Armed Forces Pension Awareness Week – Understand Your Pension sessions, 9 to 13 Sept.

Invest in your future – understand your pension.

Please note that some of the following links require a Defence Gateway and/or MODnet account

Join Armed Forces Pension Awareness Week (AFPAW) sessions from 9 to 13 September.

The Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) is one of the most generous UK Pension Schemes across both private and public sectors, reflecting the critical value of our Armed Forces in keeping us safe at home and stronger abroad.

The income provided by the AFPS in retirement is significant and you do not have to contribute any of your salary to it. A Sergeant who serves for 22 years could expect to receive a pension income of around £12,000. In comparison, to achieve a broadly similar income to your Armed Forces Pension – based on commercially available estimates and 2024 values – you would need to pay in the region of £300,000 into a private pension.

Serve & Protect Financial Webinars and Episode 5 of the Smile and Save Podcast.

September Webinars;

Free financial webinars this September from Serve and Protect - don't miss out!

💷Managing the Cost of Living

💷Domestic Violence - The Financial Impact


💷Budgeting & Spending

💷Understanding Wills and LPAs

💷Boost Your Credit Score

💷What Lenders Look For

✍Register: https://sandpcu.co.uk/webinars


Episode 5 of the Smile and Save Podcast is here, brought to you by Serve and Protect’s Jon who shares learnings from his almost 37 years’ experience in the RAF. Discover some tips and things to think about when transitioning to civilian life Watch here: https://youtu.be/ET8BMaOHmeE?si=l1UuQPM-FZ_yZhg5

The Whispering Wind installation for those who have experienced pregnancy, baby or child loss.

Reservations for windmills for our Whispering Wind event in October (9th-15th Oct 2024 at the Defence Academy of the UK at Shrivenham), are still open, but not for long.

So if you or someone you know has experienced pregnancy, baby or child loss, and would like to honour their child's memory through our event, please send them our way. Reservation forms can be requested via DM or emailing dandelionmilfamilies@gmail.com

Windmills are free of charge to families, will be personalised and sent out to families once our Baby Loss Awareness Week event has come to a close.

Thank you to everyone who has sent us messages about their loved ones so far, your strength continues to amaze us and we feel honoured you have chosen to share their memory with us for this event. ​

Defence Children Services (DCS): Potential Delays for Education Advisory Team (UK) Responses.

Defence Children Services (DCS) have advised that there may be a delay in responses to enquiries, guidance requests and casework due to current staff shortages. A letter has been provided which explains further, and gives details on potential timelines for service delivery. To read the letter please click HERE.

For further information on DCS and EAT(UK) please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/defence-children-services-dcs ​

Aurora New Dawn & Mankind - Domestic Abuse recovery programmes.

As part of MOD's partnership with Aurora New Dawn, they are running a sexual violence recovery programme and an Athena domestic abuse programme for female Army and RN personnel and family members.

Find out more at Aurora Abuse in the Armed Forces | Support Service | Aurora New Dawn (aurorand.org.uk)​ Course details, including how to register, are in the documents at these links:

Sexual Violence Recovery Programme

Athena Domestic Abuse Course​

​ManKind have received funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust to run their ACORN Recovery Course for male personnel, family members and veterans.

Details, including how to register, are on the poster above (please click image to enlarge).

More information on Mankind is at: https://mankind.org.uk/​

HIVE's 40th anniversary celebrations.

This year, HIVE is celebrating its 40th Anniversary, and marking four decades of supporting the Service community. HIVE has come a long way since the first location in Hohne, Germany, was opened in 1984.

To start off the celebrations, a 40th Anniversary Launch Event was held in June at MOD Main Building in London. Army HIVE, RAF HIVE and Royal Navy Family & People Support (formerly RN HIVE) hosted guests from across the MOD and external stakeholders.

Soldier magazine - Army HIVE article 'Stuck on Camp'.

Click on image to enlarge

The August edition of Soldier Magazine features an article on HIVE's support to those staying behind on camp, either on 'rear party' or due to choosing to remain on camp for personal reasons. The article gives signposts and some suggestions to hopefully assist those in this situation, should they be needed.

