The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) has awarded more than £859,000 to 100 projects focused on bringing our Forces communities together during the Covid-19 pandemic.
With various social restrictions still in place across the county, the Trust were keen to support engaging and enjoyable projects that sought to overcome the current challenges we are all facing and deliver activities that bring people together in a safe way.
Life in lockdown
Each of the projects supported had to show their activities could take place safely during any ongoing social restrictions. This has led to a great mix of distance learning, digital comms and finding new ways to come together when we must stay apart.
Still together, when apart
Sonia Howe, Director of Policy for the Trust said: “We were thrilled to receive such a variety of project ideas and it’s been great to learn about the efforts being made in Forces communities across the UK to ensure that people are being supported, included and helped to feel a sense of ‘togetherness’ even when we are apart.”
Regional benefits
As well as supporting activities on a national basis, a number of regional organisations and projects in our area have benefited from a successful bid for funding. These projects include:
Burton Albion Community Trust – Armed Forces Communities Together
The group will provide targeted online activities for veterans and military families across East Staffordshire to provide support to families that have suffered isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic. Each activity is adaptable in accordance with social distancing guidelines in place at the time, and delivery can be either virtual or physically depending on circumstances. Activities include military coffee mornings, a youth club and fitness sessions. The project also aims to send out activity packs to families to provide a source of entertainment and support to children. The project also aims to carry out befriending phone calls to the most vulnerable to provide support as required.
Royal Air Force Cosford – Cosford in Bloom
The group will deliver a gardening project featuring online tuition and teaching families to plant and place pots outside their quarters at RAF Cosford. The group will also provide a safe space to meet outdoors for those on the station. The project seeks to give participants a sense of achievement and experience the wellbeing that gardening can give.
Find out more
Full details of who was awarded through the Forces Communities Together programme are available on the Trust’s website here