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MOTTO : Non Nobis Sed Vobis 

The Royal Air Forces Association (Jamaica 580 Branch) was established in 1946 and is a branch of the RAFA established in 1943 with branches throughout the British Commonwealth. Membership comprises retired and present servicemen of the Commonwealth air forces. The patron of the Jamaica Branch is the Governor-General of Jamaica.

The major mission of the RAFA is to provide comfort and aid for the men and women of the air forces. One of the leading service charities, the RAFA provides under its Royal Charter a framework of comradeship and specialist care for serving personnel and there families; elderly and disabled ex-service personnel and RAFA pensioners, widows and widowers. Support is not confined to members but to all who qualify by virtue of service.

Although not known to many young people, to those who lived through the years 1939 to 1945 and who know about the struggle of World War II, the Jamaica Branch remains the symbol of the courage of a group of young Jamaicans who were brave enough to risk their lives in mortal combat.

Over its fifty years of existence, the Jamaican membership has been involved in various aspects of nation building and their deeds and contributions to our society span inter alia the fields of medicine, commerce, law, engineering, religion, diplomatic corps, politics and agriculture. The Association boasts Prime Ministers, ambassadors, cabinet ministers (from both major political parties) and senior executives in both the private and public sectors, high court judges and consultants.

Notable among the achievements of the association is the winning of the Hong Kong Trophy (for the highest collections in the Wing Day Appeal) for six consecutive years and the Shakespeare Trophy for the most efficient overseas branch.

True to its motto, Non Nobis sed Vobis (Not for Ourselves Alone), the Association is involved in welfare work not only among the less fortunate Ex-servicemen but also among the society as a whole.

Worthy of mention is the donation in 1975 and its ongoing maintenance regarding the very first of the 20 homes in the Cheshire Home Jamaica Village for disabled individuals. Hand in hand with the Jamaica Legion the Association assists in the maintenance of the Curphy Home and its residents. Assistance is also provided to other needy veterans outside of the established nursing homes.

Funding of the Association’s activities is through membership, charity appeals, corporate gifts, trusts, legacies and various fund-raising events. The branch continues to be a vibrant organization with monthly meetings of the executive committee, a lunch meeting of the membership on the 4^th Wednesday of each month and a week of fund-raising activities around the 15^th of September each year (Battle of Britain Day).