Member Directory

Charity Number: 1185047

65 Degrees North is a small, entirely volunteer run tri-service charity that exists to create opportunities for wounded, injured and sick serving personnel in recovery and veterans to take part in outdoor activities supporting ‘rehabilitation through adventure’.

Contact Information

http://www.65degreesnorth.org/
info@65degreesnorth.org
Walter Hunter & Co
24 Bridge Street
NEWPORT
NP20 4SF

Support Offered

65 Degrees North has been in existence since 2014 and has helped over 120 serving and veteran personnel from across the Armed Forces to achieve remarkable things. We provide opportunities for all to participate in activities that they thought were now beyond them. We create a safe psychological space where mutual respect, empathy and trust encourages our beneficiaries to embrace the outdoors alongside people with similar issues and experiences. All our instructors/facilitators are qualified to conduct these activities.

Charity Number: 1123316

Forces Family Support provides specialist support to members of the Armed Forces Community, including serving personnel, reservists, veterans and their families, carers, colleagues and friends, who are affected or bereaved by a loved one’s harmful use of alcohol, drugs, other substances or gambling.

Having a loved one harmfully using (or addicted to) substances or gambling causes anxiety, stress, fear, shame, helplessness, and isolation. The stigma of addiction often results in being marginalised, especially within Armed Forces communities. When added to the challenges of active military deployment or transitioning to civilian life, the situation can become unmanageable.

The services provided by Forces Family Support are designed to help affected others, in their
own right. Outside the Chain of Command, service users are given a safe, confidential and non judgemental space to speak openly, receive information, receive encouragement and explore coping strategies. This support enables service users to reduce their stress and anxiety, strengthen relationships and gain the confidence to focus on their own health and wellbeing.

Wider benefits for the Armed Forces might include improved retention of serving personnel or a reduced burden on military health and welfare services.

Forces Family Support operates under the auspices of Addiction Family Support, the leading UK registered charity supporting people affected or bereaved by a loved one’s addiction, bringing specialist military understanding and tailored support to those connected to the Armed Forces.

For more information visit https://forcesfamilysupport.org.uk or email us at info@forcesfamilysupport.org.uk

Support Offered

Our dedicated Helpline (0300 222 5747) is available 365 days a year and is staffed by trained volunteers and Family Support Workers.

Individuals can access support by calling the Helpline, after which they are referred to our specialist Forces Family Support service for one-to-one counselling, couples or group support. All therapeutic support is delivered and overseen by a
qualified and registered psychotherapist with extensive experience working with serving personnel, Army Welfare Officers, DCMH, and across military bases.

Service users can self-refer into Forces Family Support or be signposted by family, friends, colleagues, Welfare Units, Defence Medical Welfare, the NHS, or their GP. One to one and group support is provided remotely, using telephone, email, and video, allowing access for those based overseas as well as in the UK.

Charity Number: 1176596

Dedicated to supporting the serving men and women of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, and their families.

Contact Information

http://aggies.org.uk/
office@aggies.org.uk
Castaway House
311 Twyford Avenue
Portsmouth
PO2 8RN
02392 650505

Support Offered

Pastoral support to serving personnel and their families centred on Chaplaincy based ‘Havens’ situated on bases and Families Centres in SFA areas around the UK.

Storybook Waves provides the opportunity for service personnel who are deploying to record bedtime stories for their children.

Charity Number: 1148194
Company Number: 07930954

Allied Services Trust:

1. Provides unbiased education to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for possible future incapacity
2. Empowers people to make informed decisions about who might help them in the future with their financial and welfare matters
3. Offers a drafting service which is accessible and affordable
4. Offers an administration service to help those who are vulnerable and have no-one else to act on their behalf
5. Operates on a not for profit basis offering additional reduced fees for those on low income and experiencing financial hardship

Contact Information

http://www.alliedservicestrust.org/
enquiries@alliedservicestrust.org
The Granary
Newlands Manor Farm
Everton
SO41 0JH
01590 644073

Support Offered

Lasting Powers of Attorney
Attorneyship Administrations
Court of Protection Applications
Deputyship Administrations
Unbiased Education
Drafting Workshops
Mobile Clinics
Supports people Nationally

Academic Institution

Contact Information

http://anglia.ac.uk/vfi
Matt.fossey@anglia.ac.uk
Veterans & Families Institute
Anglia Ruskin University
Chelmsford Campus, Bishop Hall Lane,Chelmsford
CM1 1SQ

