The exact number of former and serving personnel on the island is uncertain, but the Royal Air Force Association remains present to help anyone who needs it.
Chairwoman and welfare lead of Rafa in Guernsey, Heather Chan, said the organisation’s role extends further than serving personnel.
‘The purpose of the Rafa is to support the RAF family, not just people serving, but veterans, families and anyone who is connected to the RAF and overseas here in Guernsey,’ she said.
‘If there’s any issues or anything that people are wanting help with, then I’m the person to contact and I will help in any way. Help can be from a chat to providing financial assistance.’
In Heather’s welfare role, assistance can vary depending on each family’s circumstances.
The Guernsey branch is able to apply for additional funding through Rafa’s central organisation when necessary, including contributing towards care costs.
‘In the past we’ve sorted a wheelchair for someone and a downstairs shower unit for a family,’ she said.
‘We can go through centralised Rafa and request money for things such as topping up nursing home fees.’
Support is open to a wide range of former personnel, regardless of how long they served in the air force.
However, the demand for help has changed over the years, largely because of the ageing of Second World War veterans.
The true size of the RAF community in Guernsey is unknown.
‘A lot of ex-air force were of the older generation, so there’s a bit less of a demand now for things. There are younger ex-air force people in the island, but the main welfare work was with the World War Two generation,’ said Heather.
‘It’s difficult to say how many are in Guernsey. A lot of ex-service people will come back to the island, but don’t necessarily come forward, but there’s no way of knowing how many there are.
‘The number is getting smaller, the air force itself is getting smaller, and most of the members of the club aren’t ex-air force.’
While numbers may be declining, the local branch continues operating with a small but committed team, three of whom are ex-RAF.
Rafa Guernsey also has links with other organisations, such as the Royal British Legion, working closely when anything air force-related arises.
Fundraising is essential in maintaining the Rafa presence in the island, with volunteers attending events such as the Viaer Marche, Wings and Wheels and Battle of Britain.
‘We actually do really well compared to other branches of the Rafa,’ said Heather.
‘We once won a prize for raising the most per capita because we’ve got a small number of people.
‘We do often get bequests from people and we make sure that money stays on-island.’
Commemoration remains a central part of the organisation’s work, with the group organising the Battle of Britain parade as well as a ceremony at the airport air memorial the same weekend.
The Rafa standard is also always present at Liberation Day and Remembrance Day parades.
Now, Heather’s role also includes work with the local 201 overseas cadets and 201 Squadron, based in Scotland, which re-established its local links with the island in 2021.
‘201 is really proud of having restarted its affiliations and they love coming down,’ she said.
‘When they first came back down to get their standard from the Lt-Governor and we resurrected the affiliation, we had a big parade which Rafa organised and took the place of the Battle of Britain.
‘They brought the whole squadron, which was really nice.’
When visiting, the squadron meets both the cadets and Rafa members, strengthening links across generations.
For Heather, the work is a continuation of her service.
Her involvement with Rafa began after moving to Guernsey in 2000, having spent eight years as a nursing sister in the RAF.
She then worked as a school nurse in the island.
Today, she remains central to the support network which continues to assist RAF personnel and their families.
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