THE new Station Commander at RAF Benson has backed a crowdfunding campaign to raise £5,000 to cover the cost of visits to lonely veterans.

Launched by the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA), the fundraising drive is to support a befriending scheme for veterans.

The scheme seeks to address growing concerns over isolation and loneliness by supporting 'forgotten' ex-service men and women.

The association is urging its members and the general public to help reach a target of £5,000, which will fund training and travel for 500 visits to veterans nationwide.

Earlier this month Group Captain Hamish Cormack was appointed as Station Commander at RAF Benson.

He said: "Supporting those who have served their country is absolutely essential and the befriending visits by the RAFA offers a lifeline to many isolated and lonely veterans.

"It can make such a difference to an elderly veteran’s life to have someone to talk to, share their memories with, and be a friend to them.

"At RAF Benson our team does a great deal to help our local veterans. Therefore we would wholeheartedly endorse RAFA’s appeal to the public to support the veterans in our local community, and in every community nationwide."

The initiative follows the charity’s recent research showing widespread awareness and concern over the issue of loneliness and isolation among older people.

The study showed that over 70 per cent of people were aware of the issue, and nearly 85 per cent reported that it was something they were concerned about.

With over half of the UK Armed Forces veteran population aged 75 or over, relationship and isolation issues affect approximately 170,000 RAF veterans, many of whom live in Oxfordshire.

The RAF association’s befriending scheme has been designed to provide support and companionship to the thousands of RAF veterans experiencing social isolation across the UK.

It will pair a veteran with one of the association’s volunteers for a visit and chat, giving veterans the chance to share their life stories and to ensure that no veteran will be forgotten.

Rory O’Connor, Director for Welfare at the Royal Air Forces Association, said: "After the nation marked Remembrance Sunday with commemorative displays of gratitude and respect, we are calling on both our members and the general public to help us to support and give back to our veterans all year round.

"The befriending scheme is an important initiative providing invaluable welfare support for the 1.5 million- strong RAF family.

"Donations, big or small, to the campaign will go a long way to making sure that fewer veterans suffer from loneliness and isolation and that their service is never forgotten."

The charity is calling on supporters to donate to the scheme via crowdfunder.co.uk/befriending

Those who would like to volunteer, and those who could benefit, can register their interest via rafa.org.uk/befriending