Swindon: Explore nature with these walking trails, maps and more

British Summer Time started this weekend, meaning the evenings get lighter which is a perfect excuse to get outside. Check out some of these fantastic walking routes in the Swindon area, including:

• Stanton Park (one-mile walk). A family-friendly stroll around the wonderful Stanton Park. It’s only a short walk but it packs in some lovely lakeside, woodland and countryside walking

• Barbury Castle (two walks of 1.25 miles and 8.5 miles). Plenty of history and lovely views on offer

• Lydiard Park (1.5-mile walk). It has a beautiful house, woodland, open grassy areas and a lake to enjoy. There is even a spot for a coffee afterwards at Lydiard Park Hotel and Conference Centre

• Coate Water (1.75-mile walk). Take a nice casual, circular walk around the lake at Coate Water Country Park

Swindon Travel Choices will also be launching three walking trails on 1 April, with a brand-new Pony Trail around Wroughton.

Information provided by Lyneham HIVE

South West: MoneyHelper SW - Family and Care finances

 

Big money decisions often need to be made when looking after family members, expecting a baby, or you’ve got family problems like illness, divorce, or bereavement.

MoneyHelper have got easy-to-understand guides to help you. MoneyHelper from the Government’s Money and Pensions Service exists to help anyone across the South West with free, independent, and impartial money and pensions guidance.

Please click here to read these guides online

Information provided by Colerne & Lyneham HIVE

Corsham: Meet Box Parish Council at Rudloe Community Centre - Thu 14 May

 

Annual Community Meeting - Thursday 14th May 2026 - drop-in from 4pm to 7:30pm, at the Rudloe Community Centre (near Corsham Broadwood School and close to Rudloe SFA).

• Meet your neighbours and councillors.
• Let us know your ideas for the Rudloe Green Spaces.
• Discover groups and volunteering opportunities.
• Children's activities & refreshments provided.

Click here to visit the Box Parish Council website.

Information provided by Colerne HIVE

Gloucestershire: What's on in March & April in Gloucestershire

 

Please click the links below for a selection of local upcoming events and bookmark this page for any future updates! (Updated events may be added weekly and will show in bold text to indicate they are new)

Recruit for Spouses – Latest Newsletter with FREE support resources and upcoming events

The latest newsletter from Recruit for Spouses includes the following articles:

• Free counselling support for military personnel, veterans, and families
• Upcoming online events, such as Making Sense of Pensions: Support and Guidance for Military Families on 22 Apr, and Breaking Down Imposter Syndrome: Confidence Building Workshop on 7 May
• Information and a survey invitation regarding the Foreign & Commonwealth Programme

To view the newsletter in full, please go to: Recruit for Spouses Newsletter – Mar 26

Reading Force: Request your FREE books for Month of the Military Child

 

With Month of the Military Child just around the corner in April, Reading Force are encouraging families to sign up for their free books and resources, available to all Forces families, serving, veteran, reservist, or ex-serving (including those affected by bereavement, separation, or divorce), with children or grandchildren aged 0–18.

Find out more at: https://www.readingforce.org.uk/

DIO Families First Newsletter - Issue 36 Published

Click image to enlarge.

The latest issue of the Families First newsletter, featuring the latest Defence housing news and updates, is now available on the Defence Homes website.

DIO Service Family Accommodation (SFA) Communications Update - 27 March 2026

Let’s get building: MOD set to start construction on first military homes in a decade

Good homes will be placed at the heart of UK military family life as the MOD is set to begin the construction of 265 new military family houses at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, the first such development in almost a decade. Families living in the area will see a range of new, modern apartments, houses and bungalows begin to be built at Carterton near the air base in the coming weeks, once formal approval is received.

In addition to the building of the houses at Brize Norton, DIO will also be refurbishing another 2,000 homes across the UK in the next 12 months alone, building on the 1,250 worst-condition properties already brought up to standard. This work is a step towards widening access for families who have previously not been able to benefit from a military home, with 1,000 of the refurbished houses being brought back into use for military families. This is almost double the number of previously empty homes that were brought online for families over the previous 12 months.

To read more on this, see the Defence Homes article here.

Message for Service families

We know many of you, especially those in long term relationships or with childcare responsibilities for more than 80 nights a year have been waiting a long time for clearer information about widening access to Defence housing. Thank you for your patience.

We understand how important it is for families to have clarity about their housing options, especially when it comes to making decisions about work, schooling, and other aspects of family life. This remains a priority for Defence, and we are continuing to develop the detail. The final approach will be shaped by the wider Defence Investment Plan, which will set out how Defence will spend its money over the coming years to deliver the priorities of the Strategic Defence Review, including equipment, housing, infrastructure and people. We will share further information as soon as we are able to provide clear and dependable guidance on what widening access will mean for you and your family and how it will work.

To read the full message, click here.

Updated security advice for families living in SFA

Anchoring & Military Minds Spring Newsletter 2026

The Anchoring & Military Minds Spring Newsletter is now available. It’s packed with updates, upcoming events, family‑friendly activities, and information on the support available to serving personnel and military families.

Anchoring & Military Minds offers free, confidential support to anyone connected to the Armed Forces community. Whether it’s guidance around mental health, family wellbeing, navigating services, or simply needing a chat—please feel free to get in touch or pass their details on to someone who may benefit.

To read the newsletter in full, please CLICK HERE

To find out more, please visit https://www.solentmind.org.uk/support-for-you/our-services/military-minds/

Military Connected Children and Young People – Survey invitation: Our Health, Our Community, Our Voice

We need your help! We're asking children and young people from military families to answer some questions and we'd really love to hear from you!

What is it all about? We want to find out what life is like for children who have a parent or guardian in the military. We're asking questions about your home, your school, your friends, and how you feel. This helps us understand what's great about military life, and where young people might need more support.

What are Social Determinants of Health? These are just the things around you that can affect how healthy and happy you feel, like where you live, who you spend time with, whether you feel safe, and whether you can get help when you need it.

What will I need to do? You'll be asked to fill in an online survey. It's not a test and there are no right or wrong answers! It will take about 10–15 minutes and you can do it at home or at school.

Everything you say is private. Your name won't be shared with anyone.

Why should I do it?

• Because your opinion really matters!
• To help other children in military families get better support
• Hundreds of young people all over the UK are doing it too and you'll be part of something really important

Please use the relevant QR to your age group in the poster attached. Or follow the links below to the survey:

Age 8-11 – Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management

Age 12-15 – Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management

Age 16-18 - Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management