.”
Norton House Housing Manager Cheril Bascombe added: “We’d like to thank Cllr Andy Brown for selecting SSAFA as his chosen charity during his time as Mayor of Rushcliffe and for his dedication to raising money for the charity.
“We want people to know that they can come to Norton House and be with their loved ones without the added hassle of worrying about cost.
“When families first arrive here their lives have been tipped upside down but when they look outside and see all the green space it doesn’t take their problems away but it does let them stop, take a breath and be able to sort through their thoughts.”
Norton House Deputy Housing Manager Michael Barr said: “Norton House is built around the fact that shared knowledge is a good thing for the families and what they’re going through.
“Seeing the families and the personnel that come through these doors and following them on their journeys of rehabilitation into the next stage of their life gives you a sense of tremendous self-worth.”
To find out more about SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity, visit https://www.ssafa.org.uk.