March 21, 2023 Got a passion for poetry? Even if you haven’t (yet), Front Line Poets might be for you. It’s an online writing workshop open to anybody with a forces connection where you can write, read and discuss poetry with others in the service community from anywhere in the world. Hosted by poetry-lover Florrie Crass through Home Stage, which was founded during lockdown, the Zoom groups proved to be cherished spaces for far-flung enthusiasts to meet virtually and make new friends. “Poetry stood out as a uniquely valuable craft,” explains Florrie. “We could connect communities, spark conver ..read more

March 20, 2023 Daniela Makin, her serving husband Seth and their children Raphael (7), Corin (6) and Arwen (1) have embraced life in the rainforests of British Forces Brunei during their latest posting… Namaste! I knew from our first meeting at university in 2008 that Seth wanted to dedicate his career in medicine to serving his country and becoming an army doctor. It was a vocation that seemed utterly selfless to me. I had grown up in France and Switzerland, and knew nothing about UK forces life. I was humbled, even inspired, by it. Since marrying in 2012, we’ve lived in Cambridgeshire, Surre ..read more

March 15, 2023 In 2018, the Army Welfare Service (AWS) Intake & Assessment Team (IAT) was established as a single point of all specialist welfare support referrals in the UK and overseas, and importantly, you can make direct self-referrals. With a small team of 12, the IAT dealt with more than 2,700 cases in its first year. WO1 Steve Connolly, the IAT Manager, told AFF: “Over the last three years referrals have risen by more than 40 per cent, with no increase in staffing. Whilst every effort is made to deal with referrals and enquiries promptly, expectations of timelines and services provi ..read more

March 14, 2023 What sets Forces Families Jobs apart from other employment sites? Well, every single employer and training provider that’s registered has signed the Armed Forces Covenant, meaning they’ve made a commitment to be forces family friendly. You’ll see that many companies have also achieved Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) awards, stamped on their FFJ profiles, which shows that they take positive action to support the military community in their workforce. Natalie Haynes (main photo), from Defence Relationship Management, explains: “The ERS encourages employers that have signed the A ..read more

March 13, 2023 Have you ever thought about a job in the healthcare sector? There are a huge range of opportunities from administrative and management roles to frontline surgeons, nurses, therapists, doctors, laboratory technicians and domestic support. If you’re passionate about helping people at their most vulnerable and making a difference, working in healthcare can be a rewarding career choice. As member of the forces family, you have skills that are not only transferable, but are also highly sought after. You’re resilient, adaptable and flexible; you probably have great communication and p ..read more

March 8, 2023 Having children or becoming a parent overseas can be tough going when you’re away from your extended family and friends. English-speaking parent groups can be limited, and it can also be daunting receiving health care services abroad. This is where SSAFA’s Community Health Care Team can help. It operates on British Forces bases from Canada to Kenya, Cyprus to Sennelager, and Brussels to Brunei, supporting families and children living in isolated posts both face-to-face and virtually. Kerry Riley Health Visitor Kerry Riley says: “In my role, I’ve noticed families feeling the ben ..read more

March 7, 2023 Columnist @mynamessarah3 on the pros and cons of cracking ‘army’ life My name is Sarah and my husband is a senior lance corporal in the army – and my absolute world. Military families are different, and face unique challenges on a daily basis. Let’s start with moving every so often. Packing and cleaning your quarter until your eyes bleed, stressing about what your new neighbours are like – legends or the other type of ‘ends’ – schools, jobs, the area, the house you move into with the most hideous curtains known to man. Where do they even come from and who chooses them? Is there a ..read more

March 6, 2023 Stuart, Kim, Lucas (13), Ellie (11) and Finn (11) How long have you been an army family? We have been together since early 2005, we met in the Netherlands and married there in 2007. Time in Lisbon? We arrived in May 2021 in the middle of the pandemic. We lived in our own house back in the UK. When the option of Lisbon came up, we decided as a family to take the opportunity. We had never been to Portugal before; the weather was amazing and naturally most of us got sunburnt on the first day. How many other military families live there? We have a small community with 22 serving pers ..read more

March 1, 2023 Conversations around the experiences of carers in the service community are gathering momentum, with some charities and agencies putting greater focus on carers’ needs, the support they receive and the impact of military life. Karen Ross, AFF Health & Additional Needs Specialist, is often contacted by families with a family member who has additional needs and/or disability and often they don’t identify themselves as a carer. It can be helpful to acknowledge that you’re either a parent carer or a carer as there is support available. WO1 (ASM) Ian Hewitt is a parent carer for h ..read more

February 28, 2023 Lt Col Brian (Edd) Gordon is the Army Carers Advocate – responsible for raising awareness of the issues within the army for those service personnel with caring responsibilities, advocating respect, fair treatment, equality of opportunity, and fostering good relations in an inclusive workplace. A carer is anyone, including children and adults, who looks after a family member, partner or friend who cannot cope without support because of an illness, frailty, disability, mental health problem or an addiction. The care is unpaid. “I’ve been in the army for 30 years and for over 20 ..read more