Oxfordshire RAF veteran to take part in Cenotaph march-past

Kevin Trethowan, who lives in Carterton, will be part of a group of more than 50 representing the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Families Association (SSAFA), the armed forces charity.

Mr Trethowan's connection with the charity dates back nearly 40 years when he was serving at RAF Gütersloh in Germany.

His mother-in-law, a Women's Auxiliary Air Force veteran, was in a care home in Plymouth and needed a new bed, so SSAFA stepped in to help, providing a new bed and chair.

Later, while stationed at RAF Brize Norton, Mr Trethowan responded to a call for SSAFA in-service group volunteers.

Seeing this as a chance to "give something back," he attended the inaugural meeting on November 22, 1997, and completed his initial SSAFA Forces Help Primary Skills Course in April 1998.

Since then, Mr Trethowan has been an active member, taking on various roles from caring for children, grass cutting, dog walking, fundraising, and escorting families to train stations and hospitals.

He is no stranger to the Remembrance Sunday Cenotaph Parade, having previously been the contingent leader representing SSAFA at the annual event.

In 2023 SSAFA's trained teams of volunteers and employees helped nearly 54,000 people, including veterans, serving personnel, and their families.