Northern Ireland: Balmoral Show - Wednesday 13th - Saturday 16th May

The Balmoral Show is Northern Ireland's largest agricultural event, taking place annually in May at Balmoral Park in Lisburn. It features a variety of activities, including livestock competitions, equestrian events, and family-friendly entertainment. 

The event showcases local produce, agriculture innovations, and is a significant celebration of rural life and farming culture in the region.

For more details, please click here

Information provided by HIVE NI

Motorfinity: April Newsletter

Motorfinity - April Update

Welcome to the April Motorfinity newsletter! We’re excited to bring you our latest updates, including a Working Well Community podcast with Dr Paige Chana, fresh vehicle insights, theme park competition and helpful new content. This month is all about supporting wellbeing, unlocking savings, and sharing value across your teams.

Clinical psychologist Dr Paige Chana offers powerful insights into supporting wellbeing in complex healthcare environments, showing how psychological approaches can benefit both patients and staff.

New Car Discount with Motorfinity
NHS staff, Armed Forces, Social Care, Emergency Services and Education staff can save thousands on a brand-new car through Motorfinity.

Watch here:
https://youtu.be/PMJHYD8KCUw?si=VfTKzic-BEFLRfLE

👉 We’d love your support—please feel free to share this with colleagues and teams who could benefit from these exclusive savings.

New Vehicle Review: Changan Deepal S07 UK
Explore our latest review of the Changan Deepal S07 and see how it performs on UK roads.

Watch here:
https://youtu.be/LoPebH2IIuE?si=7FEPqI-Qk6F9jf4B

Podcast Feature: Dr Paige Chana
As part of the Working Well Community and Motorfinity’s newly launched Full Tank Thinking podcast series, this conversation was recorded at the Health & Wellbeing at Work Event 2026. It explores NHS workforce pressures, systemic wellbeing, and how psychology can help shape healthier workplaces across sectors.

Topics include:

Defence Update: Armed Forces Families and Safeguarding Overseas Survey 2025 results published

The Armed Forces Families and Safeguarding (AFFS) team commissioned a survey aimed at Armed Forces families living overseas to better understand their lived experience and provide an evidence base to help review current policy processes and develop future policy. The survey was issued to Serving personnel including dual-Serving and spouses/partners assigned overseas.

To view the results of the survey, please go to this link: Armed Forces Families and Safeguarding Overseas Survey 2025 - GOV.UK

Defence Update: Helping our people understand the Armed Forces Covenant’s support and extension

Helping our people understand the Armed Forces Covenant’s support and extension

A grant of £370,000 has been awarded to drive awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant – helping more Service personnel and families to access support and understand how the Armed Forces Covenant Legal Duty extension, as part of the Armed Forces Bill, will directly benefit them.

The Army Families Federation (AFF) will receive the grant on behalf of the Tri-Service Families Federations, which includes the AFF, Naval Families Federation and the RAF Families Federation. Together, they will develop the Covenant Awareness Programme, coordinating efforts with other relevant organisations.

Funded for two years by the Ministry of Defence’s Armed Forces Families Fund, the Covenant Awareness Programme will:

• Significantly improve awareness and understanding of the Armed Forces Covenant by creating and sharing resources and engaging with Service families.
• Enhance the well-being and resilience of Service families through better access to resources and support networks.
• Inform Service families of how the Armed Forces Covenant Legal Duty extension through the Armed Forces Bill – which is progressing through Parliament – will positively impact them.

What does extending the Armed Forces Covenant Legal Duty mean for the Service community?

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) bulk recruitment: 110 job vacancies across Southern England, closing date 29 Apr

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have 110 Executive Officer Work Coach opportunities across the Southern England area. These may be of interest to Service leavers, veterans and Service community members looking at Civil Service roles.

Civil Service Jobs link with further information on the roles available, and application details: Universal Credit Job Centre - Work Coach - South England (Ref: 759)

Open for applications until 29/04/26.

Blandford: Garrison 'Little Buds' baby & toddler group

Information provided by Bovington HIVE

Blandford: Garrison pregnancy, maternity & new parent network session - Tues 28th April

 

Click on poster above to enlarge

Connecting expectant parents with experienced parents, plus educational talks on topics like breastfeeding, babies first aid etc.

Information provided by Bovington HIVE

Bovington: Garrison medical centre & local NHS doctors/dentists

Service Personnel only

The centre is open 

Mon, Tues & Thurs 0800 - 1630
Wed & Fri 0800-1230 

Closed weekends

Contact reception on 01929 403474

E-consult services 

Spouses/Partners & children

Register with NHS medical services in Wool village or Bere Regis (nr Bovington)

Wellbridge Practice. 

Meadow Lane, Wool BH20 6DR - 01929 462376
Website link: The Wellbridge Practice for opening times, contact details, booking appointments, joining the practice, prescriptions etc.  

Bere Regis Surgery.  

Manor Farm Road BH20 7HB - 01929 471268

Website link: Bere Regis Surgery for opening times, contact details, booking appointments, joining the practice, prescriptions etc.  

To find a dentist in the local area click HERE If you do not have a SFA address yet, use BH20 6JA  postcode to help refine your search area.  

Information provided by Bovington HIVE

Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner Statement, in respect to Coagh Inquest Appeal Ruling

 

Please see the statement below from Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner, David Johnstone in respect to yesterday's Coagh Inquest Appeal Ruling:

Yesterday's Appeal Court ruling by Lady Chief Justice Keegan, that a coroner was legally entitled to find a SAS soldier justified in shooting an unarmed IRA driver, as part of a collective terrorist threat to life, is to be welcomed. Lady Chief Justice Keegan said the SAS member ( Soldier B ) who opened fire, at an IRA terrorist attack in Coagh in 1991, had responded proportionately in a lethal situation, a fact already established at the initial inquest and an appeal.

This ruling also highlights the ongoing concerns that veterans have with the wider legacy process and some of the current proposals contained within the Troubles Bill. For many veterans, this ‘lawfare’, particularly through the coronial system, has become the punishment. Lady Chief Justice Keegan was clear in stating the grounds of this legal challenge were not the purpose of Judicial Reviews. In other words, this is a misuse of the legal system.

Millions of pounds of public money is being channelled into legal cases that lack any substance, consuming court time and prolonging hardship for veterans and their families who are more often than not, left in limbo for years.

I also welcome the public comments of the SAS Regimental Association and the retired Generals who understand, better than anyone, the challenging nature of operations like Coagh, where soldiers, sent by the UK Government, found themselves in combat situations facing armed terrorists.

As Veterans Commissioner, I will continue to advocate for a legacy process that ensures fairness for all. I will continue to highlight the ‘lawfare’ strategy being used, particularly through coroners inquests, that seeks to create a narrative of wholesale demonisation of those who served, the vast majority of whom did so, with huge restraint and professionalism.

Information provided by HIVE NI

Northern Ireland: North West 200 - 4th - 9th May

 

North West 200 is Ireland's largest outdoor sporting event, attracting huge crowds, as well as the biggest names in sport.

With nearly 100 years of racing history and home to the only mass start in road racing - there is truly No Where like the North West 200. 

For more details, please click here

Information provided by HIVE NI