To view the August edition, please click HERE, the HIVE article is on page ​28.

To find your nearest HIVE for more information or support, please go to www.army.mod.uk/hives or find us on Facebook, X or Instagram.

Army Cadet Summer Magazine 2024.

Army Cadets Summer Magazine is here.

In this issue we’re celebrating exped season with features that’ll have you ready for whatever your detachment or contingent commander has in store for you. With plenty of awesome stories covering DofE, Navigation, Sports and Music, there is something for everyone!

Families Continuous Attitude Survey (FamCAS) 2024 – the results are in.

Please click here to read this document online

Alternatively you can find this information online at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tri-service-families-continuous-attitude-survey-2024

Research participants request - Service spouses & partners.

Please click image to enlarge

This research project is student-led; it is not being carried on behalf of the MOD nor is it endorsed by the MOD.

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust launches Service women 'Seen & Heard' programme for 2024/25.

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) has launched Service women: Seen and Heard Programme under the Covenant Fund exciting three-year Funding Framework.

The Service women: Seen & Heard programme is now open for applications for one-year grants of up to £50,000 and two-year grants up to £100,000, for projects that aim to tackle issues enabling targeted support for serving women and giving access to support to which they can self-refer.

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust launches Hidden Voices programme for 2024/25.

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) has launched a further Covenant Fund programme under its exciting three-year Funding Framework.
The Hidden Voices programme is now open for applications for grants of up £20,000 for projects that will provide accessible mental health and wellbeing services for under-represented serving Armed Forces personnel, Reservists, Veteran and families.

Serve & Protect Credit Union - upcoming Webinars and 'Lunch & Learn' sessions starting in Sep 24.

From September, Serve & Protect Credit Union are launching 'Lunch and Learns' with the following topics:​

Managing the Cost of Living
Budgeting and Spending
Boosting your Credit Score
What Lenders are looking for

​The link to sign up for these, plus other webinars throughout July and August, can be found here: Webinars - Serve & Protect (serveandprotectcu.co.uk)

BFBS July update.

Click the following link to read this update - BFBS Update July 2024 | About BFBS

Service Family Accommodation (SFA) communications update.

SFA Townhall Events

Summer Safety Campaign - window restrictors

With the warmer weather and children off for the school holidays, it’s imperative you and your family stay safe this summer by following the current safety guidance on window restrictors.

We understand that it can get very warm, and you may want to open windows wide to let in a cool breeze, but there is a risk of children or vulnerable adults falling from open windows and being injured if restrictors are not engaged.

It is important to check whether your window restrictors are operating correctly. Please contact Pinnacle immediately on 0800 031 8628 if your restrictors are not working or your windows can be opened more than 100 mm when restrictors are engaged.


Service Family Accommodation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Togetherall - what support is available to the Service community?

You might be asking “What is @Togetherall?"

Let us shed light on it. Imagine an anonymous, caring community that's accessible 24/7, no matter where you are, with an array of tools & materials to elevate your well-being. Ready to embark on this journey? Togetherall is FREE for all UK military serving and veteran personnel and their families.

Join today and discover more at https://togetherall.com/en-gb/mental-health-support-for-all-uk-armed-forces-veterans/

Trust launches Armed Forces Covenant Fund domestic abuse programme for 2024/25.

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (The Trust) has launched a specialist and targeted funding programme to support people who have been affected by domestic abuse within the serving Armed Forces community.


The Free from Fear programme will award a small number of targeted grants to projects that can show how they will reduce the impact of, or support initiatives that will have a long-term effect in the prevention of, domestic abuse within serving Armed Forces communities.

Applications will need to give clear evidence of the need for their project and why they are confident that their approach will lead to sustainable long-term changes that will remain after the end of their project delivery.

Quest Magazine August Edition.

Please click here to access Quest magazine - August Edition.

Based overseas with young children? Find out if you can benefit from an expansion to funded childcare.

From September 2024 eligible families assigned overseas will have access to funded childcare hours for their children aged from 9 months old.

Defence have expanded the childcare offer for families assigned overseas with 9 months – 4-year-old children, to match the entitlement in England.