A former mayor of Lincoln has handed over a generous donation to an Armed Forces charity after dedicating his year in office to supporting local veterans. Councillor Bill Mara, who served as the Right Worshipful the Mayor of Lincoln, presented a cheque for £6,072 to the Lincolnshire branch of SSAFA.
Cllr Mara, a proud veteran of the first Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, chose to support the charity after personally benefiting from its help in the past. He was sworn in as the 820th Mayor of Lincoln in May 2025 and pledged to assist serving personnel, veterans, and their families during his tenure. To raise the funds, he committed many hours of personal time to various initiatives.
Fundraising Challenges
In November 2025, Cllr Mara ran five kilometres every single day, covering a total of 150km over the month. The fundraising continued in December 2025 with the inaugural civic carol concert at Lincoln Cathedral. The sold-out event raised £1,000 in donations alone, featuring performances by the children of Cranwell Primary School Choir and the Waddington Military Choir, along with readings from local veterans and Lady Walmsley, the SSAFA national vice chair.
In January 2026, a charity whisky tasting was held at Lincoln’s Whisky Shop in the historic Guildhall. Guests sampled whiskies sponsored by various distilleries and participated in an auction to boost the total. Cllr Mara’s final fundraiser came in April 2026 when he ran the Lincoln 10km alongside the Mayoress, Donna Mara, and the Sheriff’s Lady, Sandra Daley, passing by the Roman Walls, Lincoln Cathedral, and the city’s gardens.
Gratitude from SSAFA
Jim Evans, branch chair for SSAFA Lincolnshire, expressed his thanks: “We are extremely thankful for the enormous efforts Cllr Mara has made over the course of his term, raising well-needed funds for the Armed Forces community across the county. Bill’s fantastic achievement will go towards supporting veterans, serving personnel and their families right here in Lincolnshire – and we are immensely grateful for the hard work, grit, and commitment he put into his fundraising. Every penny counts and we appreciate the generosity of those who supported Bill across all his challenges.”
The funds will support the Lincolnshire Armed Forces community, which includes over 58,000 veterans and 8,000 serving personnel and their families. Cllr Mara said: “This year it has been a great honour to link up with SSAFA during my Mayoral year after choosing them as my designated charity for the term. As a veteran I took great pride in promoting this charity and raising much needed funds for people requiring support and in genuine need.”
SSAFA has been helping regulars, reserves, veterans, and their families since 1885. Those interested in volunteering, fundraising, or seeking support can visit the SSAFA website and search for ‘SSAFA near me’.
