SHAPE: New Cosmos Exhibition at SparkOh! Now open.

 

Do you have an interest in the Cosmos or are you parent to a budding Astrologer, Astronaut or Star Gazer? This new exhibit at SparkOh! could be right up your street. This new exhibit opened on 19th October 2024 https://sparkoh.be/en/exposition/cosmos/

If the Solar System isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other scientific discoveries to be made at SparkOh! Explore 12,000m of interactive spaces and find out how science can be child’s play! 

Check out their Website for more information.

AWS Community Support Annual Report 2024

 

The Army Welfare service is proud to present the AWS Community Support Annual Report for 2024.  

This Report outlines some of the key achievements delivered and challenges faced by our team over the past year. It provides an overview of key areas of work, statistical information and also looks forward to the year ahead. It demonstrates the breadth and depth of the impact that the Community Support team have.​

20240903-Strategic_Plan_Annual_Report_2024.pdf

Stem Cell Donation: Sign up to save a life!

 

Every 20 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer.

SHAPE: Free Museums Sunday, 1st Sunday of Every Month

Wondering what to do this weekend? Why not take advantage of FREE Museums Sunday?

Did you know that a whole range of Museums in your area and indeed throughout Belgium participate in ‘Free Museums Sunday’?

If you are looking for something do on the 1st Sunday of any Month, why not check out the options Here. The perfect way to explore the local area on a shoestring!

BRUSSELS: Free Museums Sunday, First Sunday of every Month

Did you know that a whole range of Museums in your area and indeed throughout Belgium participate in ‘Free Museums Sunday’?

If you are looking for something do on the 1st Sunday of any Month, why not check out the options on FREE Museums Sunday. The perfect way to explore the local area on a shoestring!

There’s more though, these are the Always FREE Museums no matter the day of the Month. But it is worth checking the opening days and times to avoid disappointment.

Enjoy exploring Brussels and further afield!

Forces in Mind Trust Post-Service Employment Research Policy & Practice Summaries

 

New research and policy summaries focused on post-Service employment among ex-Service personnel and their partners.
These summaries form part of our commitment to ensuring evidence is at the heart of decision making for the benefit of ex-Service personnel and their families.
The summaries provide easy digestible access to up to date research evidence and an overview of current policy and service provision focused on post-Service employment among ex-Service personnel and their partners.
A robust methodology has been used to create these summaries meaning they are an accurate and trustworthy source of information which can used to inform and transform policy, practice, and future research priorities.

You can access the full summaries and two-page infographics here:

Research summary: https://www.fimt-rc.org/research/employment
Policy summary: https://www.fimt-rc.org/policy-and-practice/employment

Armed Forces in Policing Recruitment Event

Northamptonshire Police​ have planned the 2025 series of events called National Joining Forces – these are police recruitment events for all police organisations in England and Wales. They are designed to provide insight and understanding into police careers; the recruitment process and the structures in place to support candidates through the process. In particular the events highlights the qualities and skills veterans possess which are transferable into British policing.

​The events are advertised on Eventbrite and are as follows:

Tuesday 14th January 2025 from 1800 x 1900

Tuesday 15th April 2025 from 1800 x 1900

Tuesday 15th July 2025 from 1800 x 1900

​Friday 14th November 2025 from 1800 x 1900

These events are being hosted by Northamptonshire Police as a national recruitment event - regardless of the police area you live in or may be interested in joining.

Families Need Fathers: Online Support

The Charitable Organisation ‘Families Need Fathers’ have just created a new online support group for Armed Forces Personnel including veterans.

The charity is dedicated to helping parents separate better, for the sake of themselves and their children. The meetings are held on the last Thursday of each month. Anyone dealing with issues of family separation, can join this new support group on the following link:
Online (Armed Forces) | Families Need Fathers | Because Both Parents Matter (fnf.org.uk).

They are also offering courses free to serving military personnel and veterans, including:
* Coping with the grief of separation from your child.
* Learning key behavioural and communication skills with your ex-partner.
* Learning what your child may be thinking and feeling during periods of conflict.

