Hounds for Heroes: Christmas Appeal 2025 – 12 Days of Christmas

Hounds for Heroes launched their Christmas 2025 appeal on 1 Dec, and they say: “This year’s appeal celebrates the incredible journeys of our dogs in training — from playful puppies Minnie and Fletcher, to confident adolescents Cranwell and Blaze, and our advanced dogs Comet, Titan and Astra — all progressing toward becoming life-changing assistance dogs for injured and disabled members of the Armed Forces and Emergency Services.”

Further information and resources for the Christmas appeal are at:

12 Days of Christmas | Hounds for Heroes

Scotland: Poppy Scotland Centenary Calendar 2026

The 2026 Centenary Calendar is here! Featuring artwork created by pupils across Scotland, it’s a unique way to support our work. Order your copy today and enjoy a year of creativity on every page.

Get your copy: https://www.poppyscotland.org.uk/.../centenary-calendar...

Information provided by Leuchars HIVE

Kinloss: The Kinloss Military Wives Choir invite you to their Winter Concert Friday 5th December

click on image to enlarge

Information provided by Leuchars HIVE

Give Us Time - Welfare Update Winter 2025

St Athan: Collect your copy of the Aut/Win 2025 Edition of the Little Troopers Gazette from the Wales HIVE Hub, St Athan

Pick up your free copy of the Autumn / Winter 2025 edition of Little Troopers Gazette from the Wales HIVE Hub:

Wales HIVE Hub
2 Rook Close,
St Athan,
Vale of Glamorgan,
CF62 4NA

Contact:
Tel: 01446 798381
Email: RC-Pers-HIVE-WalesHub-0Mailbox@mod.gov.uk

To find out more about Little Troopers you can access their website here.

Information provided by Wales HIVE Hub.

SSAFA Gurkha Services

SSAFA's Gurkha Services are available to all serving and veteran members of the Brigade of Gurkhas, and their families. They provide local SSAFA volunteers with up to date information, awareness and translation services, to ensure the Gurkha community have the same support opportunities as any other member of the Armed Forces community.

They work collaboratively with other Gurkha specific organizations such as the Gurkha Welfare Trust, the Gurkha Brigade Association, the Army Welfare Service, Gurkha communities and others.

Click here for further information

Mission Motorsport October Newsletter

This edition of the newsletter covers the events from September and what’s coming up in October.

Highlights include:

• Mission Motorsport’s first Hypercar Invitational at Anglesey, combining community, recovery, and motorsport.
• Operations Manager Mark “Chalky” White winning the 2025 Armed Forces Race Challenge.
• The launch of fundraising and outreach initiatives including #YourRoR, the Biathlon of Foolishness, and ink-cartridge recycling.
• Upcoming events: Banter, Brews & Cars (15 Oct), Veterans @ Heritage (24 Oct), and the opening of Race of Remembrance 2025 entries.
• Other news and updates.

To read the full newsletter, view it on the Mission Motorsport website here.

Grantham: What is Lincolnshire Community and Voluntary Partnership?

 What is Lincolnshire Community and Voluntary Partnership?

A joint partnership comprising of Lincolnshire's two largest charity organisations to support the voluntary and community sector in Lincolnshire; helping people to achieve their personal and organisational goals, creating partnerships and building strong communities.

Together, we are creating a brighter future for our communities in Lincolnshire.

https://lincscvp.org.uk/

Information provided by Grantham HIVE

Hampshire: Home Start Hampshire in Rushmoor & Hart

At Home-Start Hampshire we run a range of family groups which are by referral only, third party or self-referral. The groups are supported by trained and experienced volunteers who will ensure you and your little one(s) are welcomed, feel safe and have a positive experience.

All of our groups provide a safe non-judgmental environment where families can make the first steps to regular social interaction and peer support.

To refer a family to one of our groups, or make a self-referral please complete and return a referral form, which can be found HERE

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub

Winchester - Home-Start Family Groups

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub

Aldershot: The Vine Centre

Based in Aldershot, Hampshire and supporting Rushmoor and the surrounding areas, we aim to support our community with their needs as and when they arise. The Vine Centre provides a broad range of services to the most disadvantaged members of our community and we seek to fulfil the basic needs of anyone who seeks our help.

Our mission is to serve the community, enabling individuals to move towards independence, make sustainable change in their lives, reduce social isolation and improve their quality of life by offering specialised support in a safe environment. We support adults and families that are socially isolated, long-term unemployed, homeless or poorly housed, suffering with mental health, addiction or learning difficulties. Often individuals will access more than one of our services - and they are always welcome to join anything we have on offer.

Click HERE for more information

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub

Hounds for Heroes: Supporting the Armed Forces with Life-Changing Assistance Dogs

Hounds for Heroes – Supporting the Armed Forces with Life-Changing Assistance Dogs

Every day, members of the UK Armed Forces and Emergency Services dedicate themselves to protecting others. At Hounds for Heroes, we believe that when illness or injury makes daily life more difficult for those who’ve served, they deserve steadfast support and a highly trained partner to help them on their journey.

We provide specially trained assistance dogs to those who have served in HM Armed Forces, no matter where, when, or for how long. Whether you served for days, weeks, months or years, you may be eligible. We also support those from the Emergency Services, including the Police, Fire, Ambulance, Coastguard and RNLI.

Our dogs are far more than companions. They are working dogs trained to assist with everyday tasks like opening doors, retrieving dropped items and building confidence in public settings. Just as importantly, they offer loyal companionship and emotional reassurance.

Each dog is carefully matched to their Partner based on individual needs, ensuring a truly life-changing relationship that supports both practical challenges and emotional wellbeing.

