Army HIVE Info: May 2025

May 30, 2025

Future Defence Housing questionnaire by the Families Federations, as part of the Defence Housing Strategy review

As part of the independent Defence Housing Strategy Review, the Families Federations are launching a questionnaire on Defence housing for the future.

They are looking for all Service Personnel of all ages, ranks, PstatCats and their families to complete this.

They are seeking views on current SFA, new builds and home ownership to help shape decisions on housing options for generations to come.

Click here to have your say online

You can also read the press release here

Innsworth: Community Hall activities

From Pilates and fitness groups to afterschool and holiday clubs.

From sports sessions and activities for young people to sessions for adults as well as active toddlers.

There's something for everyone at Innsworth Community Hall!

Click here to book online

Information provided by Lyneham HIVE

South Cerney: Monthly coffee mornings starting Wed 4 Jun

Information provided by Lyneham HIVE

Leconfield: AWS Junior Youth Club - Every Tuesday

Information provided by Leconfield HIVE

May 29, 2025

Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey 2025 results

The results from the Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey (AFCAS) 2025 have been published and are available here.

Medway Business Advice Service

Medway businesses connect with the Business Advice Service and get support to help businesses grow.

Medway has a diverse economy made up of more than 14,000 businesses.

The aim is to support business to deliver projects that can make Medway an economic powerhouse.

The Business Advice Service and local network offers impartial business advice to companies of all sizes and in all sectors. Designed to help guide local businesses to find solutions best suited to their own needs.

Resources include:

- Free business planning advice
- Help to access funding in the form of grants and loans
- Help finding the ideal Medway location for your business
- Support in recruiting staff and apprentices
- Advice on business start-up and licensing a business

Click HERE for more information.

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub

Chatham: Neighbourhood Watch - catching nuisance vehicles

With the warmer weather comes an increase in nuisance vehicles on our green spaces and off-road areas.

Neighbourhood Watch did a lot of work on off road vehicles last summer in the Chatham area and we found that the most effective and efficient way of dealing with this nuisance is to gather evidence, identify offenders and surprise them at their homes.

Often people will call us and tell us there are off road bikes with a limited description. What would really help us would be:

Any clear picture or videos of offenders (but don’t put yourself at any risk getting them)

Licence plate numbers (if vehicles have them)

Accompanying vehicles – often nuisance bikes travel to off road areas in vans or on trailers. Tell us the registrations of the accompanying vehicles!

Is it your neighbour? Are your neighbours or the family across the road always going out on these bikes but you don’t say as you don’t want to fall out with them?

Click HERE for more information.

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub

Surrey: NHS Surrey and Border Partnerships recovery college online courses

Our Recovery Colleges in Surrey and North East Hampshire are designed to support people in their recovery. They help people improve their health and wellbeing through courses on a range of mental and physical health problems.

The colleges are a partnership including voluntary, NHS and local authority organisations, and existing Recovery Colleges.

All courses are run by staff from the partnership organisations and are developed and delivered alongside our recovery coaches who all have lived experience of mental or physical illness, or are supporting someone with a mental or physical illness.

Click HERE for more information.

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub.

May 28, 2025

Serve + Protect Credit Union’s latest podcast about managing debt successfully

There are lots of times when borrowing money can be useful. However, managing your debt can sometimes become overwhelming.

The latest podcast episode from Serve and Protect Credit Union is full of useful information on managing your debt effectively and the support available if you are struggling.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/qtL02Yl2lV0?si=DJmTfo-KNo-G5euF

Amesbury: Family Hub - Critters Club - Amesbury Library - No booking required

Information provided by South West HIVE Hub

Tidworth: Family Hub - Critters Club - Tidworth Library - No booking required

Information provided by South West HIVE Hub

Tidworth: Family Hub - Puzzle & Play Club - Tidworth Library - No booking required

Information provided by South West HIVE Hub

Amesbury: Family Hub - Puzzle & Play Club -Amesbury Library - No booking required

Information provided by South West HIVE Hub

Help RBLI Lifeworks better understand the needs of the Armed Forces Community – please complete their short online questionnaire

RBLI is exploring how to best deliver its Lifeworks Families courses to meet the unique needs of our Armed Forces Community.

