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New updates - February 2024

Unforgotten Forces News

Welcome to the February 2024 edition of Unforgotten Forces news for groups and services supporting older veterans and their families.

Veterans' Services Update

Veterans ‘anything but uninform’ says Commissioner

The Scottish Veterans Commissioner has called for more support for the ‘invisible’ members of the veteran community in her new report: ‘Community and Relationships – Anything But Uniform’. The report puts the spotlight on those whose voices are less often heard in the military community including women veterans, the LGBT+ community, families, the bereaved, and non-UK veterans.
Read the report
Read the Commissioner’s blog
Watch case study videos

Research report puts veterans needs in family context

The final report of the UK Veterans Family Study is now available. The study explored psychological health, wellbeing, and social support among UK veteran families. It found good wellbeing overall in veterans’ families and highlighted key risk factors and barriers to accessing services among more vulnerable families.
Read the report

Veterans invited to apply for HM Armed Forces Veteran Card

Veterans who left the UK Forces before December 2018 can now apply for a HM Armed Forces Veteran Card. The card will help veterans verify their status and make it easier to access support services.
Apply online
Apply by phone via Veterans UK Helpline 0808 1914 218

Action for LGBT+ veterans

The UK Government is encouraging LGBT+ veterans affected by the ‘gay ban’ in the Armed Forces prior to 2000 to apply for restorative measures following the Etherton Review.
How to apply

Meanwhile campaigners are pressing the UK Government to accelerate compensation for these veterans.
See BBC website story

The UK Government has now confirmed that it will fund a LGBT+ Armed Forces memorial and is inviting organisations to bid to oversee the memorial’s design and construction.
View webpage

The RAF Benevolent Fund has announced a new LGBTQ+ telephone friendship groups service. To find out more about this service email support@rafbf.org.uk.

Experiences of moral injury in UK military veterans

New research by Combat Stress and The King’s Centre for Military Health Research looks at experiences that could lead to moral injury and the impact that moral injury can have on veterans. Findings include that veterans who reported experiencing a morally injurious event were significantly more likely to meet the criteria for PTSD, depression, and anxiety than those who hadn’t.
Read the report

Unforgotten Forces Gathering 15th May - booking open soon

A reminder that our next Unforgotten Forces Gathering conference, for professionals and volunteers who support older veterans in Scotland, will be on Wednesday 15th May at the Norton Park conference centre in Edinburgh. We're busy finalising our programme and will include a booking link in the March issue of this bulletin.

Communities Round-Up

An action plan for dementia

The Scottish Government has launched a 2-year dementia strategy delivery plan. This follows publication last year of the 10-year strategy to ensure that every person living with dementia receives the care and support they deserve.
Read the plan
Read Age Scotland commentary

Poverty amongst older private tenants

A report by charity Independent Age has highlighted increasing levels of poverty amongst older private tenants.
Read the story

Events and Training

Thursday 14th March

Energy Matters workshop (Age Scotland)
10am-12pm. Online. Free. Details and booking.

Wednesday 20th March

Felting workshop (Veterans Tribe Scotland)
10.30am-1.30pm, Dyke, nr Brodie, Moray
Email. gerry.mcgregor@veteranstribescotland.co.uk

Thursday 21st March

Northeast Regional Forum Unforgotten Forces
2-3.30pm. Confirm attendance by email to veteransproject@agescotland.org.uk

Wednesday 15th May

Unforgotten Forces Gathering
One day conference. Edinburgh. Details and booking coming soon.

Thursday 20th June

North Region Forum Unforgotten Forces
2-3.30pm. To join the mailing list for the forum email veteransproject@agescotland.org.uk

Thursday 27th June

Northeast Regional Forum Unforgotten Forces
2-3.30pm. To join the mailing list for the forum email veteransproject@agescotland.org.uk

Thursday 27th June

Military Mind Symposium (Combat Stress)
9.30am-1pm. Online. Free.
This event will spotlight the latest cutting-edge developments in veterans’ mental health.
Details and booking

Thursday 24th October

North Region Forum Unforgotten Forces
2-3.30pm. To join the mailing list for the forum email veteransproject@agescotland.org.uk

Thursday 31st October

Northeast Regional Forum Unforgotten Forces
2-3.30pm. To join the mailing list for the forum email veteransproject@agescotland.org.uk


 

 

Funding

The Veterans’ Foundation

Grants for charities, community interest companies and other organisations delivering charitable activity to support those in need among serving armed forces personnel, veterans, operationally qualified seafarers, and their immediate families. The grants fund a wide variety of projects including those that reduce homelessness, increase employment, provide welfare and medical support, increase confidence and social integration, as well as reduce dependence on alcohol and drugs.
Details and application
Next deadline: 23rd April 2024 - for a decision in June 2024

January 2024 Update

Welcome to the first 2024 edition of Unforgotten Forces news for groups and services supporting older veterans and their families.

Veterans' Services Update

Our next Unforgotten Forces Gathering conference, for professionals and volunteers who support older veterans in Scotland, will be on Wednesday 15th May at the Norton Park conference centre in Edinburgh. Programme and booking information will be available soon and shared in this bulletin.