Who We Help

We welcome applications from anyone who:
Is a current or former member of HM Armed Forces or Emergency Services (Police, Fire, Ambulance, Coastguard or RNLI)
Is living with a physical disability caused by illness or injury
(this does not need to be directly related to your time in service)

We support a wide range of conditions that affect mobility and independence, including:
Spinal injuries
Limb loss or amputation
Stroke recovery
Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis
Serious illness or injury with lasting physical impact

We understand that the road to recovery and independence can be tough and the last thing we want is for cost to be a barrier. Where needed, Hounds for Heroes can cover the full working life of an assistance dog, including training, equipment, insurance and ongoing support. Each situation is assessed individually and we aim to remove as many barriers as possible.

If you or someone you support could benefit from an assistance dog, we’d love to hear from you. Welfare officers, medical staff and support teams are encouraged to signpost eligible individuals our way. We're here to help.

To learn more or to begin an application, visit: www.houndsforheroes.com or get in touch at: clientapplications@houndsforheroes.com.

Together, we can make a difference.

St Andrews: Families First are looking for volunteers, interested in getting involved?

Families First arecurrently looking for volunteers to support parents and carers, or to offer transport to sessions (or even both).

Whether you’re keen to meet new people, use your experience, or try something new, this could be a great fit for you (or someone you know).

Pop along to one of their info sessions on Monday 21st July to find out more, or get in touch - email vc@familiesfirststandrews.org.uk.

Information provided by Leuchars HIVE

South East: Army Benevolent Fund Support the Army's national charity

 

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub

Scotland: Vector24 providing vital transport support for the Armed Forces Community

Vector24 is a Scottish charity founded in 2016 that provides vital transport support and guidance for the Armed Forces Community, Merchant Navy, Seafarers, and their families across Scotland.

Vector24 goes beyond just transport; they offer compassionate, tailored assistance to ensure that no veteran or their family faces challenges alone. Each journey is customised to meet unique needs, from medical appointments to treatment plans and social isolation support.

They have recently launched 'The Extra Mile' project, funded by the Army Central Fund and the Veterans Foundation, which offers:

Transport for serving personnel to medical appointments

Family support and transport, especially during deployments

Qualified escorts for welfare assistance

Assistance with long-term treatment plans

Appointment attendance and rescheduling help


For booking inquiries, please contact Colleen, Engagement Support Officer, at 07821 679 643 or email colleen@vector24.co.uk. For operational matters, reach out to Leon, Operations Manager, at 07821 679 647.

Visit their website at www.vector24.co.uk for more information and check the attached booklet 👉 Vector24

Information provided by Leuchars HIVE

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust: Latest round of grants under The Armed Forces Families Fund - Early Years Programme

The Early Years programme is back for 2025 and we’re excited to share that applications are now open!

Part of the MOD’s Armed Forces Families Fund (AF3), The Early Years Programme will award grants between £5,000 and £80,000 towards projects that enable early childhood education and childcare settings to meet specific needs of young service children.

What’s the programme all about?

The Early Years programme is designed to help Armed Forces families access good quality early childhood education and childcare provision close to where they live or serve.

The programme is designed to address barriers that service families may experience in accessing good quality childcare for their preschool aged children and will support projects lasting up to two years that can meet one of the four outcomes:

• Expanded capacity in early years settings, allowing more service children to attend.
• Enhanced learning environments that better support the educational development of service children.
• Improved staff skills and knowledge through targeted training and professional development.
• Establishing collaborative networks and shared resources through clusters to effectively address the needs of service children.

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust - Reducing Veteran homelessness programme reopens for applications

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) has announced a new round of funding under the Reducing Veteran Homelessness (RVH) Programme in a bid to deliver further sustainable, supported housing options for veterans in need.

The Trust is delivering this important programme on behalf of the Office of Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) in support of the government’s ambition to end veteran homelessness and ensure veterans have access to the support they need, including housing.

Soldiers Arts Academy - free online workshops

 

The Soldiers' Arts Academy aims to provide a platform through which serving and veteran military personnel and their families can participate in the creative arts. Using their skills and experiences to create and engage audiences worldwide, the SAA strives to encourage excellence, engagement and inspiration in its members, as well as building a supportive and strong community.

Online workshops include art, signing, guitar lessons and poetry. All are free for military personnel, veterans and military families. Find out more at www.soldiersartsacademy.org

Grantham: Never battle alone - ssafa The Armed Forces Charity - "Requiring Backup"

www.ssafa.org.uk/lincolnshire

The Lincolnshire Branch of SSAFA, as part of the East Midlands Region, is the trial area for a new SSAFA brand campaign which seeks to increase the visibility of our organisation to potential beneficiaries, future volunteers and also funders. The campaign is entitled 'Requiring Backup' and the poster, which is now visible in Lincoln Central station, features a Lincolnshire Veteran who has been supported by SSAFA and of course the NHS, through a period of personal trauma as he transitioned from the military into civilian life.

Information provided by Grantham HIVE

 

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust - new awards to build sustainable and resilient support networks for Veterans

The Armed Forces Covenant Trust (the Trust) have awarded grants totalling almost £7 million under the Thrive Together Programme (previously known as VPPP) which will step up support for vulnerable Veterans.

Nine grants have been awarded to the current portfolio lead organisations, enabling them to realise their plans under the newly named Thrive Together programme, designed to increase support to vulnerable Veterans and their families throughout the UK and enable this support to become self-sustaining.

Following a consultation process undertaken between April-September 2024 and the development of strategic plans, the portfolios are now in the delivery phase of the programme before moving into a transition and sustaining phase for the final 6-9 months ending in March 2027.

A further award is expected to be made in December for programme delivery in Northern Ireland.