Colchester: Find Your Active with Active Essex

Being active releases chemicals in your brain that make you feel good - boosting your self-esteem, helping you concentrate and feel better.
@ActiveEssex #FindYourActive highlights all the ways you can get moving to benefit not only your mental but physical wellbeing as well.

To find our more click here.

Information provided by Colchester HIVE

Colchester: Home-Start Essex: You can refer yourself!

Start the process here

Information provided by Colchester HIVE

Looking for advice on how to save money on your energy bills?

Click here to visit the website for further details on how energy saving actions and more can add up to big savings.

Scotland: Unforgotten Forces, Veterans Guide to Later Life in Scotland

The 2023 edition of the popular Age Scotland Veterans Guide to Later Life in Scotland, the indispensable free guide for everyone aged 60+ in Scotland who has served in HM Armed Forces. 

The guide offers dedicated information and advice, and contacts for support services and organisations, on topics including health, hosing and money.

The guide can be viewed here

Information provided by Leuchars HIVE

Scotland: Latest issue of Unforgotten Forces magazine is out now

The latest issue of Unforgotten Forces magazine is out now. Inside you'll find an introduction to Fighting with Pride in Scotland, features on the experiences of older female veterans, and an in-depth look at support for older veterans in rural areas with stories from Legion Scotland, Combat Stress, FirstLight Trust for Veterans and Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Clubs.

We have a focus on support for independent living, including a spotlight on Blesma, The Limbless Veterans. 

We also report on how DMWS and Fares4Free are collaborating to offer escorted hospital journeys for veterans that need them

To read the latest edition click on image above 👆

Information provided by Leuchars HIVE

Managing Emergency Alerts on your phone to stay safe if you're experiencing domestic abuse

The government has rolled out it's new Emergency Alerts system following the test alert received in April.

These alerts will be used to let you know about emergency situations (like severe flooding) through your mobile phone. However, the alert will be accompanied by a loud sound even if your phone is on silent.

If you live with an abusive partner this could alert them to any secret or secondary phones that you may have. Here's how you can turn alerts off, both on Android phones and on iPhones: Managing Emergency Alerts on your phone to stay safe if you're experiencing domestic abuse - YouTube

If you’re afraid of your partner call the free 24 hours a day National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247, or live chat with them Monday-Friday, 3-10pm by going to nationaldahelpline.org.uk.

Op Courage - specialist care for Service Leavers, Reservists, Veterans and their families

Please click here to find out more about Op Courage

DIO: Update on FDIS performance

Update on FDIS performance

For updates on the action DIO is taking to improve the performance of the accommodation contracts, please go to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/defence-infrastructure-organisation-service-family-accommodation where you can subscribe for update notifications, or join the Service Family Accommodation on Defence Connect 

Planning for Move-ins, Move-Outs and Removals this Summer

Summer is always the busiest period of the year for housing allocations and removals activity. The last week in July and first week in August are particularly popular dates and are usually fully booked several months in advance. Whilst our suppliers will always attempt to meet families’ preferred Move-in, Move-out and removals dates, it may not always be possible to achieve this against the significant volume of requests received. This is because the removals industry is still experiencing staff shortages. To help us manage this particularly busy time and to ensure families’ needs are met: 

• We would be grateful if families only request services during this period if they are unable to move at any other time.

 • Where circumstances allow, please could accompanied personnel without children avoid planning for a move within the school summer holiday window.

 • Please ensure removals are booked via the Agility portal as soon as Assignment Orders are  received.

• Families do not need a confirmed delivery address to start this process but knowing the location will allow Agility to plan for the summer moves.

• Once families have been allocated SFA, please confirm availability for removals before booking a move in and out appointments...

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Forces families to benefit as dedicated fund returns

Forces families to benefit as dedicated fund returns

Projects supporting military families can bid for a share of funding as the latest round of the Armed Forces Families Fund opens for applications.

The Fund, which is administered on the MOD’s behalf by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, is available to organisations who want to launch projects that have a positive impact on the lives of military communities.

Applications for the 2023 fund can be made from Monday 3 April, with full details of eligibility criteria and how to apply available on the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust’s website.  The Families Fund welcomes applications for projects under three key programmes:

• Service Pupil Support Programme; a programme that awards grants to schools to help address additional challenges that children from Armed Forces families may face  
• Supporting Partners Innovation Fund; a programme that will fund innovative support for partners of those who are serving.   
• Early years Fund; a programme which will fund projects that help support young children from serving Armed Forces families to have great places to learn and develop.

The Armed Forces Families Fund was created to help implement parts of the UK Armed Forces Families Strategy following its launch in January 2022.

Last year’s round of funding supported 84 projects benefiting Armed Forces families, including a Safe Space and Support scheme for the 86 Service children attending Somerset’s Stanchester Academy.

The bespoke, supervised safe space is used as a meeting place, homework room, and dining area, as well as a location for an additional Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) to provide one-to-one tutoring.

The project also allowed the Academy to train a member of staff as a ‘Bounce Forward Armed Forces Resilience Champion’, providing resilience sessions and community events to improve the lives of Service children and their families.

Teacher Rebecca Hendry, who applied for the grant, said: “We have a high number of pupils that transfer to our secondary school in later years or midway through the year.

“Many of our students experience having a parent deployed or based elsewhere and away during the week.  By funding a specialist ELSA staff member and offering them extra tuition combined with a safe space, we can ensure that they have all the support needed to help them.”

Get involved

For full details about the Armed Forces Families Fund, including eligibility criteria for each programme, deadline dates and application guidance, visit the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust’s website.

Royal Wootton Bassett: Busy Toes at the Rugby/Football Club

 Information provided by Lyneham HIVE