For further information, please see the following link:
New courses and support | Families Need Fathers | Because Both Parents Matter (fnf.org.uk)

Eurostar SNAP Tickets are Back!

How’s this for a great start to the week? Eurostar SNAP Tickets are back!

This is the key to spontaneous travel; you choose a date, they pick your train and you get up to 50% off your ticket price!

For more information, click Here

Travel to Refuge Scheme: Free travel for those fleeing domestic abuse

 

Travel to Refuge is an umbrella scheme in which travel companies cover the cost of train or coach tickets for women, men and children escaping domestic abuse travelling to refuge accommodation. It’s made up of two schemes:

• Rail to Refuge, a joint initiative between Women’s Aid and the Rail Delivery Group, set up in April 2020, providing free rail travel for survivors of abuse.
• Road to Refuge, a joint initiative between Women’s Aid and National Express, set up in 2023, providing free coach travel for survivors of abuse.  

For more infomation please visit: Travel to Refuge

Reminder: Set up your eVisa Account

 

You can now set up your eVisa account. An eVisa is an online record of a your immigration permission in the UK, and any conditions which apply. It can be viewed by logging into the online ‘View and prove your immigration status’ service using your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account.

For more information on getting an eVisa, visit: ​​​www.gov.uk/get-access-evisa​

Flooding: DIO and Pinnacle have provided some handy information around flood proofing

It pays to be prepared!

https://www.pinnacleservicefamilies.co.uk/flood-preparedness/

A reminder about electric heater safety in the home from DIO/Pinnacle

 

SHAPE & BRUSSELS: Flu Vaccination Appointments for the over 50’s available now!

Contact the UK Medical Centre in SHAPE on +32 (0) 65 44 5824 to book your appointment.

UK Medical Centre is open: 

• Monday to Wednesday 08:00 - 17:00
• Thursday 08:00 - 12:30
• Friday 08:00 - 15:30

SHAPE: Who You Gonna Call?

Do you know who to call in an Emergency on SHAPE?

Natural instinct, especially if you are coming from the UK or a non-military environment, might be to call the international emergency services number (112). Whilst this is perfect if you are out and about in Belgium, should you need ANY of the emergency services whilst on SHAPE, you should call the International Military Police on 3333. They will call the Ambulance and escort them onto camp, meanwhile dispatching a first responder to your aide.

‼️ Remember, if on camp it’s 3333 for any fire, medical, accident or police emergency ‼️ 

Are you eligible for Pension Credit?

It is estimated that up to 880,000 households are missing out on Pension Credit, and it is worth, on average, £3,900 per year, providing additional benefits such as help with Council Tax and Housing Benefit and a free TV licence for those over 75.

In addition to Pension Credit, those who qualify could also receive Winter Fuel Payment and other support like help with housing costs, help with Council Tax and a free TV licence for those aged 75 and over.

Thanks to the Pension Credit backdating rules, it is possible to apply for Pension Credit and have the claim backdated by up to 3 months, (ticking the backdating box on the claim form). This means that the latest date to apply and still qualify for Winter Fuel Payment is 21st December 2024.

To note, Pension Credit can also provide extra support for heating costs such as The Warm Home Discount Scheme and Cold Weather Payments​.

Checking entitlement is easy with this on-line calculator: Pension Credit calculator - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)​

Introductory Flight Scholarship (IFS) and Junior Rank and Officer Pilot Scholarship Scheme (JROPSS) 2025 - applications invited from RAF Personnel

The following opportunity may be of interest to RAF staff within Tri-Service locations both UK-wide and worldwide

Applications from RAF Junior Ranks (JR) and Junior Officers (JO) are now invited for the IFS and JROPSS 2025. Generously funded by the RAF Charitable Trust (RAFCT), and delivered through selected RAF Flying Schools, the JROPSS is open to JR (Cpl and below) JO (Flt Lt and below) from the RAF Regular and RAF Reserve Services.

​Further details can be found here​

Full eligibility requirements and terms can be found at www.RAFSA.co.uk

Autumn Updates from Recruit For Spouses

Please click here​ to read the Autumn edition of The RFS Digest.

