Scotty’s has appointed Armed Forces veteran and former lead of NHS England’s Op Community project in Hertfordshire, Ashlee Manning to lead the charity’s new START Programme, as it prepares to launch a new service later this year to help the bereaved military community navigate complex systems and access the support they are entitled to.
Ashlee joins Scotty’s as Head of START at a pivotal moment in its evolution as the charity prepares to expand its support beyond bereaved military children and young people to the wider bereaved military community. This next phase ensures that anyone affected by military-connected bereavement can access help when they need it. Children will remain at the heart of Scotty’s work, continuing to be supported through its established Scotty’s Little Soldiers service.
Ashlee brings extensive experience across healthcare, emergency services and Armed Forces community support. Most recently, she led NHS England’s pilot project, Op Community, developing a single point of contact for the Armed Forces community across Hertfordshire and West Essex, supporting veterans, families and carers while improving how professionals respond to their needs.
Her earlier career in the ambulance service and emergency care saw her supporting people through mental health crises, bereavement and safeguarding concerns. These frontline experiences shaped a trauma-informed, person-centred approach that will underpin her leadership of Scotty’s casework. As a veteran, she also brings lived experience of military life and a deep connection to the community.
Ashlee will lead the development and delivery of the START Programme, which will launch later this year as a single, expert point of contact for bereaved military families to give them confidence and clarity in navigating their entitlements.
The START Programme exists in response to a consistent challenge identified through Scotty’s casework: bereavement often creates a bureaucratic crisis at the moment families have the least capacity to manage it. For military families, this is compounded by complex systems, multiple agencies and high-stakes decisions around housing, income and pensions.
Rather than signposting, START provides active, relationship-based casework. Families will be supported by a dedicated caseworker who understands both bereavement and the military context, offering expert guidance, advocacy and sustained support. Crucially, families will not need to repeatedly tell their story or navigate services alone.
Alongside individual support, START will help identify systemic issues affecting bereaved military families, feeding into Scotty’s wider policy and influencing work to improve systems and reduce barriers nationally.
Ashlee said of joining Scotty’s as Head of START:
“As a veteran, joining Scotty’s feels deeply meaningful. It is more than a new role. It is an opportunity to reconnect with my community and contribute to something that genuinely matters. This role allows me to bring together the skills and insight I have gained from both my military and ambulance service careers.
“What drew me to Scotty’s is the compassion, the drive and the determination to ensure bereaved military families receive the support they deserve. The mission resonates with me on a personal and professional level, and I am incredibly excited to bring my experience, energy and commitment to help further that work.”
Carla Rose-Hardman, Head of Service at Scotty’s, said:
“Ashlee brings an exceptional combination of professional expertise and lived experience, alongside a deep understanding of the Armed Forces community. Her background in social prescribing and her experience developing a single point of contact model make her ideally placed to lead the START Programme.
“We know bereaved families are often required to navigate complex systems at a time when they are least able to do so. START is designed to change that, providing clarity, consistency and expert guidance when it is needed most.
As Scotty’s continues its transition to support the wider bereaved military community, strong leadership in casework is essential, and we are delighted to welcome Ashlee to the team.”
START sits alongside Scotty’s existing programmes: SMILES (the chance to build social connections), SUPPORT (mental health and wellbeing support) and STRIDES (outstanding development opportunities). Together these form an integrated model of support across the bereaved military community.
For over 15 years, Scotty’s has combined lived experience with professional expertise to support thousands of bereaved Forces family members. Its ambition is to empower a community of more than 25,000 bereaved people by 2035.
As part of this next phase, Scotty’s is currently recruiting for a Caseworker to join the START Programme and work alongside Ashlee. More information can be found here:
https://www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk/careers/caseworker-start-programme
