OPENING TIMES

The Club is open on Wednesdays from 12.30hrs to 15.30hrs and Saturdays from 11.30hrs to 15.00hrs. We also open on special occasions, such as Remembrance Sunday. RAFA members and invited visitors are welcome.

WELCOME TO THE ROYAL AIR FORCES ASSOCIATION YORK BRANCH

The Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA), established in 1930, was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1953. The Association is a registered charity governed by the Royal Charter, its Rules and Byelaws. The Association is registered with the Charity Commission and with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. It is also registered with the Fundraising Regulator and Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The Association is a democratic, non-sectarian non-political organisation with no affiliation to any party or party organisation or trade union. The Association is a member of the Confederation of British Service and Ex-service Organisations (Cobseo).

The Association is an international organisation with over 66,000 members and 229 branches in the UK and overseas. It is also the ultimate parent undertaking of five trading subsidiaries (RAFATRAD Limited, Royal Air Forces Association Housing Limited, RAFAKidz Limited, RAFA Kidzone Limited, and RAFA Events Limited.

Since our foundation, RAFA members have been at the heart of all we do: building connections, volunteering to support the community and raising funds. At the end of 2023, we had 65,538 members (of whom, over 3,000 joined during the year) in 109 countries.

The Association’s 229 branches play a unique role, providing a link between the charity and local RAF communities around the world. They provided outreach and wellbeing support, support volunteers, raise funds and support local commemorative events. They are each charities in their own right, managed by their branch committees but subject to the Association’s Royal Charter, Rules, Byelaws and Standard Regulations.

Our outreach programme, supported by branches, volunteers and corporate partners, called nearly 10,000 individual members of the RAF community during 2023 to check on their wellbeing and identify whether they required any support. Almost 500 of those who received a call were subsequently helped by one of our welfare services.

During 2023, our 774 trained friendship volunteers supported 1,367 individuals through our RAFA Connections for Life service. The circa 20,000 regular friendship calls they made resulted in 92 per cent of those called reporting improved wellbeing and reduced feelings of loneliness.

In 2023, our four retirement living locations provided 99 individuals connected to the RAF with the opportunity to live independent lives, with the confidence that support was available if needed. These facilities are located in England (Storrington in West Sussex; Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire; Rothbury in Northumberland) and in Scotland (Moffat in Dumfriesshire).

The York Branch and Club is in the geographic centre of a large part of the RAF's, the RCAF's and other Commonwealth Air Forces' history, and is proud to be a dynamic contributor to all facets of the Association.

Our mission is to continue the special comradeship known to generations of service personnel by providing a meeting place and forum for social activities. We are dedicated to assisting the Royal Air Force Family and those in need in the local community.

Why not join us?

York Branch currently has over 390 members and we are always pleased to accept new members in our branch, particularly former airmen, airwomen and their dependants. However, please remember that you don’t have to serve, or have served, in the Royal Air Force to participate fully in our activities. As long as you share our aims and values, we would be delighted to welcome you as an associate member. Associate members play a very important role in our activities.

The Branch is very proud of its history in respect of the Book of Remembrance in York Minster, where, since 1960, the then Air Ministry (now Ministry of Defence) decided that there should be four formal Page Turning Ceremonies each year - on 1st April (Birthday of the Royal Air Force), the first week of June (Monarch's Official Birthday), on Battle of Britain Day in September and on 31st December (To mark the passing of the old year) - each are attended to this day by RAF personnel and RAFA (York) Branch members. The Battle of Britain Service in York Minster has a 'Special Person' invited to Turn the Page, and this honour is exercised by both RAF members and RAFA (York) members.

Our Branch Club in Aldwark.

Our Branch HQ and our Club are located at RAFA House, Aldwark. Our facilities include a kitchen and dining room, a licenced bar and comfortable lounge. We are located less than 10 minutes' walk from the main shopping area and 5 minutes from York Minster. Please note that there is no car parking at the Club, except vehicles displaying a disabled parking permit. The nearest car park is Monk Bar car park off Lord Mayors Walk.

THE CLUB WILL BE CLOSED ON WEDNESDAYS IN JANUARY, BUT WILL BE OPEN AS USUAL ON SATURDAYS. WEDNESDAY OPENING WILL RECOMMENCE FROM WEDNESDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2025.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS WEBSITE WILL NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE AFTER 10 JANUARY 2025 AND WILL BE REPLACED IN DUE COURSE.

WEBSITE UPDATED:

22 December 2024