Recruit for Spouses: Op SPOUSE and how RFS supports you

What is Op SPOUSE?

RFS gives the following overview:

“A nationwide initiative to strengthen Defence retention, readiness and resilience.

“Family dissatisfaction is the leading driver in the Armed Forces retention challenge – and supporting spouses more effectively is critical to improving outcomes across Defence.

“Op SPOUSE is the solution – it equips military spouses with the tools, opportunities, and support they need to thrive, helping to sustain family stability and long-term commitment to Service life.

“Delivered by RFS – the UK’s leading military families charity – this scalable initiative enhances existing MOD commitments to support Service families, and strengthens Defence outcomes by improving retention, readiness and cost-efficiency.”

Find out more at: https://www.recruitforspouses.co.uk/op-spouse

To find out more about the support available from Recruit for Spouses, please view/download the 'How RFS Supports You' brochure.

NHS England: Calling All Young Carers! Workshop dates for Dec 25 and Jan 26

To register for a workshop please email: ENGLAND.NHSTHINKCARER@NHS.NET

For more information about the support and resources available to young carers in the Service community, please contact Army HIVE on RC-Pers-HIVEComms-0Mailbox@mod.gov.uk, PM via our social media pages, or use our blog enquiry form (from the blog menu please go to: “If you need further information Please contact us: here.

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

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

Garrison Padre - Carl.Stokes103@mod.gov.uk Mobile 07971927485

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

Information provided by Bovington HIVE

Leuchars: Carers Drop-in with AWS next drop-in Thursday 11th December

click on image to enlarge

Contact jane.allen208@mod.gov.uk

Information provided by Leuchars

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

First Defence Finance: Resources from Safer Gambling Week

Last week marked Safer Gambling Week, and our colleagues at First Defence Finance (one of the three MOD-endorsed Credit Unions) have produced a booklet on this topic that can be viewed online at: 

👉 https://heyzine.com/flip-book/FDFGamblingSupport

Read on for further information:

Colerne: Welfare facilities booking request form - Colerne Station

 

The following facilities can currently be booked by scanning the QR code or clicking the link below:

• Welfare house / flat
• Community Centre
• Soft Play
• Noah's Ark family pass

Welfare facilities booking request form

(To check availability first, please check the Google calendar: Welfare facilities Google calendar)

Please note these facilities can be used by any Service Personnel or their family working on Colerne Station (21 Sigs, 13 Sigs, etc.) or living in SFA in Colerne

To find out more about Welfare's facilities, please click the link below to visit the Sway info page:

Colerne Station Welfare Sway info page

Information provided by Colerne HIVE

The Ripple Pond: Autumn Newsletter 2025

The Ripple Pond exists to ensure that everyone caring for a loved one who has a service attributable physical or psychological injury in the British Armed Forces Community is genuinely seen, heard, and supported.

To read this latest newsletter in full please click here: Autumn 2025 Newsletter

To find out more about the support offered by The Ripple Pond, please visit: https://www.theripplepond.org/

Give Us Time – Winter Update

 

The latest Give Us Time update has details of their ‘Give Us A Moment at Christmas’ opportunities, including tickets on the ‘Polar Express’, THREE new breaks in Scotland for next year, and the opportunity to raise some funds.

For more information please go to www.giveustime.org.uk

Wiltshire & Gloucestershire: Civilian mental health support services

Please find below for a selection of links for mental health support agencies in the Wiltshire, Swindon and Gloucestershire areas.

