North Wiltshire & Gloucestershire: Unit Welfare and Community Support contact information

 

Please see the links below for the relevant contact details for your Unit:

Little Troopers: August Newsletter

To view the latest Little Troopers newsletter and updates, please go to: Fully-funded football workshops next week plus a summer catch up and looking forward to September

Recruit for Spouses: August Update

 To view the latest RFS newsletter and updates, please go to: Looking for a new job? Read this

Bovington: Garrison welfare team

The Welfare team aims to provide the best possible welfare advice to all soldiers and their families. The Welfare office is located by Costcutter food store on King George V Road, Bovington. 

• Unit Welfare Officer - Mr Adrian Ingham 
• Garrison Welfare Warrant Officer - WO2 Scott Forrester

Tel: Welfare Office 01929 402239 or 01929 402240

Email: CMC-BovLulSU-WELFARE-0Mailbox@mod.gov.uk 

In case of emergency - duty welfare mobile number 07971 577282

Please only contact the duty mobile number if it is an urgent welfare matter. 

Information provided by Bovington HIVE

Blandford: Garrison welfare support

The Welfare support teams and chaplaincy services offer support and advice to all Soldiers, Officers and families living or working on the Garrison

Should you require help and support or have a welfare issue please contact a member of your Welfare Team during normal working hours on:

Blandford Garrison Support Unit (BGSU)

Garrison Welfare Clerk - BlandfordGar-BGSU-WCSO Tel: 01258 481938

Garrison Welfare Warrant Officer - BLANDFORDGAR-BGSU-GWWO Tel: 01258 482694

Garrison Welfare Officer - BLANDFORDGAR-BGSU-GWO Tel: 01258 481936

BGSU Padre - Revd Carl Stokes 

Carl.Stokes103@mod.gov.uk

11 (RSS) Sig Regt Welfare Team

Unit Welfare Senior NCO - DSCIS-11SR-RHQ-Welfare NCO Tel: 01258 482619

Asst Unit Welfare Officer - DSCIS-11SR-RHQ-AUWO Tel: 01258 482902

Unit Welfare Officer - DSCIS-11SR-RHQ-UWO Tel: 01258 482901

11 Sigs Padre - Rev Caroline Rogers 

Caroline.Rogers118@mod.gov.uk 

Out of hours emergency contact the Guardroom on - 01258 482402.

Information provided by Bovington HIVE

Give Us Time - September 2026 update

 To find out more please go to www.giveustime.org.uk

Bovington: Citizens Advice sessions at Bovington HIVE every Thursday - Free advice & support

The mobile advice bus will be parked adjacent to the HIVE building (Corner of King George V Road & Swinton Avenue) Speak to advisors face to face.

Available to all Garrison personnel, spouses, partners, reserves, veterans, civil servants, MOD contractors and local civilian community. Confidentiality guaranteed.

Appointments are not necessary, just turn up. First come, first serve basis.

Information provided by Bovington HIVE

Little Troopers: Fully Funded Football Adventure Days - Liverpool, Bournemouth, Norwich, Lincoln & Bromley LAST CHANCE TO BOOK

Little Troopers are delighted to be bringing back their All Together Adventure Days for Summer 2026, thanks to the generous support of their sponsor Telent.

Designed especially for military children, these fully funded days out help children create lasting memories during the school holidays while having fun with others who understand the unique experiences of military life.

This year, Adventure Days will be football-themed, delivered in partnership with football club foundations across the country. As well as developing confidence and enjoying exciting activities, children will have the opportunity to meet others who share similar experiences of Armed Forces life.

For some military children, the school holidays can feel very different when a parent is deployed, away on exercise or working long periods away from home. These special events aim to bring families together, build friendships and create positive memories during times of separation.

Is your Little Trooper experiencing separation from a parent this summer?
If your child has a parent currently away from home due to military service, you can apply for one of the exclusive All Together Football Adventure Days.

A nationwide shared experience
Across the week of 24th–28th August 2026, military children will come together at football clubs across the UK for a special day of fun, connection and shared experiences.

