The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust has awarded eight projects a share of over £650,000 under its Service Women: Seen & Heard programme, focusing on the specific needs of women in our armed forces.
As of April 2025, women represented 11.9% of the UK regular armed forces; however, many still describe it as a ‘man’s world’.
From ill-fitting uniform to availability of sanitary products; a lack of recognition of the role many servicewomen play as main caregiver to their family, to a lack of understanding of the symptoms of menopause. Applications to the Trust’s servicewomen-focused programme made it clear that change is needed.
Body talk
Working across the UK, the Defence General Practice Women’s Health Special Interest Group: Academic Department of Military General Practice, will create a series of short, animated educational clips on servicewomen’s health.
The clips will be designed for use in facilitated discussions across recruitment, training, service and leadership, covering topics such as menstruation, vulval health, urination, menopause, reproductive health and more. This work will support awareness and wellbeing, as well as contribute towards gender-informed leadership in military settings – a key theme of the Atherton inquiry.
Surg Lt Cdr Ruth Guest explains:
“Servicewomen tell us about struggling to manage periods on deployment, facing stigma around menopause, or not knowing where to seek support for female specific conditions. With this funding, we can turn lived experience into lasting educational tools that will improve confidence and wellbeing for serving women but also create meaningful discussions and culture change across Defence as a whole.”
Menopause support
At the other end of the spectrum, servicewomen are battling hot flushes in full uniform, suffering debilitating brain fog and facing issues with bone health, amongst other symptoms, due to menopause and perimenopause.
The Cornwall Rural Community Charity will co-design and deliver empowering health education and support for serving women experiencing menopause symptoms to enhance their wellbeing and support networks.
Their Service & Strength project confronts the fact that many servicewomen are managing severe symptoms in arduous environments with limited access to adequate healthcare such as Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).
Gemma Finnegan, Impact Lead explains:
“This vital initiative is designed to confront the profound and unique health challenges that servicewomen face, particularly during peri- and post-menopause. A pervasive culture of silence exists, where many servicewomen feel they cannot discuss their symptoms without it being perceived as a weakness or an inability to perform. This lack of support contributes to women leaving the armed forces at the peak of their careers.”
Safe to Serve
However, most of those who have been subject to bullying, discrimination or harassment don’t make a complaint (86%) with the main reasons being: not believing anything would be done; or believing that it might adversely affect their career.
SSAFA’s Safe to Serve project will offer one-to-one, confidential advice, practical and emotional support and advocacy for serving women facing these issues to tackle the culture of silence and stand by them with compassion.
Lynne Doherty, Director of Social Care Operations for SSAFA, explains:
“As seen in the media, recent reports have highlighted the challenges some women in the armed forces continue to face. SSAFA’s Seen & Heard project will ensure those women are believed, supported, and protected. Through accessible support – via phone, email, or WhatsApp – and a ‘no-wrong-door’ approach to referrals, we’ll reach more women in need. By amplifying their voices and using anonymous insights to influence policy, we’re helping to create safer, fairer environments for women serving in the armed forces.”
Seeking lasting change for good
Anna Wright, Chief Executive of the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, adds:
“As part of our commitment to supporting the wellbeing of women in the armed forces, we’re proud to be supporting work which addresses issues servicewomen tell us they are experiencing. We want to turn these lived experiences into lasting change for good, and I look forward to following the success of this latest round of awards.”
Find out more
A full list of awards is available on the Trust’s website www.covenantfund.org.uk