Support Offered

The Veteran & Families Institute Director, Matt Fossey has extensive expertise in the UK voluntary sector, including working with the mental health charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness as National Stakeholder Manager on the national anti-stigma campaign “Time to Change”. Matt is chair of the National Veterans Offender Working Group and is also a member of the DWP Veterans Working Group. Matt is a Senior Associate with the Centre for Mental Health and is also vice-chair of Healthwatch Essex. Matt has written widely including publications on veterans’ health and wellbeing, mental health and liaison psychiatry, including a number of key publications with economist Michael Parsonage.
Matt is supported by a host of academics researching issues related to veterans and their families including, Post Operational Stress Management, the effects of limb loss, Sexual Violence, Veterans in the Criminal Justice System, Spousal Employment and , Mental Health.

The Veterans Research Hub provides an accessible, contemporary and authoritative repository of UK and international research-related resources and literature on military veterans and their families, including transitions to civilian lives, that informs and stimulates research, policy development, improved service delivery and journalistic enquiry.”Work on the project began in autumn 2015, hosted within the Veterans & Families Institute (VFI), and will run to autumn 2017, by which time the Hub itself will be established.

Charity Number: 1191968

The Hub provides a Tri-Service Hub offering a safe environment with a single point of focus for Armed Forces Personnel, Service Leavers, Veterans and their families/dependents providing the best, timely, on-going, comprehensive and appropriate support/signposting through various diverse and trusted providers using a multi-disciplined approach of joined up working to achieve an optimised, efficient, person centred service to its users promoting high levels of engagement, increased confidence, resilience and well-being, self-efficacy and the facilitation of skills transfer for the individual back into the community.

The Hub researched ‘best practice’ by working with veterans and has obtained a reputation for focusing its outcomes on work and health related activities. Whereas other veteran charities focused on generic counselling and support services, The Hub focuses on working with veterans to stabilise their lives and then help them back into work, resulting in real job outcomes and improving their quality of life.

Contact Information

http://
info@armedforceshub.org
First Floor
6 Southernhay West
Exeter
EX1 1JG

Support Offered

The Hub Offer, Products and Services, Key Features and Benefits:

• City Centre Location, easy access in the heart of the Community.
• The model is both enabling and supportive, perceiving the wounded, injured and sick part of the veteran and service leaver’s community as an asset. Our activities are driven by our values which include Community, Peer Support, Voluntary Service, Professionalism, independence and inclusivity (service available to all eligible).
• It is not a military charity, therefore non-judgmental. We will treat all Veterans and Service Leavers with unconditional regard whatever their circumstances or experience.
• Complimentary service NOT a competitive one. A catalyst between organisations providing a common link but a single point of triage.
• Identifies critical issues and deals with them.
• Person-centred and solution focused speaking the same language as client group.
• Appointments are not time bound and clients are seen immediately.
• Not constrained by the ‘Form A’ process of other military charities, more flexible so can provide help immediately.
• Community focused (Local service with local connections and opportunities) with defined objective of transferring veteran’s and service leaver’s skills back into the Community i.e. Employment, Volunteering, Work Experience or other meaningful occupation.
• Offers ‘safe’ environment where clients are therefore happy to engage, re-instating a feeling of trust and self-worth.
• Bespoke employment and training information and advice.
• Bespoke personalized support, mentoring and coaching.
• Reduced isolation and increased integration with society/community through Peer Support and Volunteering.
• Access to advice and information surgeries.
• Quicker referral routes/access to specialist services – Help for Heroes, Veterans UK, SSAFA,
NHS Veterans Mental Health Services, op Courage, Combat Stress, RBL contact centre, for those currently serving, Service Leavers, Veterans and their families/Dependents, Assistance
with claims to DWP Benefits (JSA, ESA, PIP), Homelessness/Housing Advice, RFEA, Poppy
Factory, RAFA, Officer’s Association, Drug and Alcohol Services, War pensions & Armed Forces
Compensation Scheme (AFCS) advisor service – support with appeals.
• As a result of above reduced pressure on statutory services.
• Bespoke support for those leaving the Criminal Justice System or at risk of offending/re-offending working with The Police and NHS Liaison and Diversion Services.
• Partnership approach of “The Hub” – by working together with military services and charities, means that overall military based services are not duplicating support. Charities are working together to make sure that their services are not duplicated and can work directly with other military organisations.
• Closers connections – closer working results in closer connections and faster action for client. A wrap-around service is provided to the client in one location – resulting in less travel, less form filling, less referral appointments and a truly in-depth service that meets most of the client’s needs.