Further information has also been released regarding the launch of RFS's Foreign & Commonwealth programme, which is now open for applications. Updates can be found here​.

RAND Europe Research: Meeting the Needs of the RAF and RN/RM Family

 

RAND Europe is currently undertaking research to support the Royal Air Force (RAF) Benevolent Fund and Greenwich Hospital in understanding the current and future size, demographics and support needs of RAF and Royal Navy/Royal Marines (RN/RM) Service People, Veterans and Families.

We are recruiting participants!

As part of our research, we want to better understand the experiences of current and former RAF, RN and RM serving personnel and their families. We are intending to do this through interviews and surveys, focusing on:

• RAF, RN and RM families' experiences of military life, military-to-civilian transition and post-Service life.
• Issues/challenges former and current Service personnel and their families may be experiencing in relation to day-to-day living, health and wellbeing (including mental and emotional), education, housing, finance and employment.
• Experiences with accessing support and perspectives on how support to RAF, RN and RM families could be improved.

​Who is eligible to participate?

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust: Over £380K awarded to enhance Early Years provision for Service Families

 

Veterans ID Card accepted as Polling ID

The government has backed the armed forces community by allowing HM Armed Forces Veteran Cards to be used as Voter ID in forthcoming elections.

More information can be found here

Army HQ Welfare Matters Newsletter - Families Edition

Army HQ publishes the Welfare Matters newsletter quarterly, and this is shared internally with MOD staff and Army units. 

A new families version of the newsletter is now available, as it is recognised that Service family members may also be interested in the latest news updates, and will find the newsletter informative.  To view the newsletter, please click HERE

SHAPE Federal Police Watch Scheme

 Did you know that SHAPE Federal Police offer a Watch Scheme? 

If you are going to be away for an extended duration and would like them to drive by your home to ensure all is OK, please pop along to the Community Corridor to complete a ‘Police Watch Scheme Form’.

This is a brilliant service with Halloween coming up!

Defence Children Services: New information on school admissions and education to Service families

 

Defence Children Services and Education Advisory Team (UK) have released some new information for Service families. This includes guidance about key dates related to school admissions which are coming up; the first of these is October 31st for families who have a child due to start secondary school in September 2025. There are also leaflets explaining the support available from EAT (UK) and the Overseas Education and Supportability Team (OEST):​

Letter for families

Top Tips Information sheet with some FAQ

EAT(UK) leaflet

OEST leaflet

​DCS also has a new website with comprehensive information for Service families: www.dcs.school

Army Health Promotion: New Leaflet - An Individual's Guide to Mental Fitness

See An Individual’s Guide to Mental Fitness for stress management tips, ways to build good mental fitness, support and more.

HEADSPACE APP: Free Enrolment for Army Personnel & MOD Civilian Staff

Click to enlarge.

Please use your mod.gov.uk email address to sign up before downloading the App. 

Link to enrol: Headspace for Work

Protecting Grey Matter - Mental Health Support

 

Click to enlarge.

For more information on any of the resources within this poster, please contact your nearest HIVE or use the 'contact Army HIVE' facility on the right hand side menu of this Blog.

SHAPE: Parkrun/Parkwalk, every Saturday at 09:00

 

What a great way to start the weekend! Come along to walk, jog or run the 5km out and back route with a group of like minded people and then come for a coffee and cake at Rendez-Vous afterwards! If you don't fancy the walk or run, why not volunteer for one of the roles to support this fabulous FREE weekly event.

Meet behind the Conti Mess for 08:45.

If you want to record your timings, register on https://www.parkrun.com/. For more information email the team on shape@parkrun.com or join the Whatsapp group by scanning the QR code 
above.

Everyone Welcome!

The Military Children's Charity, Little Troopers, is celebrating ten years of it's 'Little Trooper of the Month' award scheme

  

Established in 2014 to recognise children of our British Armed Forces the charity has awarded medals to 120 children who have been especially brave and resilient in the face of adversity.

The Little Troopers winners are all children who have parents serving in the forces and understand first-hand how challenging life can be growing up with a serving parent. Many of the youngsters have experienced long periods of separation from their serving parent due to deployments and military exercises, as well as frequent house and school moves, on top of other challenging life circumstances at home.

Previous winners have included eight-year-old Rubi Smith from Scotland, who has permanent hearing loss in one ear and has amazed her family by continuing to compete in singing competitions; as well as three-year-old Austin Porter from Chippenham who copes with daily pain caused by chronic pancreatitis and has undergone surgery on several occasions while his Dad has been deployed overseas multiple times.

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust - apply now for the AF3 'Supporting Partners' programme

  

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (The Trust) are delighted to announce that the Supporting Partners programme is now accepting applications!

Charities, CICs, Armed Forces units and bases, and universities and colleges are invited to apply for grants of between £10,000 and £60,000 for projects which provide support for partners and spouses of serving personnel to reduce the challenges that Service life can sometimes present.

What is the Supporting Partners programme all about?

The Autumn Edition of Army&You magazine is out now!

  

To read this issue online, please go to:

https://issuu.com/armyandyoumag/docs/army_you_autumn_2024_issuu?fr=sN2E2NjY3ODEzODg​

There is also an article on page 56 covering HIVE's 40th Anniversary!

Research Participants Request - study into the effects of Impostor Phenomenon in Military Veterans

  

Imposter Phenomenon, commonly known as Imposter Syndrome, is a widely reported but hugely misunderstood mental health condition that affects the majority of the population and is suspected to affect Veterans in transition to civilian life, perhaps more than other groups; stopping veterans from integrating back into society and limiting their success in their new employment.

At Manchester Metropolitan University, we are studying Impostor Phenomenon and UK Veterans, and what might be done to limit its effects.

If you are a veteran, and you could spare a few minutes, please click on the link below to complete the online survey, and help us understand more about how to improve services and support for those in transition:

https://mmu.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9YMwSZetUtQ5v3U

Additionally, if you would be interested in a short interview to talk about how impostor phenomenon may have affected you as a veteran, please click on this link below to confidentially submit your details:

https://mmu.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5u0zvRjXphc1Nu6

This link is also available in the questionnaire.

Thank you for your time, and I hope that together we can make a real difference to our veteran community.

Please click here to read the Participant Information Sheet in full

The Poppy Factory - supporting Veterans and Military families towards employment

 

Veterans

• Find a new way forward after the Forces - employment support leaflet

• ​Register for support - Veterans Employment Services

Families

• Find a new way forward for your Forces Family - families service flyer

• Register for support - Families Employment Support

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) bulk recruitment in Wales

The following work coach vacancy (45 jobs available) is open from 03/10/2024 to 17/10/2024

Civil Service Jobs link:

Job Centre Work Coach - Universal Credit Job centre Work Coach (Executive Officer) - Wales (Ref: 715)

More information on DWP, the roles available and the application process can be found on the DWP EO Microsite

Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) - latest Civil Service job vacancies for Service Leavers, Veterans and Spouses/Partners

 

The following U.K. based vacancies are now open for applications under the GFiE Scheme:

GFIE- 403 CFCD Intervention, Ilford
Job Description
Closing date: 22 Oct 2024

​GFIE- 401 DRS Case Manager - Treforest Ty Taf, Pontypridd, Wales
Job Description
Closing date: 23 Oct 2024

GFIE-336 - AO Case Manager, Basildon
Job Description
Closing date: 11 Oct 2024

GFIE-338 - Clerk of Works (Facilities Management), Forest Research, Surrey
Job Description
Closing date: 14 Oct 2024

​GFiE roles are available specifically to people who served in the Armed Forces, or be in your resettlement period and due to leave the Armed Forces within a reasonable time frame or a Military Spouse/Partner (your current partner must still be serving or was discharged within the last 12 months).

To apply, please submit a completed EOI Form [insert Google Drive link] and an up to date CV to GFIE@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

For more information on the GFiE scheme please go to: A complete guide to GFiE – Veterans, Military Partners/Spouses and Service Leavers – Life Chances – Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) (blog.gov.uk)