Wednesday, 23 July 2025
Akrotiri Chelona childrens fun day.
Get ready for a morning full of fun, games & smiles at Chelona in Akrotiri!
A cheerful kids fun leader will keep the little ones entertained with games, music, and laughter
Special guest: Stitch will be there to play, hug, and take photos!Meanwhile, parents can enjoy their coffee, drinks, and snacks 
Don’t miss this joyful morning at Chelona — a perfect mix of play and relaxation for the whole family!See you in just 3 days! 
Friday, 18 July 2025
Akrotiri- Turtlewatch Shop volunteers
Turtlewatch shop are looking for volunteers
If you have any spare time and fancy volunteering or for more information please contact
jackwilkins222@hotmail.com
You can pick what hours suit you best. The shop is currently open
Tuesday & Thursday 9-11am
Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Defence update - Simplifying overseas service finances
Defence’s new digital tools and updated allowances help you and your family navigate the financial aspects of overseas assignments – with greater confidence and less paperwork.
When serving overseas, you should be able to focus on your work and settling into your new location, without worrying about unexpected costs or navigating complex policies.
Financial stability and a clear understanding of what you and your family can receive are essential components to support operational effectiveness. That’s why Defence is freeing up valuable time and providing welcome reassurance, by simplifying allowance processes and providing tools that reduce admin.
These changes make the move to overseas life smoother for everyone, providing greater clarity and choice – whether you’re posted abroad or keeping a home across borders.
Defence update: Wraparound Childcare funding updates for autumn term 2025
Are you eligible to join the 9,000 Service families claiming up to £3,400, per child, per year, for their before and after school childcare costs?
What is Wraparound Childcare (WAC)?
The WAC scheme provides funding for up to 20 hours per week, per child, during term time, to eligible Service families with children aged 4 to 11 years old (4-16 years old if in receipt of disability allowances), who are in full-time education in school or being home educated. WAC funding is available to eligible working Service families in the UK, assigned overseas within the European Economic Area & Switzerland (EEA&S), assigned overseas and using Defence Children Services (DCS) before and after school childcare provision or assigned overseas unaccompanied with family remaining in an eligible location.
Since September 2022 WAC has provided funding for 12,500 Service children's before and after school childcare.
WAC funding does not provide childcare spaces, it is funding for costs incurred when eligible families pay for before and after school childcare.
Wraparound childcare is also known as ‘Out of School care’ in Wales and ‘School Age Childcare’ in Scotland.
Monday, 14 July 2025
Akrotiri Med Centre - Patient Participation Group
SAVE THE DATE- THURSDAY 17th July 
The next Akrotiri Medical Centre drop in Patient Participation Group will be held over coffee and cake at the Chaplaincy Centre on THURSDAY 17th July 1030-1200.If you are a Sqn / Group Rep or registered service user, why not pop down and see us.
* Let us know what we are doing well
* Let us know how we can improve services
* Help shape the future of the WSBA medical services
No appointment required, just pop in!
For further information or to have your say via our virtual (email) group please contact either Sqn Ldr Marsdunn, or FS Terri Fenton.
Akrotiri - UEFA Womens Euros 2025
BIG NIGHT at Chelona in Akrotiri! 
Sweden vs England 
Thursday 17 July 2025
Kick-off at 22:00Come early, grab the best seat and enjoy:
Ice-cold beer
Cocktails & drinks
Delicious food share plattersBring your friends, and feel the thrill together at Chelona in Akrotiri!
See you there! 
Thursday, 10 July 2025
Give Us Time: Orlando holiday opportunity - Autumn 2025
Give Us Time have a new opportunity for a two week break in Orlando in the autumn, which is live on their website at https://bookings.giveustime.org.uk/login
This is for up to four people in a town house on the Encantada Resort in Kissimmee, to the southwest of Orlando. The resort is close to Disney World and Sea World, and an hour’s drive to both of Florida’s beautiful coastlines.
The dates for this break are Saturday 20 September to Saturday 4 October – they are unable to request alternative dates, although families can choose to arrive a day later or leave a day earlier, depending on flights.
As always, breaks are accommodation only, so families will be required to cover the costs of travel, transfers, food, entertainment, etc – Give Us Time are unable to support with these costs.
Due to a number of cancellations on this break, Give Us Time advise that families will need to be sure they can have the time off and that they will need to supply confirmation of flight bookings.
For more information on Give Us Time, please go to: https://giveustime.org.uk/
Wednesday, 9 July 2025
NAAFI Fund Dives Deep to Support Injured Veterans and Service Personnel
The underwater world just got a whole lot more accessible and therapeutic, thanks to a generous £5,000 award from the NAAFI Fund to the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM)! This fantastic funding is already making waves, allowing RCDM to replace and procure essential sub-aqua diving equipment. This means their vital Diving courses can continue to benefit not only Tri-Service personnel but also provide ongoing assistance to incredible Diving with the Injured expeditions.
The recent trip to the Maldives was an undeniable success: injured veterans, finding much-needed therapy in the serene embrace of the ocean, experiencing the wonders of marine life. This unique form of rehabilitation offers a sense of weightlessness, freedom, and an incredible connection to nature that can be profoundly healing.
But it wasn’t just the veterans who benefited, Diving with the Injured are also supporting service personnel who had the invaluable opportunity to reflect and unwind after what has undoubtedly been a very challenging year. The calming influence of the underwater environment, coupled with the camaraderie of the expedition, provided a much-needed break and a chance to recharge.
To read NAAFI Fund’s Blog post in full, please go to: https://naafi.co.uk/project/making-a-splash/
To find out more about NAAFI Fund, please visit: https://naafi.co.uk/
Tuesday, 1 July 2025
It’s here: Global Mobility Allowance trial begins
It’s here: Global Mobility Allowance trial begins
From 1 July, eligible Service personnel are now invited to register for a new overseas allowance that offers an easier claims process and greater flexibility on spending.
Global Mobility Allowance (GMA) is being trialled as a new way to receive a financial contribution towards expenses that arise when you move to or from an overseas permanent assignment in:
· Brunei – 2 Royal Gurkha Rifles (2RGR) and Brunei Garrison Staff (incl. 667 Sqn, 5AAC) only
· USA – British Defence Staff US (BDSUS) administered locations only
· Kenya – British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) Garrison Staff only
· Europe/ Rest of World (RoW) – Global Support Organisation (GSO) administered locations only
The new Global Mobility Allowance Calculator (accessible via defnet or Defence Connect) gives a real-time, tailored estimate of the GMA allowance you will receive, and a comparison of GMA trial versus non-trial allowances.
The tool simplifies what would be a complex and time-consuming calculation process and enables you to make informed decisions about your assignment – including considerations on family support, cost of living and financial planning.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)