Akrotiri - Salt Lake Site welfare Coffee Morning

 

Akrotiri Library Opening Hours

 

Akrotiri Park Run - Santa Run

 

RAF Association Annual Santa Run

0750 registration, 0800 start.

Come along to the annual Santa Run (linked in with the Akrotiri parkrun )

Bring the families down to walk/run dressed as Santa!

Limited suits available to buy on the day or before, please contact me.

At the Chaplaincy Centre this Saturday

Akrotiri Santa's Grotto

 

Booking for the Christmas Grotto has arrived!

This year's Akrotiri Christmas Grotto is running between the 19th-21st December.

Please use the link below to book one session per family.

Akrotiri Wellness Walks

 

Akrotiri Letters to Santa

 

 Last Call for Letters to Santa! 

Ho ho ho! Make sure your Christmas wishes reach the North Pole in time! The official closing date for all letters to Santa is December 16th.

Akrotiri Library - Story Time

 

The Dual Accommodation Waiver (DAW) to be made permanent from 1 April 2026

From 1 April 2026, the Dual Accommodation Waiver (DAW) will become a permanent waiver for eligible Service personnel (SP) and outdated waivers based on marriage and age will be retired.

First introduced in March 2024 the DAW was designed to support home ownership and replace older SLA waivers. The DAW supports eligible SP to use Single Living Accommodation (SLA) free of charge, providing they maintain a separate home elsewhere in the UK.

Akrotiri Chritmas Grotto

 

Drumroll please from the Akrotiri Community Group….

Save the date for Akrotiri Christmas grotto 2025.

The letters and grotto are being run separately this year. More info to follow as the festive season approaches

Follow the Grotto page for more info and updates.

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1H6dyzWMLF/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Akrotiri Op Santa

 

 𝗢𝗽 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮 𝟮𝟱 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻! 
DATE: December 17th 2025

 Starting at 𝟭𝟱:𝟭𝟱, Santa and his trusty team of elves will be revving up the sleigh (…okay, it’s a truck, but don’t tell the reindeer) and beginning their magical journey through the Officers’ Estate, before zooming over to the OR's’ Estate at 𝟭𝟲:𝟭𝟱 to deliver gifts! 

If your little one has any 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, please make sure to fill out this link so our elves don’t accidentally hand out something from the naughty list:

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx...

Akrotiri Community Learning Program

 

Akrotiri Library - Christmas Story Time

Akrotiri - BFSWS Coffee morning

 

Forces Employment Charity awarded £25,000 to support young people from military families

The Forces Employment Charity has been awarded £25,000 by the Armed Forces Education Trust to expand support for young people from military families across the UK.

For more information please read here - Press release

 

Give Us Time: details of a late availability break from 22-26 Sept near Chichester

 

‘Give Us Time’ has got a last minute break available at the Chichester Lakeside Holiday park for 22 – 26 September. 

Dhekelia : DOYRMS visit

 The Duke of York Royal Military School is hosting a virtual Dukies Careers Advice Week for all military students across the overseas military bases during the week of 15-19 September.

Akrotiri Pool Timetable

 

DWP news update: Children to benefit from funded childcare

 

The Government has delivered its pledge to fund childcare for 30 hours a week – saving parents £7,500 a year per child. 

Take-up is expected to be over and above initial projections, with over half a million kids on track to be more school ready by age 5, giving every child the best start in life. 

DOYRMS - Visit to Dhekelia

 

Pinnacle Service Families: Virtual Outreach Day on 10 Sep 25

Pinnacle are inviting all Service Family Accommodation (SFA) residents to join our next Virtual Outreach Day on Wednesday 10th September 2025. This online event is a valuable opportunity for families to connect directly with our support teams via Microsoft Teams, from the comfort of their own homes. 

Whether families are dealing with a tricky repair, have questions about allocations, or simply want to better understand the services available to them, the outreach day is designed to provide tailored assistance and guidance. These sessions are part of Pinnacle’s broader initiative to ensure military families have multiple, accessible ways to get the support they need. 

Booking is now open and can be done easily here.  

 

Little Troopers Announces Free Autumn Weekend Online Workshops for Military Children

Little Troopers is delighted to announce a brand-new series of free weekend online workshops for the Autumn/Winter term, part of the charity’s popular All Together programme. Designed especially for children under ten from across the Armed Forces community, whether based in the UK or overseas, these online sessions bring military children together for fun, creativity, and connection.

The autumn line-up features an exciting mix of activities, including; Dance lessons, Live baking classes, Science experiments, Space adventures, Animal encounters and Art sessions.

The All Together programme was created to help military children feel connected, valued, and entertained, particularly during times of deployment or separation from a serving parent. These exclusive, funded events are a chance for young little troopers to try something new with other military children and enjoy a special activity at the weekend.

Workshop Dates:

20 Sept @ 11:00 – Devon Science

4 Oct @ 10:00 – Dinosaur Workshop

18 Oct @ 11:00 – The Brick People (LEGO)

29 Oct @ 11:00 – CookStars Baking

15 Nov @ 11:00 – Space Detectives (Blast Off)

29 Nov @ 10:00 – Art Base

13 Dec @ 11:00 – Zest Dance

Sessions take place on Saturday mornings, with limited spaces available each week. Places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Families can sign up here.

This year’s All Together online workshops are generously funded by the Henry Sale Foundation.

For more information about All Together and other Little Troopers initiatives supporting service children, visit www.littletroopers.net

SLS Welfare Coffee Morning - 17th September

 

Families Posted Overseas – have you nominated a Trusted Contact?

