A few drinks of champagne with friends helped David Ashman celebrate his New Year’s honour of an OBE, awarded for his voluntary service to SSAFA Forces Help.

There will also be a few more glasses raised to mark his Order of the British Empire achievement as he plans to combine it with his 60th birthday in May.

Mr Ashman, of Richborough Road, Sandwich, is a chartered accountant and is the county treasurer of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association.

He is a partnership chairman of Reeves and Co, chartered accountants and financial advisors, based at St Margaret’s Street, Canterbury. He joined the firm in 1970 and was trained and qualified with Reeves.

His involvement with the SSAFA charity started just under 25 years ago and he became Kent branch treasurer after the retirement of ex-Serviceman Jack Philipson, one of Reeves’ partners, who has since died.

Mr Ashman also become a trustee on the national charity and for three years has been its honorary treasurer.

SSAFA Forces Help provides financial, practical and emotional assistance to anyone serving or has ever served in the Army, Navy or RAF, and their families.

It has been helping Armed Forces and their families for more than 125 years, and in this time has responded to the needs of service personnel, veterans and their families.

Seehttp://www.ssafa.org.uk/

For more details, see this week’s East Kent Mercury.