Top stories

 MOD Announcement

The MOD greatly appreciates the public support towards deployed personnel but they ask, especially in the run up to Christmas, that the sending of goodwill parcels is limited to only close family and friends. Due to the public’s tremendous generosity these goodwill parcels, although gratefully received, can overwhelm the operational mail system causing delays in the delivery of personal mail. The MOD have dedicated a page on their website to offer details on other ways in which the public can show their support. Click here to visit the webpage.

  News of the World is playing Santa!

The News of the World newspaper is running a campaign to give a present to every child (0-15 years) who has a parent serving in Afghanistan over Christmas. The offer is open to all Services, and the paper are arranging for presents to be dropped off at military bases around the country and the world - but in order for them to send the right number of presents to the right places, you need to apply to toys@notw.co.uk by Sunday 06 December giving the name of the serving sailor, soldier or airman, the name of his or her home unit and how many children he or she has, whether they are boys and girls, and their ages (this is so they can send appropriate presents). Visit the News of the World website for more information.

 Publication of the first annual report into delivery against 'The Nation’s Commitment', a Command Paper launched last summer

The Service Personnel Command Paper was commissioned by the Prime Minister in November 2007 and published in July 2008. It set out over 40 commitments to improve the level of support to the Armed Forces Community in key areas like compensation, healthcare, and accommodation. It established enduring principles for the future – of special treatment where appropriate for Armed Forces personnel, for families and for veterans, and that those same groups should not be disadvantaged as a result of service. Visit the MoD website to read the report.

Post a message of thanks

With over 1500 messages already posted, check out www.wearegrateful.org.uk to add your message of thanks and support to our forces personnel.  Click on the sticky notes to read the full message. There is also an option to donate to service related charities.

SCE review of 14-19 provision in Germany and Cyprus

As part of a review of 14-19 provision in Germany and Cyprus, SCE is consulting on how important it is, in the view of parents and young people, for young people to be able to choose the same range of courses as they could in England. SCE also need to know what you think about some other aspects of provision for this age group.

If you are a young person in a Forces’ family in Germany or Cyprus, irrespective of whether you are in an SCE school or in boarding school in the UK, or a parent of such a young person, SCE would like to know your views.  For more details visit www.sceschools.com.  Download the Questionnaire Instructions.  

To complete the questionnaire, please click on one of the links, depending whether you are a Parent or a Young Person, Parents Survey and Young People Survey . The closing date is Monday 7th December.

If you would prefer not to use the online survey option please click the links for printable copies, Parents Survey pdf and Young People Survey pdf

Hello from Home

It can be a tough time for the whole  family when your soldier is deployed, especially for those too young to really understand, but now there is a charming activity book available free of charge to all families to help keep the little ones in touch with their parent. There are stickers, pictures to colour and, with a little help from the irresistibly cute Support Bear, your children can write postcards and letters about their day, their favourite things and everything that’s important to them and send it off to mummy or daddy in theatre. To obtain your copy, visit your UWO or pop into your local HIVE

Article taken from the Winter issue of the Journal