Erskine goes north and expands support for hearing loss

Erskine has announced plans to establish a veterans activity centre in Forres, Moray. CEO Ian Cumming said "We intend to transform the Victoria Hotel into a Veterans Activities Centre, in the mould of our flagship centre in the Erskine Veterans Village in Bishopton, Renfrewshire. Here, Veterans of all ages can benefit from learning new skills and hobbies, building new support networks, and staying active – with a hot meal, tea, coffee, and friendly banter always readily available. Read the story.

Erskine has also announced it will extend its support for veterans with mild to sever hearing loss and tinnitus over the next two years, visiting multiple veterans support locations across the central belt on a rolling basis. It will offer hearing screening, hearing aid maintenance and support; advice on useful equipment to improve everyday life; and support before and after hearing aids have been fitted. This programme is grant supported by The Veterans’ Foundation.

Addiction recovery arts and veterans

The UK-wide Addiction Recovery Arts Network has recently published a newsletter that focuses on Veterans’ projects. Read it here.

Black and minority ethnic veterans

The number of minority ethnic ex-Service in the UK Armed Forces is growing year on year. A report commissioned by Forces in Mind Trust has looked at what research says about their distinctive needs. Read the report.

Scottish Veterans Awards open for applications

The Scottish Veterans Awards are open to all Armed Forces Veterans, serving reservists and those organisations / companies that support the veterans’ community in Scotland. For 2024 a new Award ‘Veterans Group of the Year’ has been introduced. Closing date 23rd February 2024. Find out more here.

A lived experience network for the RAF family

The RAF Benevolent Fund has established a ‘Lived Experience Network’ to increase the inclusion of the RAF Family in its work. The network is a group of volunteers across the UK that the Fund will call upon for their insights as part of the RAF Family. Ways in which network members may be asked to help include completing surveys, joining focus groups and participating in a long-term working group for an internal project - all doable from home. To find out more email volunteering@rafbf.org.uk.

Communities Round-Up

Food and fuel vouchers

A new emergency energy and food voucher initiative to support Scotland's most vulnerable older people. Through the charity’s free national helpline, 0800 12 44 222, expert advisers will identify those most in need in order to provide crisis support. winter has been launched by Age Scotland in partnership with SGN. Find out more

New dementia training for groups and services

Age Scotland has added to its suite of dementia-focused training with new short courses on and ‘Planning and running dementia inclusive activities,’ ‘Becoming a dementia friendly community,’ and ‘young onset dementia.’ These online events will take place on the afternoons of 6th, 19th and 29th February. Details and booking.

Age Scotland has also published 2024 editions of its dementia advice guides, these covering ‘what is dementia’, ‘risk reduction’, ‘living well’, ‘caring for someone with early-stage dementia,’ and ‘dementia and the workplace.’ Read and request guides.

Events and Training

Tue 6 Feb

UK Veterans Family Study research findings event
9am-12pm, Leonardo Royal Hotel Haymarket, 1 Morrison Link, Edinburgh EH3 8DN

The UK Veterans Family Study has researched the health and wellbeing of veterans and their family members, looking at factors that support or challenge psychological health and wellbeing, and examining current and future support needs including access to support resources and barriers to care. This event will share findings from across the UK and highlight Scottish specific data. There will also be an opportunity to discuss recommendations from the research in terms of practical use, policy shaping, and future research needs.
To register email Dr Eric Spikol, e.spikol@qub.ac.uk, mentioning any allergies/intolerances or accessibility needs.

Wed 21 and Thu 22 Feb

Mental Health First Aid for the Armed Forces Community Course
Erskine Reid Macewan Activity Center, Bishopton
Some free places are available for this 2-day course, and expressions of interest are invited from those who support military veterans in Scotland such as the staff, caseworkers and volunteers of military charities and of Service and Regimental Associations.
Contact Glen MacDonald, glenmacdonaldmhfa.afc@outlook.com or tel. 07871 250654.

Thu 22 Feb

Understanding and supporting LBGT veterans’ workshop
12-1.30pm, online, free. Details and booking

Thu 29 Feb

An Introduction to Young Onset Dementia (Age Scotland)
10am-12pm, online, free. Details and booking

Mon 4 March

Dementia awareness workshop (Age Scotland)
10am-1pm, online. free. Details and booking

Thu 7 March

North Region Forum Unforgotten Forces
2-3.30pm. Confirm attendance by email to veteransproject@agescotland.org.uk

Thu 21 March

Northeast Regional Forum Unforgotten Forces
2-3.30pm. Confirm attendance by email to veteransproject@agescotland.org.uk

Wed 15 May

Unforgotten Forces Gathering
One day conference. Edinburgh. Details and booking coming soon.


 

 

Funding

The Veterans’ Foundation

Grants for charities, community interest companies and other organisations delivering charitable activity to support those in need among serving armed forces personnel, veterans, operationally qualified seafarers, and their immediate families. The grants fund a wide variety of projects including those that reduce homelessness, increase employment, provide welfare and medical support, increase confidence and social integration, as well as reduce dependence on alcohol and drugs.

Details and application

Next deadline: 23rd April 2024 - for a decision in June 2024

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