Your input is essential in helping us shape our employment skills training to be as effective and accessible as possible - https://forms.office.com/e/779uzXUBj0

Lifeworks is the employment support division of Royal British Legion Industries, a national charity supporting the Armed Forces. Its courses equip families with the tools necessary to pursue their desired careers outside the Armed Forces. https://rbli.co.uk/what-we-do/lifeworks/

Leconfield: AWS Messy Mits Session - Tuesdays

Information provided by Leconfield HIVE

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust: Supporting Partners Programme reopens for applications, closing date 12pm on 23rd July 2025

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust is pleased to announce that the Supporting Partners programme under the MOD’s Armed Forces Families Fund is now open and ready to welcome new applications!

Please click here to read all about the programme online

Scotland: Welcome to Scotland Guide updated for 2025

The Scottish Government Welcome to Scotland guide has now been updated for 2025.

Welcome to Scotland is a guide to support service personnel and their families upon their move to Scotland.

Due to the moving nature of service personnel and their families they can be transferred to different bases.

This guide gives key information on what to expect when moving to Scotland.

To read the guide in full click on image above 👆

Information provided by Leuchars HIVE

May 27, 2025

East Riding of Yorkshire: Support for those who Serve

Information provided by Leconfield HIVE

May 23, 2025

Wiltshire: Family Hub Wiltshire Council celebrates its first year!

Please click images to enlarge

Click here to follow Family Hub Wiltshire Council on Facebook

Alternatively click here to visit the website

Information provided by Colerne and Lyneham HIVE's

Colerne: Tuesday Tots starting w/c 2 Jun

Colerne's Wednesday Wrigglers group has now finished, and instead the AWS CDW Josh will be running a new group in the Community Centre called Tuesday Tots.

As well as the usual activities, the group will also have access to a breast feeding peer supporter volunteer who can support you on your breast feeding journey.

Information provided by Colerne HIVE

Colerne: New running club on the Colerne patch starting Mon 2 Jun

Please click the image to enlarge

Updates will be shared on the Colerne Military Spouses Facebook page

Information provided by Colerne HIVE

May 21, 2025

North Yorkshire & Humber: Forensic Nurse Advisor for Sexual Assualt (Military) - Emma

Information provided by North HIVE Hub

Beverley: Breastfeeding Support

Information provided by Leconfield HIVE

Leconfield: AWS Senior Youth Club - Monday Evenings

Information provided by Leconfield HIVE

May 20, 2025

Northern Ireland: Statement from Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner on OP VALOUR

NORTHERN IRELAND - OP VALOUR

Statement from Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner - David Johnstone - 15 May

I welcome the UK Government’s announcement of the new VALOUR service, supported by a £50 million investment over three years, in veteran services across the UK. This is a significant opportunity to strengthen support for our veteran community.

That said, I await further detail on the duration of this funding and how it will be allocated in practice. In Northern Ireland, it is important that any new support structures build upon and complement the existing, trusted networks of veteran-focused organisations and services, rather than duplicate or fragment the support already in place.

Defence update - Your Offer - recognising your service

What Defence is doing to improve Service life and information on support and opportunities for you and your family.

The substantial range of benefits and allowances available in your Armed Forces Offer recognises the unique demands of military life and individual needs, at home and abroad.

Pay is the most well-recognised aspect of the Offer, but the breadth and complexity of everything that’s included within the Armed Forces employee package means it can be difficult to navigate and understand.

That’s why work is underway to help simplify the way we talk about ‘Your Offer’ – with Discover My Benefits being the place to go to find out what’s covered, what it’s worth, where to find out more and what you need to do.

What is Discover My Benefits?

Do you have a right to register with an NHS dentist?