Charity Number: 1167682

The Armed Forces Education Trust is a charity working for children and young adults whose education has been compromised or put at risk as a result of parents’ past or current service in our Armed Forces. The grants we give make a difference to young lives, helping improve their educational opportunities or supporting special skills or talents.

Contact Information

http://armedforceseducation.org/
admin@armedforceseducation.org
PO Box 684
Farnham
GU9 1LP

Support Offered

The Armed Forces Education Trust target young people under the age of 25 who are, or were, dependents of serving members of the UK armed forces, who would not achieve their educational potential without extra financial support. We support those who fit these criteria who can demonstrate that they have been impacted or disadvantaged, or have financial difficulties, as a consequence of the service of the relative on whom they depend.

Charity Number: 1142135

The charity was formed in 2011 to provide our injured, wounded and sick service personnel and veterans support in their recovery journey through the medium of competitive Winter Sports. The opportunities we provide have allowed our Athletes the chance to redefine themselves and regain the spirit of challenge and competition. The Winter Sports environment transforms an Athletes drive and energy to overcome adversity, provides focus during difficult recovery journey’s and gives a sense of freedom that had once been lost.

Contact Information

http://www.afpst.co.uk
nordic@afpst.co.uk
RMA Sandhurst
Camberley
GU15 4PQ
07508 015053

Support Offered

1. To provide an opportunity for our wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans to grow, develop and perform at the highest level of competition in Para Winter Sports including; Nordic, Alpine and Snowboarding.
2. To provide an opportunity for our wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans that are unclassifiable, to grow, develop and perform at the highest level of competition as Coaches and Guides.
3. To inspire all to see what can be achieved through the correct support, guidance, coaching and opportunity for our Athletes to live their dreams and and fulfill their aspirations.

Charity Number: 249636

The AFCU’s objective is to extend the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in and through the Armed Forces by prayerfully: encouraging Christians in the Armed Forces to live out and develop their faith, act as salt and light, and encourage others to come to a committed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ: working for unity amongst Christians in the Armed Forces, and working alongside Military Christian Organisations in support of chaplains; supporting the Armed
Forces, providing Godly influence upon military culture; and exposing the role of Christians in the Armed Forces to the wider Christian and secular community.

Contact Information

https://www.afcu.org.uk/
office@afcu.org.uk
Unit 24
Shrivenham Hundred Business Park
Watchfield
SN6 8TZ
01793 783123

Support Offered

Support – we run a series of 13 week-long and weekend events throughout the year to support our members. These cover Christian support to serving personnel and their families. We provide pastoral support to Christian veterans in custody. We also support the MOD Service of Prayer held annually in London prior to Remembrance Sunday.

Expertise – we are practitioners of prayerful support for Christians in the Armed Forces. We are developing some non-clinical expertise in assisting sufferers of PTSD through prayer support to heal the spirit and alleviate mental pain.

Cooperation – We already collaborate with service chaplaincies, Aggie Weston’s and other faith networks. We are one of the organisations in the MOD Diversity and Inclusion Networks. We are listed as part of the Defence Employee Support Network in the Army publication ‘Widening Opportunities – A British Army Commander’s Guide to Employee Support Networks and attend associated meetings.

Charity Number: 1146420
Scottish Charity Number: SC039189

The Army Benevolent Fund is the Army’s national charity, here for soldiers, past and present, and their families for life.

We stand at the forefront of support for the Army family, last year supporting 65,000 people in 48 countries around the world. As one of the largest funders in the sector, we award grants to individuals and families, and fund leading organisations that support soldiers, former soldiers, and their families. When we hear of a person or family in need, we aim to respond within 48 hours.

Contact Information

http://www.armybenevolentfund.org
info@armybenevolentfund.org
Mountbarrow House
6-20 Elizabeth Street
London
SW1W 9RB
0207 901 8900

Support Offered

Financial assistance to relieve hardship:

Grants for living costs, emergency needs, debt relief

Provision of annuities and Educational Bursaries

Care home fees

Home adaptations

Furnishing and equipment

Mobility assistance

Funding Holiday breaks

Items 1 to 10 of 102
Our Executive Members

By @Cobseo 56 years ago

Afghanistan support

In light of recent events in Afghanistan, please find information and support resources here