Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust: Funding to support military spouses and partners

 

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (The Trust) is delighted to announce that they have awarded over £790,000 under the Supporting Partners programme, to improve support for Service partners and spouses and celebrate the skills and experiences they bring to the workplace.

Guides for those bereaved by suicide in the Armed Forces community

Suicide Bereavement UK have developed a series of At Your Side guides for those bereaved by suicide in the Armed Forces community.

Three guides have been written by the bereaved for the bereaved:

At Your Side guide for Veterans

At Your Side guide for families

At Your Side guide for Serving Personnel

Both the veteran and family guide were launched on the 17th April 2024. The Serving Personnel guide will be launched shortly.

To view or download the guides, please visit: https://suicidebereavementuk.com/armedforces/​​​

New collaboration between Service Police and the independent charity Crimestoppers

 

Service Police and the independent charity Crimestoppers have teamed up to help further protect Defence people and assets.

Joining all UK police forces and law enforcement agencies, Service Police will now also benefit from access to information reported 100% anonymously to Crimestoppers.

The new partnership provides:A data sharing agreement – which means that any information reported to Crimestoppers on crime committed by a person or persons subject to Service law, is shared directly with the Defence Force Intelligence Bureau for allocation to the appropriate Service Police department.​A Service Police Integrity Phone Line – for Service Police to report concerns about a colleague's behaviour. This reflects the bespoke Crimestoppers Police Integrity Phone Lines introduced for other UK police forces in recent years – including the Ministry of Defence Police.​

Please click here to read more about this announcement

Army Carers – Supporting Serving Personnel with Caring Responsibilities

 

Talent In The Ranks - Artist Development Programme for the Armed Forces community

School Admissions: Which primary/ secondary school will my child attend?

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust: Almost £3M to support systemic change in Armed Forces communities

Almost £3M to support systemic change in Armed Forces communities

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) has awarded almost £3 million to nine transformative projects in this year’s round of the Covenant Fund Transformational Grants programme.

Continuing the trend from last year’s awards, the Trust has selected projects which aim to deliver systemic change within the Armed Forces community in a variety of different ways.

Each of the funded projects has a different focus, from supporting older Veterans, to tackling stigma amongst female Veterans. Mental health and wellbeing outcomes are an important element of many of the projects, though the ways of taking on these challenges vary from sports to e-learning, and training to inclusive programmes of activity and new and improved ways of delivering services.

Empowering Veterans

Partnering with the CASEVAC Club of wounded Veterans, the Scar Free Foundation have been awarded £300,000 to understand and alleviate the impact of conflict-related genital scarring and loss-of-function. They will develop evidence-based interventions to diminish the shame, stigma and embarrassment surrounding these injuries and empower current and future Veterans to forge fulfilling intimate relationships post-injury.

Lieutenant General Richard Nugee, Chief Executive, The Scar Free Foundation, said: “Veterans returning home with life-changing injuries deserve the utmost in care. Beyond physical wounds, the invisible scars of war significantly impact mental and emotional health.

With the generous support of the AFCFT, we are tackling the neglected issue of conflict-related genital injuries through pioneering, collaborative research. Our goal is to create tailored psychological support tools to meet the unique challenges faced by Veterans with genital scarring.

Together, we are committed to improving the wellbeing of Veterans and supporting their journey towards healing, recovery and fulfilment.”

Igniting Futures – Careers and Entrepreneurship for Young People

As part of Month of the Military Child, we’re pleased to launch Igniting Futures – Careers and Entrepreneurship for Young People. If you’re 18-24 years old and part of a military family, why not work with one of our experienced career mentors to build your confidence and plan your working future?

Find out more here: https://ow.ly/wVG450RaVlA and contact our social value team on psv@pinnaclegroup.co.uk

Stress Awareness month - Togetherall

Ready to conquer stress and worry? This #StressAwarenessMonth, take charge of your mental well-being with @Togetherall's self-help course 'Managing Stress & Worry'. Join the empowering community and equip yourself with the tools to thrive. Let's turn stress into strength, together join today at togetherall.com

[the link to use is: https://account.v2.togetherall.com/register/uk-armed-forces]

Stress Awareness Week and Debt

Stress Awareness Month - support for Army Personnel

Defence Discount Big Saver Weekend

Defence Discount Big Saver Weekend starts tomorrow, Friday 5th April

Save up to 40% on the brands you love, including Debenhams, Samsung, Ninja and more!

What is the Big Saver Weekend?

Think Black Friday but in the spring! Our 4-day sale event will run from Friday 5th to Monday 8th April when our members will be able to access over 100 exclusive discounts with savings available of up to 40% across big-name brands.

Are you ready to save?

https://ow.ly/4HIy50QYLGp

Modernised Accommodation Offer - Service Chiefs Letter

Stress Awareness Month - Togetherall

Feeling the weight of stress? You're not alone. This #StressAwarenessMonth, take a step towards better #mentalhealth with @Togetherall. Join a supportive community where you can share, learn, and grow together. Your well-being matters - let's navigate this journey together. Join today at togetherall.com

Two Wrap Around Childcare Q&A session for families 18th and 30th April 2024

Have a question about Wraparound Childcare? Ask the team directly

Sign up now to join a Q&A session on WAC.

Have a question about the new process? Not sure if you are eligible? Are you registered but have a query? Unsure about Tax-Free Childcare?

Don’t miss your opportunity to speak directly with the WAC team.

Join one of the virtual Q&A sessions for Service personnel and their families to get your questions answered.

* Thursday 18 April at 11.30AM

* Tuesday 30 April at 10.30AM

Discover My Benefits: Discover benefits for you and your family – what’s new?

Discover My Benefits now gives a more accurate and tailored financial value for your Army Regular or Reservist total reward package.

Have you ever wondered how much extra you get in addition to your standard salary and, more importantly, what could be available to you and your family in the future? Or have you previously used Army ‘The Offer’ webpages to find this out? To see how you receive more than just pay, visit Discover My Benefits – with information on pensions, facilities, allowances, discounts and offers, to help with cost of living and the unique demands of military life and operations.

Chief of Defence People, Vice Admiral Phil Hally said: