Thirty-one new awards made for targeted work supporting Armed Forces communities

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (The Trust) is delighted to announce that they have awarded £2.9 million to targeted projects to deliver real change within Armed Forces communities under the Reaching and Supporting Armed Forces Communities programme.

The latest round of grants under this popular programme has supported 31 projects across the UK. Each project can last up to three years delivering significant changes and improvements in Armed Forces communities with hidden or compelling needs.

Helping those facing challenges

Scotty’s Little Soldiers have received £70,984 for their Standby project. This will address a gap in support bereaved Service children and young people; and help to make sure that they are sensitively supported in their education settings.

Founder, Nikki Scott said:

“Bereaved children from Armed Forces families can face a number of challenges during their education journey and at times such as analysing war themed poetry, learning about Remembrance and taking part in activities for Mother’s and Father’s Day. Due to their bereavement, these types of experiences can be extremely challenging and Standby will help ensure education providers are more informed about how best to support bereaved British Forces children and young people.”

Emotional and practical support for families

Adfam were awarded £66,6000 to deliver a support service for 36 family members of serving Armed Forces personnel with problematic alcohol and substance use. The service will consist of individual support sessions and moderated peer/group support sessions.

Adfam Chief Executive Vivienne Evans said:

“We are delighted to have received funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Trust, which enables us to extend our remote support service for the families of Veterans with a substance misuse problem to the families and friends of serving personnel. This service provides family members with six, one-to-one sessions of emotional and practical support, plus a peer support group, both of which help them deal with the impact of a loved one’s substance misuse.”

Improving life chances and emotional wellbeing

HMPs Veteran’s Successful Transitions will support Veterans currently serving sentences in Greater Manchester prisons. The project, which received an award of £100,000, will provide a full package of support in training, education, housing, financial guidance and mental wellbeing to both rebuild confidence and self-esteem and help Veterans achieve a successful transition back into the community on release.

Terry Morley, Operation Re-Org Veterans & Criminal Justice project lead, thanked the Trust for their support which will allow them to continue their work within prisons across Greater Manchester:

“This will allow us to continue to provide bespoke training packages to the Armed Forces Veterans and individual 1-1 support whilst serving their sentences and then once released. The team delivering the programme have many years of experience and knowledge both from the military and the prison service giving us the skills to help them succeed and avoid them reoffending and returning to prison.”

Enhancing physical and mental recovery

Climb 2 Recovery offer climbing courses to help with both physical and mental recovery of injured service personnel and Veterans. They have received £99,000 to optimise the recoveries of seriously wounded Service people and Veterans through a programme of progressive therapeutic adaptive climbing and mountaineering. Chief Executive Joe Winch explains:

“Climb 2 Recovery enhances the recoveries of seriously wounded, injured, sick and disabled service people and veterans, most of whom have completed at least 2-years of conventional clinical treatment and yet remain chronically and severely disabled by their adversity, through a year-round programme of climbing and mountaineering.

“The courses offered are carefully designed to support progression from no experience to independent lead climbing for even the most severely injured or disabled member. C2R also sponsors and mentors members through formal outdoor leadership qualifications, creating new vocations and providing a pathway back to employment or voluntary work.”

Find out more

The full list of awards made can be found on the Trust’s website www.covenantfund.org.uk

Interested in applying for this programme? Applications are currently being invited for the second round via the Trust’s website.

The Trust are looking for projects that are specific and targeted. This could include addressing hidden, compelling and complex needs, for specific and identified beneficiaries, in a meaningful way. Applications should be submitted by 13 November 2023.

Keep up to date with funding opportunities

For the latest updates and announcements on each of these Covenant Fund programmes, and any other funding opportunities the Trust has available throughout the year, sign up to their e-newsletter via their website www.covenantfund.org.uk