 

Military Coworking Network: Free Online Events

Come hang out with us online this Autumn!

We have a new online events schedule with lots of great events, including some evening ones to help build connections and have fun, even if you’re stuck in with the kids (or just want to snuggle up in your comfies at home!).

All totally free to attend and open to all military spouses and partners, and ranging from coworking to crafts, masterclasses and games night.

 

Check out the website: www.militarycoworking.uk/events and sign up now!

Click here for PDF Leaflet

Serve and Protect Credit Union: Fixed Saver Launched 1 Sept - Guaranteed return of 4% AER

 

Fixed-Rate Savings Account - Now Available

A quick update: a new issue of the fixed-rate savings account from Serve and Protect Credit Union is now available. This is part of the financial wellbeing benefits that Service personnel and MOD Civil Servants have access to as an employee.

• 4% AER fixed for 12 months (starting 1 October)

• No fees or surprises

This is simply for your awareness - it’s not a recommendation. Please take a look and decide if it’s right for you. The account is available to apply for until 28 September 2025 and you need to become a member first – which is free.

You can learn more here: https://sandpcu.co.uk/army-fs

Terms and eligibility criteria apply.

FAO RAF personnel and their family members: RAF Family Federation Awareness webinars

 

Want to know more about the RAF Families Federation?

Join upcoming webinars at 1500hrs on 1st and 4th Sept.

Register to attend by emailing: enquiries@raf-ff.org.uk

Milspo: FREE Business Launch Accelerator Course, Online from September

FREE MOD-funded, online business start-up course for spouses and partners of UK Regular and Reserve Armed Forces.

Want to turn your idea into a business that fits around this beautiful thing we call modern military life?

Then apply to join the Business Launch Accelerator Course.

Learn how to launch and grow a successful business around deployments, postings, childcare and all the unpredictability of UK Armed Forces life. It’s a course specifically created FOR military spouses BY military spouses, so flexibility is built in.

This 8-week online course is designed to take you from an initial idea to a full-fledged start-up business and provides a clear roadmap and the tools and support you need to succeed. Plus, you’ll get to know a group of other amazing military spouses and partners with similar goals.

It’s fully funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and the MOD, which means it’s completely free for those taking part.

Find out more and apply to join the next course which starts on 15 September 2025:
https://milspo.co.uk/course/

Board Game Club - Last Tuesday of the month at the Black Knight

 

Gov.uk Armed Forces Pensions Update: Pension Scams

Dhekelia Key Cinema listings - revised schedule

 Additional screening of Nobody 2, Thursday 04^th September.

2025 Army Families Federation questionnaire on Service pay

The Army Families Federation (AFF), Naval Families Federation (NFF) and RAF Families Federation (RAFFF) are jointly running a questionnaire to hear from Regular Service Personnel and their families about satisfaction with pay and personal financial circumstances over the past 12 months.

The responses will help to:

• Better understand the financial challenges faced by service families.

• Identify any trends or issues specific to each of the single services.

• Provide robust, evidence-based feedback to the MOD, the Armed Forces Pay Review Body, and other key stakeholders.

To take part in this questionnaire, which is open to serving personnel, spouses and partners, please click the link below.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AFF2025_Pay_Questionnaire

The questionnaire should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete and every response helps strengthen the evidence that family federations can present on behalf of families.

Career Transition Partnership Employment Fairs – remaining 2025 dates

To view all CTP employment events, and to register to attend an event, please visit: https://www.modctp.co.uk/home/list-events

Serve and Protect Credit Union – Aug & Sept Financial Education Webinars

Serve & Protect Credit Union have the following upcoming financial education webinars:

Topic: Before You Borrow: Key Things to Know

• Date: 28 August 2025
• Time: 1200 - 1245
• Register:  Before You Borrow: Key Things to Know | Serve and Protect Credit Union

GOV.UK: Updated guidance for Service personnel and their families on Early Years childcare and child welfare policies

The Gov.uk website has been updated today, with new information in the ‘Free Early Years Childcare entitlement for children aged 9 months to school starting age (including 15 or 30 hours’ free childcare)’ and ‘Overseas Nursery Authority (ONA)’ section.

To review the revised information please go to: Guidance for Service personnel and their families on child welfare policies

Department for Work and Pensions (including Jobcentre Plus) bank holiday arrangements for 25 August 2025

The Department for Work and Pensions (including Jobcentre Plus) office opening arrangements are different for the 25 August bank holiday.

England, Scotland and Wales:
On Monday 25 August offices and phone lines are closed.
To make sure people get their payment on a day when our offices are open, arrangements have been made to make some payments early.
If the expected payment date is Monday 25 August then benefits will be paid early on Friday 22 August.

If the expected payment date is not shown, customers will get their money on their usual payment date.  

Stop Loan Sharks: Summer Newsletter

Stop Loan Sharks have published their summer newsletter. This jam packed edition features the latest arrests, a video for school children, a new campaign encouraging partners to support victims in making the call, and much more.

Recruit for Spouses latest newsletter: Career Support Events and more!

The latest Recruit for Spouses newsletter has been published, and is available to read online at: Recruit for spouses

2025 Women’s International Defence Rugby Competition Today Launches At Sandhurst

BFBS to Broadcast as Official Media Partner

BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service) will deliver exclusive livestream coverage of the 2025 Women’s International Defence Rugby Competition (IDRC), bringing forces audiences around the world closer to the action.

Hosted in the UK by the British Army, the tournament today launched with an Opening Ceremony at the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Berkshire. Fixtures will take place over three weeks at venues across the UK, culminating in the final at Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester, on 3 September.