Wiltshire incl. Swindon

• NHS Talking Therapies in BaNES, Swindon & Wiltshire
• Alabare mental health support services in Wiltshire
  
• Wiltshire Mind
  
• Swindon (& Gloucestershire) Mind
• Wiltshire Children & Young People Emotional Wellbeing Service
• Wiltshire Council mental health support info
• Swindon Borough Council mental health support info

Gloucestershire

• Gloucestershire NHS Talking Therapies
• Connect and Offload support service
• Empowering Minds - Rethink Mental Illness support in Gloucestershire
  
• Gloucestershire (& Swindon) Mind
• On Your Mind support finder for 0-25 year olds
• Gloucestershire County Council mental health support info
  
• Other sources of support in Gloucestershire

Please note these lists are not exhaustive and other support services may be available

Information provided by Colerne and Lyneham HIVEs

Grantham: On camp 2 X AED'S to save lives. In the event of a heart attack/cardiac arrest

Can be accessed by untrained personnel as automated. Located at Guardroom & Gymnasium.

Information provided by Grantham HIVE

Hounds for Heroes - Autumn Newsletter

To view the Hounds for Heroes Autum newsletter, please go to: Autumn Newsletter - 2025

To find out more about the Hounds for Heroes mission and their work, please visit: Homepage | Hounds for Heroes

Grantham: Contact Welfare House

1 fully furnished 2 bedroom house which can be booked for family & friends.

Maximum sleep is 4 with a travel cot for 1 child.
Bedding provided.
No pets.
No smoking.

£30 per night.

The Contact House is available provided there are no emergency cases.
Emergency cases take priority which may result in immediate vacating.

For bookings and further information please contact the Unit Station Welfare on 07879119195.

Information provided by Grantham HIVE

Church Crookham: Army Welfare Service Volunteers to join a Committee.

 

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month – Types of Domestic Abuse

For information on sources of support and advice on domestic abuse, please see this topic area on the HIVE Blog at https://armyhiveinfo.blogspot.com/search/label/Domestic%20Abuse

Our information sheet on domestic abuse support can be downloaded at: https://armyhiveinfo.blogspot.com/search/label/Information%20Sheets

MODnet users can also find additional resources on the HIVE Sharepoint site at: Domestic Abuse

Welfare Matters Newsletter Family Edition – out now

Grantham: Coffee and a Natter at the Wellbeing Centre - Grief Share - Grief Support Group - NGAS

www.nationalbereavement.com

Information provided by Grantham HIVE 

Grantham: Lincolnshire Carers Service

 

www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/support-carers/request-support

Information provided by Grantham HIVE

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust: Six projects with one goal - to tackle domestic abuse in forces communities

Plus, a reminder of why the Free from Fear programme is so needed…

“In Defence, we are in a particularly vulnerable position to be abused by partners. Whether you are the serving half of the relationship or not, or if you both are, isolation from our support network due to posting and moving around is commonplace among our community. We experience different sets of challenges as part and parcel of military life.” – MOD victim-survivor

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) has funded another six projects under their Free from Fear programme, worth a total of more than three quarters of a million pounds, to further strengthen much-needed support to victim-survivors of domestic abuse in armed forces communities.

The military context

Those facing domestic abuse in armed forces communities often face additional challenges such as:

• economic dependence on the serving person
• isolation from wider family support due to posting locations
• non-UK partners of armed forces personnel being dependent on their partner for their immigration status
• perceptions around rank when raising concerns, or a worry that chain of command won’t support the victim-survivor.

The Free from Fear programme prioritises understanding of the military context, ensuring any additional challenges are considered.

What’s been funded?

The awards encompass many forms of support, including culturally sensitive support for Nepalese families of serving personnel; work to strengthen the local authority response to domestic abuse in serving communities; an online programme for armed forces men who’ve experienced abuse and even holistic work for perpetrators to change their behaviour.

Kent & Medway: Domestic Abuse Support

 

Trigger Warning: Domestic abuse can lead to a person feeling like there is no escape and having suicidal thoughts. 30% of suspected suicides in Kent and Medway have domestic abuse as a factor (@KentPolice).

Support services are there for anyone experiencing abuse and can provide practical and emotional support including refuge, safe accommodation, specialist programmes and 1-2-1 help.

Find help and resources:

Domestic Abuse (domesticabuseservices.org.uk)

Mental health - Kent County Council

Every Mind Matters - Kent County Council

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub