THE oldest military charity in the country is urging ex-service personnel who need support to come to them.

The Worcestershire Branch of SSAFA, the armed forces charity, believes that there are a large number in the county who may well qualify for assistance but are unaware that they are able to do so.

Colonel Tony Ward OBE, chairman of the branch, said: "We are trying to raise the awareness of the work that our trained, dedicated, volunteers undertake and to let ex-service, serving and reservist personnel and their families know that we may well be able to help them in their hour of need.

"Sadly there are too many people who are unaware of what they may be entitled to or who are reluctant to seek our help."

SSAFA offers practical, emotional, and financial support to meet individual needs.

In order to carry out the work the Worcestershire Branch has five divisions to cover the county and a further division, named Prison in Reach, makes regular visits to the three prisons in the county.

The Branch currently has some 60 volunteers and in 2016 undertook some 400 cases and friendship visits and raised just over £300,000 to help meet the needs of the clients.

Whilst SSAFA acts as a channel for obtaining funds from other charitable organisations to meet the client's needs it does hold fund-raising events to pay for it's administrative costs and volunteers expenses.

There is to be a film and concert in Worcester Cathedral on Saturday June 17 at 7.30pm to commemorate the Battle of the Somme where profits from the ticket sales will be shared between SSAFA, ABF, and RBL.

To contact SSAFA Worcestershire, telephone 0190521728, there is an answerphone to leave a message.