HIVE
RAF Benson HIVE
RAF Benson Community CentreRAF Benson HIVE
Wallingford
Oxon
OX10 6AA
or [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RAFHIVEBenson/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RAFBensonHIVE
Phone: 01491 827213
Opening times: Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4:30pm, Friday, 8am to 1pm
Childcare
Benson Children and Families Services provide full and part time day-care, and out of school club. Located next the gym.
Opening times: Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 9am and 3pm to 5:30pm.
Holiday club opening times: Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 5:30pm.
The Holiday Club operates every school holiday where there is a demand, except Christmas.
Funded places:
- 2 year olds - 15 hours for vulnerable families
- 3-4 year olds - 15 hours for everyone
- 30 hours for eligible families
Contact the Manager:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01491 838112
Housing
All Service Family Accommodation is behind the wire and allocated by Amey.
Family contact and temporary accommodation
Welfare Houses
RAF Benson has three welfare houses located on the domestic site. They can be used for emergency welfare circumstances, for contact with dependant children of divorced or separated personnel, other social visits from family members and temporary accommodation for personnel assigned to RAF Benson.
Each house consists of two bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, separate toilet, shower and a garden. Both houses are fully furnished with sofas, TVs, washing machines, fridges, dining tables, single/double beds and baby cots.
The Welfare Houses are available for booking to all RAF personnel and MOD civilians with priority for welfare cases.
To book a Welfare House, email: [email protected]
Family Rooms
There are three family rooms that are located in the Warrant Officers' and Sergeants' Mess. These are available to any Mess Member of the Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess..
These are ideal for accommodating children during visits whilst on station.
To book a family room, phone the Sergeant’s Mess accommodation:
Phone: 01491 827244
Health and welfare
Medical Centre
The Medical Centre is primarily for RAF Benson Service personnel. A small number of dependants living on Station are also registered with the Station Medical Centre. Unfortunately, no new dependant patients are being accepted at this time and therefore they must register with a local GP.
Any spouses and dependants living off station must register with a local GP.
Contact the Medical Centre:
Phone: 01491 827235
Opening times: Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, except for Wednesday, 8am to midday.
Dental Centre
The Dental Centre is for RAF Benson Service personnel only.
SSAFA PS&SWS RAF
SSAFA Personal Support & Social Work Service RAF (PS&SWS RAF) is contracted by the RAF to provide welfare support to all serving personnel (regular and reserves) and their families. Our team of specialist Personal & Family Support Workers and Social Workers are located on stations in the RAF community throughout the UK.
Our service is confidential and independent from the Chain of Command. It is the aim of our service to support you to enhance personal welfare, maintain family stability and empower you to access the support networks you are entitled to.
Our service can support you with a range of issues including addiction & dependency, child support, financial, housing, mental health, personal support, physical health and relationships.
Anyone, regular, reserve or dependent, can refer themselves to SSAFA. You can contact our service by any of the ways below;
Visit us at your local office:
4 Viking Terrace, Benson, OX10 6EW.
Staff are contactable from Monday to Friday between 8:30am to 5:00pm either in the office or via phone / email on the contact details below:
Deborah Wise
- Phone: 01491 832801 or 07387253435
- Email: [email protected]
Megan Tapper
- Phone: 07385 943492
- Email: [email protected]
Or, contact our Single Point of Contact:
- Email: [email protected] (monitored Monday – Friday, 8:30am - 5pm)
- Telephone: 03000 111 723 (available 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week)
N.B. During working hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30am - 5pm), calls will be answered by our Admin team who will be able to signpost you to the best source of support.
Or, complete a Webform.
Chaplains
RAF Benson has two chaplains who share the chaplaincy duties.
Contact the Chaplaincy Office:
- Phone: 01491 837766
- Ext: 6234
Church services and meetings
Various weekly services and sessions are available, both religious and spiritual; however, there is currently no Sunday service. Sunday services are provided in Benson and Ewelme churches.
Sports
Station gym
The gym has a fitness suite and weights bay, a sports hall and a fitness on demand room. Circuits and spinning classes are run during lunch time, other classes are available on request for sections on station.
You can join the station gym for free if you are a serving member of the military or if you are a Civil Servant based at RAF Benson. Dependants and contractors can join for a small fee. All individuals joining the gym must complete an induction prior to using any equipment.
Opening times: Monday to Sunday, 24 hours a day.
Phone: 01491 837766 x7632 or x7690
Sports pitches and courts
RAF Benson has two football pitches, a cricket pitch, a rugby pitch, a 3G five-a-side football pitch, two squash courts, two tennis courts, a low ropes course and a high ropes course.
There is discount swimming available at The Oratory School situated half way between RAF Benson and Reading.
Gym members can also use Drayton Manor Golf Course for free with a valid ticket.
Contact the gym for details.
Social
RAF Benson Community Centre
The Community Centre is located on the domestic side of RAF Benson, next to the main car park. It has regular activities including a toddler group, a crèche, health clinic, youth clubs, Scouts and Guides.
Contact the Community Development Officer:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01491 836677 x7983
Bars and Cafés
The Common Room
The Common Room is an all day, all ranks dining facility located on the right of the ground floor of the Junior Ranks' Mess. It serves a variety of hot and cold drinks and meals and is open to all personnel and families at RAF Benson.
The Sports Bar
The Sports Bar is an all ranks facility showing BT Sport. It hosts a number of special events throughout the year and is also available for private hire and for sports clubs to host away teams.
Opening times: Wednesday and Thursday, 7pm to 11pm, and for large sporting events.
Contact email: [email protected]
Phone: 01491 837766 x7943
Children and young people
There is a wide variety of clubs, play areas and events for young people including a youth club (separate senior and junior clubs), Guides, Scouts, toddler group, crèche, Airplay, three play parks, a skate park and a Multi-Use Games Area.
Contact the Community Development Officer:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01491 836677 x7983
The HIVE Information Officer works in the Community Centre alongside the Community Development Officer. The HIVE offers a wide variety of information for families and single personnel at RAF Benson including education, services and local area information.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01491 827213
Other facilities
The Hairbase
The Hairbase is a modern ladies and gentlemen's hair salon and beauty room on station.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01491 837766 x7367
Thrift Shop
The thrift shop operates from the building next to the RAFBF offices and opposite the Costcutter shop. Their opening times vary each week and are shared on internal channels.
Costcutter
The Costcutter grocery store is located on the domestic side of camp.
Opening times: Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 7:30pm and Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 7:30pm.
Ozzy's Kebab Van
Located in the middle of the main car park on the domestic site, Ozzy’s provides food late into the night including kebabs, burgers, wraps and chips.
Opening times:
- Monday and Tuesday 5pm to 11:30pm
- Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 5pm to 12:45am
- Saturday, 5pm to 12:30am
- Sunday, 5pm to 11:30pm
