An armed forces charity is merging its Ashford and Canterbury divisions.

The two sections of SSAFA Forces Help join together on August 1 to become the biggest division in Kent, and one of the biggest in Britain.

SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association) is an international charity for serving and former services personnel.

Lindsay Allen, Kent branch secretary, said: “Larger divisions are the way forward. A bigger division enables faster response and enables us to deliver a better service.”

Maj Gerald Bartlett, SSAFA Canterbury divisional secretary and former pupil at Canterbury’s Simon Langton Grammar School, said: “I have been to meet the Ashford division and they all voted for the merger with ours.

“It will be a great privilege to have them on board.”

Ashford divisional secretary Graham Gregory-Smith said: “While we are all sad that the Ashford division will no longer exist as a separate entity we are all greatly looking forward to joining our colleagues in Canterbury and Herne Bay.

“It is clearly a very forward looking division, which we all feel confident will be at the forefront of SSAFA work carried out in Kent.”

Mr Gregory-Smith, of Aldington, spent 11 years in the army and was educated at Sandhurst.

He was a captain in the Black Watch and in the prison service for 30 years, serving as governor of Winson Green Prison in Birmingham.

SSAFA offers support services such as recruiting volunteers to spend time with families and serving personnel, and supporting national awareness campaigns to reach those in need.