Forces Pension Society Online Armed Forces Pension Update - 25 June 25

25 JUNE 12:30-13:30 - SAVE THE DATE!

The FPS will deliver an online Armed Forces Pensions update for Serving Personnel, Veterans and Dependants at 12:30 on Wednesday 25 June via MS Teams.

It will cover:

• The latest on the 2015 Remedy (McCloud) implementation.
• A reminder of how pension benefits are/were earned during service and the ages that deferred pensions are paid.
• When and how the pension benefits increase.
• How to obtain a pension forecasts whilst serving or as a Veteran.
• Dependants Benefits.
• When and how to claim a deferred pension.
• The benefits of membership of the Forces Pension Society.

For more information, click here.

Northern Ireland: myEarth NI, Family Friendly Website for events and resources relating to the Environment

myEarthNI are a hub for environmental action and education in Northern Ireland. 

Managed by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful and developed in collaboration with Northern Ireland Environment Link and the Education for Sustainable Development Forum, they aim to provide an online space that brings Northern Ireland's environment sector together to engage people in action, educate through resources and offer opportunities to become involved in making a difference.

For more details, please click here
 

Information provided by HIVE NI

Stafford: Station Coffee Morning in the MOD Stafford community centre/HIVE Wednesday's during term time 9.30 to 11.30

The venue for the Coffee morning is in the MoD Stafford Community Centre Maresfield Drive /HIVE. It is held every Wednesday morning during term time from 09.30 to 11.30, everyone is welcome including children. If you have any ideas of what you would like at the coffee mornings come along to the Community Centre and let Carrie and Dawn know and we will try to do our best to make it happen. If you would like to volunteer to help with the session speak to Dawn in the HIVE, any help would be most appreciated.

Information provided by Stafford HIVE

Hullavington: Friday coffee mornings on camp at Buckley Barracks

 

All are welcome and soft play will be available for children.

Please click here to follow the 9 Regt RLC Welfare Facebook page for updates and information

Information provided by Colerne and Lyneham HIVEs

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust: Improved support for serving families facing separation challenges

The idea of not seeing your partner or parent for months at a time, often with limited contact, can be stressful and unsettling. But it’s a common experience for many armed forces families.

Deployment, training and exercises make separation a fundamental part of service for many, but this can have a significant impact on family life. Being apart can cause loneliness and a sense of isolation – whether you’re ‘weekending’ and adjusting to a constantly changing family dynamic or dealing with long separations.

Re-opening today, The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (The Trust) devised their Apart, not Alone programme to tackle this issue head on, offering support for armed forces families facing time apart.

Building on the success of last year’s programme, this year the Trust are delivering support where and when it’s needed most - reflecting the changing nature of deployment, recognising the different types of separation and the sometimes very different challenges these can present.

Why are we running this programme?

Female Veterans' Transformation Programme

 

Question: What have Plymouth, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Cannock and Winchester got in common?

Answer: We will be in those locations next month with Agora Photography taking photographs of female veterans!

We are creating a toolkit to aid services who support female veterans. Additional funding has been sought from the Office for Veterans' Affairs & Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust to raise the profile of Female Veterans. Part of this funding will be spent on a photoshoot and we are touring the UK with Agora Photography

We want Female Veterans from the breadth of the UK to be involved in this photoshoot, regardless of age, rank, time served, ethnicity, religion, disability, socioeconomic background, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other characteristic. The more diverse the better!

To sign up for a photoshoot click this link: https://forms.office.com/e/SmuxuxW6EQ

To find out more here

Grantham: Wyndham Park

Check out Wyndham Park and all the latest news and what's on! 

Wyndham Park

 Information provided by Grantham HIVE

North Wiltshire: New ManDown support groups in Calne and Royal Wootton Bassett

 

Other groups are also available in and around North Wiltshire, including:

• Bath
• Devizes
• Melksham
• Trowbridge

Man Down UK is a non-profit Community Interest Company founded in Cornwall, dedicated to supporting men with mental health challenges.

We run informal, peer-led talking groups across the UK, providing a safe, judgment-free space for men to share their struggles and connect with others who understand.

By fostering open conversations, we aim to break the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and reduce the number of male suicides. Together, we can end the silence and save lives.

Click here to find out more about the local support groups

Information provided by Colerne & Lyneham HIVEs

Wiltshire: Free training - Skills Bootcamps

 

Please click image to enlarge

Skills Bootcamp in Agile and AI: Skills Bootcamp in Agile and AI - Bath Spa University Start date 7th July 2025

Skills Bootcamp in Agile and Scrum: Skills Bootcamp in Agile and Scrum Foundation (West Midlands) - Bath Spa University Start date 13th October 2025

The priority audience for these Skills Bootcamps are service leavers, veterans, and dependents. It is recommend that for service leavers they have 6 months or less to do. There are places open to non-service leavers too.

Others skills bootcamps include:

• Education and Early Years
• Constructions and Green Skills
• Logistics and Transport
• Leadership and Management
• Health and Social Care
• More Digital and AI courses

For details of the full course offer for this year, please click here

Information provided by Colerne & Lyneham HIVE

Brecon: Flying Start Childcare is expanding in Powys

 
Join Flying Start Community (BRECON) on Facebook for updates and information on what is happening in Brecon for families of children under 5.

Information provided by Wales HIVE Hub.