All new at the top for Rushden and district Air Force charity

A group set up for RAF veterans across East Northants has appointed a new team to sit behind the controls of the organisation.

Royal Air Forces Association’s (RAFA) Rushden and District Branch recruits members from Rushden as well as Higham Ferrers, Irthlingborough, Stanwick, Raunds and Thrapston.

Committee stalwarts Paul O’Dell, and Jim Doran were appointed as branch president and vice president respectively to lead the charity with its aims of welfare and beating social isolation.

Mr Doran, who served as an RAF electronics engineer for nearly 15 years, said: "It's all about welfare for the RAF family. It's to help people avoid social isolation for the more senior members and for serving RAF personnel.

"In service life, it's about comradeship and friendship. We have regular meetings with trips out and a summer social and a Christmas social."

Members of the association do not have to have served in the RAF to become a member of the charity, just to support the group's aims.

The group, that currently has 122 members, also works with other organisations including RAF Air Cadets, SSAFA and the Royal British Legion, assisting the Royal Air Force 'family' in the East Northants area.

Mr O'Dell, new branch president, served in the RAF from 1960 to 1963 as Senior Air Craftsman with the Ground Signals Unit and joined RAFA in 1990. He was appointed a committee trustee in 2018.

Mr Doran served in the RAF from 1970 to 1985 as an electronics engineer, joining RAFA in 2011, and appointed a committee trustee in 2014.

Other appointments to the committee include Peter Trafford-Smith as Honourable Secretary. Peter is Royal Aeronautical Society Affiliate and was a RAF Historical Society Associate.

Rushden and district RAFA meet on the third Tuesday of every month at 7.30pm at Rushden Bowls Club in Northampton Road, NN10 6AN

For more information about the branch click here or contact the association secretary by emailing [email protected]