To find out more and for links to register, please click here: Fully Funded Football Adventure Days - Liverpool, Bournemouth, Norwich, Lincoln & Bromley LAST CHANCE TO BOOK

Combat Stress online event: The role of Peer Support in veteran recovery - 23 Sept 26

Join the next Combat Stress Learning event on 23 Sept with Simon West, veteran and Lead Peer Support Coordinator, as he explores the power of Peer Support.

You will hear valuable insights and takeaway tips for how Peer Support could be relevant for you, a veteran you support, or a veteran you live with.

Suitable for professionals, organisations, family and friends alike.

To find about more about the webinar programme series, or to register, please go to: For Family and Friends – Combat Stress Learning

Mission Motorsport August Newsletter

This month, you can read about the new Mission Motorsport Supporter programme, their latest visits to the Nürburgring and Prodrive, Mission Motorsport Racemakers at the British Grand Prix, and much more.

You'll also find details of all upcoming events, with easy sign-up links, volunteering opportunities, and plenty of ways you can support the charity.

You can read the August newsletter online here:

Mission Motorsport Newsletter: August 2026 — MISSION MOTORSPORT.

Please note the Mission Motorsport office number is currently not working. Please email team@missionmotorsport.org to contact us. 

NAAFI Fund 2026: there’s a month left to submit your applications – closes 4th Sept

The NAAFI Fund portal is still open for applications.

Since their launch in 2020, they have supported 541 projects totalling £4,844,227.

Mark Your Calendars

• Two-month window: Applications opened on Wednesday 1st July and closes on Friday 4th September, meaning you have one more month to get your project ideas in.
• One-Stage Application: No complicated stages, just one straightforward application to complete.

Get Ready to Apply

You can find the link to apply on the Giving Back page: NAAFI | The NAAFI Fund, there is also some application guidance and FAQ’s to help with your submission, if you get stuck. If you have any questions, please send to funding@naafi.co.uk.

BFBS: July 2026 Update

Click image to enlarge.

To read the newsletter in full please go to: BFBS Update July 2026 | About BFBS

Nexus Project: Summer Newsletter

Nexus is a three-year project funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Trust. The project aims to improve support, resources and access to services for young carers within armed forces families.

Welcome to the summer edition of the Nexus newsletter, where you will find information about:

• Staff updates
• Youth Voice updates
• Young Carers Festival 2026
• Professionals network including: Nexus webinar series
• Project Closure: Resource and Training Needs
• New Resources
• Upcoming resources & Project Legacy
• Useful links

To read the newsletter in full please go to: Nexus Summer Newsletter 2026

Defence News Update: Service Prosecuting Authority - Independent and informed

Service Prosecuting Authority: Independent and informed

Nine months into the job, Director of Service Prosecutions, Mary Cowe reflects on her role and the work of the Service Prosecuting Authority within the Service Justice System.

I became the Director of Service Prosecutions in October 2025, attracted to a role where I feel I can make a real difference. The Service Prosecuting Authority (SPA) is small – with 48 members of staff, including 18 prosecutors – but its work has significant stature.

If the SPA is a new acronym for you, it is essentially the Armed Forces' equivalent of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) – dealing only with suspects subject to service law and service discipline.

What makes it distinct is that the SPA is part of a single deployable Service Justice System (SJS), operating at home and abroad, in peacetime and in wartime. Whether reporting an offence or being accused, Service personnel know their case will be treated in line with UK law – helping the government fulfil its obligations under international law. In some cases, we are the only means through which allegations can be tested and resolved overseas.

There is a view held by some that the SPA represents the Armed Forces 'marking its own homework'. We will always face scrutiny because the SPA is funded by the MOD and many of our prosecutors are in uniform. But we sit within the department for financial and operational reasons only. We prosecute for the Crown, just like the CPS, and our independence is well understood and respected within Defence.

I take that independence very seriously. As a civilian entirely independent from the chain of command, nobody – however senior, whether military or a Defence civil servant – can direct who or what I prosecute. I operate under the oversight of the Attorney General (the government's most senior law officer), not Defence Ministers – and my role is to ensure the SPA delivers impartial, high-quality decisions that withstand public scrutiny.