For answers and information click: Healthwatch

Information provided by Grantham HIVE

Service Family Accommodation (SFA) Communications Update from DIO, 16 May 25

Early adopters of new online platform HomeHub

DIO in collaboration with Pinnacle, Amey and VIVO, have invited a small group of Personnel and families as early adopters of HomeHub – a new online platform for households to easily manage repairs, appointments and their SFA in general.

Early adopters include representatives from all three services and a mix of ranks and locations – with the aim of gaining a broad representation of our SFA community and estate.

Those participating will be contacted in the coming days with instructions on how to take part. From this month until August, they will have access to an early version of HomeHub where they can feedback their honest thoughts and experiences through surveys.

For those families supporting the development of HomeHub as early adopters, your help in gathering feedback will be invaluable in helping us refine the portal into a seamless and user-friendly platform that really meets the needs of our families. A finalised version of HomeHub will be rolled out to all SFA this year.

Summer safety reminders:

Window restrictors

With the warmer weather and children soon off for the school holidays, it’s imperative you and your family stay safe this summer by following the current safety guidance on window restrictors.

We understand that it can get very warm, and you may want to open windows wide to let in a cool breeze, but there is a risk of children or vulnerable adults falling from open windows and being injured if restrictors are not engaged.

It is important to check whether your window restrictors are operating correctly. Please contact Pinnacle immediately on 0800 031 8628 if your restrictors are not working or your windows can be opened more than 100mm when restrictors are engaged.

Gas and electrical safety

Gas and electrical safety in SFA are a top priority for DIO, our industry partners and their sub-contractors. We regularly ensure appliances are safe and checks are carried out for gas every 12 months and electrics every 2 years.

There have been a few incidences recently where access has been blocked to a boiler flue or electrics have been adjusted – causing damage to the properties and a safety risk to families and neighbours.

To ensure everyone remains safe, it is vital we can access your home to carry out these inspections and you do not interfere, alter or obstruct any gas or electric appliances, in particular boiler flues.

Flues are designed to take in air and then dispel harmful fumes outside homes via a second duct. Any interference could cause the appliance to malfunction or prevent boiler emissions being discharged outside the home, resulting in a serious health risk to the household. The flues are checked annually as part of the Landlord Gas Safety Inspections (LGSI).

Before undertaking any DIY projects, you should seek approval by submitting an enhancement request to Pinnacle to ensure the proposed works are safe.

Understanding the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP)

Defence has created an informative and transparent leaflet called ‘welcoming our new neighbours’ to help you understand more about our eligible Afghan allies, who have been relocated into our communities and SFA under the UK’s safe and legal ARP.

The new resource is attached for ease and outlines:

Eligibility and the evidence-based migration process.
Defence’s duty to support our Afghan allies in need, who risked their lives working alongside British Armed Forces during the campaign in Afghanistan.
Answers to the most frequently asked questions and safety concerns of families.
How families can support their integration into the community.

Click on the image to open the leaflet

Improvements to the e-1132 form online system

Applying for your new SFA home can be both an exciting and daunting time. To make the process of applying easier, DIO will be updating the design of the e-1132 form today (Friday 16 May 2025) – making it simpler for you to navigate the online system and locate the information you need quickly.

On receipt of a new assignment order or if you are entitled to SFA, you must apply for your new home at your next duty station using the e-1132 form. You can access the online system here after logging into the Defence intranet.

May 17, 2025

Northern Ireland: Did you, a loved one, or someone you knew serve in the Ulster Defence Regiment?

Did You, A loved One, or Someone You Know Serve In The Ulster Defence Regiment?

Since 1972, the UDR Benevolent Fund has been dedicated to supporting former members, their widows/widowers, and their families in times of need.

They offer confidential and compassionate support when you need it most:

Financial advice and support
Healthcare support
Mental health care and support
Wellbeing support

To find out more about their services, please get in touch:

Call: 07720677838 or Email: udrbenfund@outlook.com

*Proof of service required

Please note caseworkers, whose knowledge and expertise are of the highest level, will deal with any issue sensitively and confidentially, however as part of a grant application process, personal information and supporting documentation will be required.

#UDRBenFund #KeepTheBenFundNumber

Information provided by HIVE NI