Just one month after opening its services to anyone affected by military-connected bereavement, Scotty’s has welcomed 115 new people to its community and has received heartfelt gratitude from members of the Armed Forces community about the support that is now available to adults as well as children and young people.
Following Scotty’s announcing in September 2026 that it would now support the wider bereaved military community, a woman, whose father was killed while serving in Bosnia in 1994 when she was 5 years old, said:
“Unfortunately for me, when all the wonderful charities started being formed to help bereaved children, I had already aged out of help or interaction. But in 2026, this wonderful woman Nikki Scott has opened the doors to adult children and other adults affected by Armed Forces bereavement. What a wonderful charity Scotty’s is.”
A parent shared:
“Thank you. These changes will particularly help my 11-year-old son whose brother was killed in action this year.”
Another said:
“Opening this support up to adults has the potential to make an already incredible impact so much bigger. More people getting the help they need, more awareness of just how great the need is, and hopefully even more support behind Scotty’s to keep growing what you are doing.”
A parent whose son took his own life whilst serving joined the community and said she wished this service had been available at the time of his death.
The impact of the expanded services can already be seen in the people reaching out for help.
One serving member contacted Scotty’s within days of launch looking for bereavement information. They are now accessing listening ear calls, have been referred for bereavement counselling and have been given access to Scotty’s Learning, which is a free online learning platform, providing self-guided training designed to help people better understand and support those affected by military-connected bereavement. They have also been given Scotty’s Adult Resource Pack.
A parent of a child already supported by Scotty’s joined the adult community and is now receiving support in their own right too, including financial and housing support.
Another person contacted Scotty’s, initially for pension guidance but is now also receiving ongoing emotional support, financial guidance, housing advice and other support, which shows the value of a holistic service.
Scotty’s is really proud to help children, young people and adults to have confidence and clarity in navigating their entitlements (through Scotty’s START Programme), the chance to build social connections (SMILES Programme), the very best mental health and wellbeing support (SUPPORT Programme), and outstanding development opportunities (STRIDES Programme).
The team at Scotty’s is growing to meet the needs of the expanding community. Two people have recently joined the team to manage Scotty’s START Programme, which is where people go to when they first get in touch and are directed to the support that is right for them. Two new bereavement counsellors have also been recruited, meaning Scotty’s can provide more 1:1 support.
Scotty’s has always sent care packages to children and young people within the community to show they are being thought about at important times of the year. The charity has now sent its first care package to an adult to mark the anniversary of their loved one’s death. This is something adults that join the community can opt in or out of, but for some it can make a real difference.
Nikki Scott, Founder and CEO of Scotty’s, said:
“We’ve always listened carefully to the bereaved military community and shaped our support around what people tell us they need. Seeing so many people come forward in the first month confirms what we’ve believed for a long time, that there are many bereaved people in our community who need support.
“I’m incredibly proud that we can now be there for so many more people and I’ve been touched hearing stories from people who have reached out to Scotty’s. Not only are we supporting adults who previously couldn’t access our services, we’re also reaching and supporting more children and young people too, as we can now support children where the loved one may have been another member of their family other than their parent. Also, conversations with adults who join the community can sometimes lead to additional support for the whole family.”
The extension follows more than 16 years of listening to the bereaved military community and building an evidence-based understanding of how grief affects people throughout their lives. Scotty’s support is available regardless of rank, relationship, service branch or the circumstances of a death.
So far in 2026, Scotty’s has provided support to 848 children and young people and 122 adults. Scotty’s ambition is to empower a community of more than 25,000 bereaved people by 2035.
To find out more about Scotty’s or access support, visit www.scottys.org.uk, email welcome@scottys.org.uk or call 0800 092 8571.