An informed approach
The work of the SPA supports operational effectiveness. Swiftly deciding whether to prosecute and bringing cases to Court Martial enables all involved – where appropriate – to return to supporting Defence, with as little time as possible spent in uncertainty.

Our prosecutors in uniform approach evidence from those who were at sea, deployed on operations, or serving in training establishments, with real-world experience of those environments.

Service context for offending often makes it more serious too, given the impact on operational effectiveness, unit cohesion, and public trust. There is a clear understanding within the SPA that protecting the reputation of our Armed Forces means identifying and prosecuting criminal behaviour – and never ignoring or downplaying it.

Speed to justice and low attrition
Specialist expertise, operational understanding and lower case volumes mean the SJS can progress cases more quickly than the civilian Criminal Justice System (CJS).

Victims of serious sexual offences in the SJS can typically expect their cases to be heard within around six months of charge. The Crown Court currently has around 80,000 outstanding cases, with some trials not listed until 2030 at the worst affected courts. The Court Martial has no backlog.

Victim withdrawals from the SJS are also very low. I believe this reflects well on the quality of support the Defence Serious Crime Command's Victim Witness Care Unit provides, with the same dedicated Victim Liaison Officer staying with each victim from start to finish. That is a level of support that independent inspectors said they would like to see available to all victims in the civilian system.

Recognised robust decision making

Fife: Fife Council free School meals and school clothing grant applications now open for 2026-2027

Applications for school clothing grants and free school meals are open for 2026-27.

We can provide free school meals and a school clothing grant if you are on a low income. The school clothing grant is £130 per child for primary school pupils and £160 per child for high school pupils.

Applications for the new school year (2026/2027) opened on 1 May 2026.

For more, and to find out if you qualify, visit www.fife.gov.uk/schoolbenefit

Information provided by Leuchars HIVE

Support resources, including during Block Leave: Stay Connected

The following guidance applies during both leave periods and working periods:

• Make time for people – Stay connected with family, friends and colleagues. Checking in on a friend, spending quality time with loved ones or reaching out to someone you have not spoken to for a while can make a real difference.

• Look out for yourself and others – Resilience is strengthened through connection, belonging and support. Encourage people to reach out when they need help and take the time to check in on those who may be spending leave alone.

Alongside the resources on the poster, for additional sources of support please also see the HIVE Health & Wellbeing information sheet, which can be downloaded HERE from a personal device.

Please contact HIVE if further information may assist.

MOD’s Families Hub is now in its second year – have you used it yet?

 

https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/families/

Give Us Time: Summer/Autumn update 2026 & last-minute France break

Give Us Time have published their latest welfare update, covering the remainder of the summer and autumn breaks.

They also have a last-minute break to France available 22 - 29 August. The gite sleeps up to 4 people, but is not pet friendly unfortunately.

Families will be required to cover the costs of their travel, food, entertainment etc, as well as taking their own bedding for the stay. Full details of the property are in the attached brochure. 

As always

- breaks are booked on a first come first served basis
- families must be signed up on the Give Us Time website to make a booking

Find out more at www.giveustime.org.uk

MOD Veterans Services: An overview of the support available to Service personnel, veterans and their family members

To find out more about the MOD Veterans Services support available to Service personnel, Service leavers, veterans - and their family members - please go to: Get help from Veterans Services - GOV.UK

Also, a reminder that there is now an online Veterans Services referral form in place, which can be used by the Chain of Command/internal MOD organisations, external stakeholders and for self-referrals: Make a referral to Veterans Services - GOV.UK

Cessation of the Service Police Confidential Crime Line

The Service Police Confidential Crimeline (0800 085 0658) has been permanently disconnected and will not be replaced. As a part of Defence switch to digital communications all analogue telephone lines in the host location, including the Confidential Crimeline, have been disconnected. HQ PM(A) have therefore decided to retire the Service Police Confidential Crimeline.

Crimes can still be reported through any of the following telephone helplines: