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Your Questions 

meet the cake lady 

NFF Visit Scotland

HOMEPORT 

The Naval Families Federation’s Official Magazine for Royal 

Navy & Royal Marines Families 

HOMEPORT is distributed free by the Royal Navy and Royal 

Marines to all naval families throughout the world. 

Published quarterly by Method Publishing, a 

division of Scottish Provincial Press Ltd, on behalf 

of the Naval Families Federation. 

Editorial Office 

Editor: Sarah Woods 

Naval Families Federation, Castaway House, 

311 Twyford Avenue, Portsmouth PO2 8RN 

Tel: 023 9265 4374 Fax: 023 9265 3862 

E-mail: editor@nff.org.uk Website: www.nff.org.uk 

Welcome to the Autumn 2011 edition of 

Homeport 

Contents 

Editor, Sarah Woods 

Design and Typography: © Method Publishing 2011 

Editorial Matter and Illustrations: 

© Crown Copyright 2011 unless otherwise stated. 

Articles are not to be reproduced without permission 

from the Editor. 

Printed in Great Britain by: Warners Midlands plc 

Advertisement Office (UK) 

Method Publishing, Sutherland Press House, Golspie, 

Sutherland, Scotland KW10 6RA 

Tel: 01408 633871 Fax: 01408 633876 

E-mail: j.alker@methodpublishing.co.uk 

CONTRIBUTIONS 

HOMEPORT welcomes articles, letters and comments from 

our readers. Text should be saved in Microsoft Word and sent 

to us by e-mail or on disk. Alternatively, type your contribution 

on one side of A4 or send it clearly handwritten. 

All contributions are included at the NFF Chair’s discretion. 

Anonymous contributions are not accepted. 

HOMEPORT Editorial Deadlines 

Edition: Autumn 2011 Deadline: 30th September 2011 

Make sure you receive YOUR copy of HOMEPORT. 

A free copy of every edition of HOMEPORT should reach 

every naval family via the Service network. The Naval Families 

Federation relies on Units and Headquarters to distribute 

copies to all families as quickly as possible. 

To make sure you receive your HOMEPORT contact 

your Unit and ask for a copy. 

Your Magazine 

This is YOUR copy but why not pass it on to a friend, who may 

not have a copy, when you have read it? 

FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS 

Take out an annual subscription if you are not in a position to 

obtain your copy of HOMEPORT through the usual Naval 

Service channels, or if you or your spouse are leaving the 

Service and would like to keep in touch. 

Contact: Naval Families Federation, Castaway 

House, 311 Twyford Avenue, Portsmouth, 

Hampshire PO2 8RN. 

E-mail editor@nff.org.uk or visit our website www.nff.org.uk 

Small Print 

Views expressed in HOMEPORT, unless otherwise stated, are 

those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the official 

opinion of the Naval Families Federation or of the Ministry of 

Defence. 

No responsibility for the quality of goods or services advertised 

in this magazine can be accepted by the Publishers, Printers or 

by the Ministry of Defence. Advertisements are accepted on the 

express condition that the advertiser warrants that they in no way 

contravene the provisions of the Trades Descriptions Act 1968 or 

any other prevailing legislation in the United Kingdom. 

The Publishers reserve the right to refuse acceptance of any 

advertisement, either before or after receipt of copy, without stating 

a reason. 

FRONT COVER: 

Members of Hasler Company (Royal Navy and Royal 

Marines) with Kath Ryan of ‘Cakes 4 Casualties’ and Roly, 

the Hasler Coy mascot (adopted from Hope Rescue). 

Photograph by Paula Rowe. 

If you want to be 

considered for our front 

cover, e-mail your photos to 

Emma at 

info@nff.org.uk. 

Your Questions 

meet the cake lady 

NFF Visit Scotland 

NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE NFF 

CHAIR 

Questions and Answers...................................4-5 

STRATEGIC DEFENCE & SECURITY 

REVIEW 

Redundancy Programme – Review..................6-7 

Be the Boss Scheme........................................... 8 

Jobcentre Plus Champions for Armed Forces.... 8 

BREAKING NEWS 

Defence Reform............................................... 11 

Defence Equipment Budget Rises.................... 11 

New Medal for Queen’s Diamond Jubilee....... 11 

Operational Allowance Extended to Libya....... 12 

Increase in Council Tax Relief........................... 12 

ARTHUR, MARTHA OR MABEL 

Cakes 4 Casualties.......................................14-15 

Royal Naval Warship Air Crew....................14-15 

DID YOU KNOW 

The Armed Forces Covenant......................16-17 

Armed Forces Community Covenant Scheme.. 17 

ROYAL MARINES 

Story Book Commando.................................... 19 

Royal Marines Chefs Feed the Front Line........ 19 

The Royal Marines Museum............................. 20 

Go Commando................................................. 20 

TWO SIX 

Social Media – Stay Safe.................................... 21 

Online Dating Scams........................................ 21 

Armed Forces Legal Aid................................... 21 

INFORMATION 

Three Year Pause in Accommodation Funding.. 22 

Changes in Gibraltar......................................... 22 

Protect Your Family Home this Winter............ 23 

NFF Survey: The Future of Accommodation... 24 

Birmingham City Council Provides Housing .... 24 

Homes for Heroes........................................... 24 

HMS COLLINGWOOD................................... 25 

HMS TURBULENT Deployment................... 26-27 

Support for the Caribbean............................... 27 

Having Your Say – the 2011 Families CAS........ 28 

Payment of Bereavement Grants..................... 29 

HMS HEROES.................................................. 29 

SPVA – Removal of Agency Status.................... 29 

14 

Serving in Scotland – NFF Visit....................30-31 

HMS PROTECTOR.......................................... 30 

Olympic and Cinema Tickets........................... 30 

Winter Driving.................................................. 33 

YOUR MONEY 

Pensions............................................................ 34 

Money Saving Ideas.......................................... 35 

Changes to Car Insurance Rules....................... 36 

EDUCATION 

Directorate Children and Young People.......... 37 

CHARITIES IN ACTION 

Help for Heroes Raises £100 Million................ 38 

Toe in the Water............................................... 38 

SSAFA – The Big Brew Up............................... 38 

SW Scotland R&R for Injured Personnel........... 39 

The Royal British Legion – Poppy Funds.......... 39 

Hounds for Heroes.......................................... 40 

READER OFFERS 

Lots of Exciting Prizes to be Won...............42-43 

11 

HOMEPORT AUTUMN 2011 3

News & Views from the NFF Chair 

Questions and Answers 

We have had a lot of positive comments about the last 

edition of Homeport. As a result, we have decided to 

give you a flavour of some of the questions we are being 

asked again. 

This last quarter has been very busy for the NFF team. 

We have attended several meetings to talk about 

redundancy and the desire to ensure information is 

communicated effectively and more meetings than we 

can count on the subject of housing! We have taken up a 

regular Wednesday afternoon commitment to speak to all 

Divisional Officers course. As a result of our regular visits 

to Hasler Company, we went along to see how a Medical 

Board of Survey process works (very impressive). Family 

commitments have taken us to Northwood, Plymouth, 

Taunton, London, Poole, Lympstone, Culdrose and 

Scotland. 

We have a lot coming up too. Our annual evidences 

session with the Armed Forces Pay Review Body, 

our regular meeting with Andrew Robathan Minister Defence 

Welfare Personnel and Veterans come at a time when the first 

round of redundancies are being announced and people are 

asking us how much more can be done with so much less? 

As the weather changes and the nights draw in, the question 

of what the future holds and how promotion and career 

prospects affect an individual and a family is likely to be a topic 

for discussion in many households. Some people are going, 

some are staying, and some family members will be looking for 

employment for the first time. 

Now more than ever before, we need to know what you 

think. What is worrying you? 

Kim 

Q – My fiancé is away at sea on 

deployment and the ship has gone silent. 

We’re due to be married in August. Our 

Service Families Accommodation (SFA) 

has been allocated and I need to book 

removals. Don’t know what to do. Don’t 

want to book removals if no wedding and 

won’t have anywhere to live. 

A – First of all, we would always advise that 

you have wedding insurance in place. The Navy 

Command Executive Team advises that if a ship’s 

programme changes, families will be informed 

as soon as that information is released by the 

Commanding Officer as it will affect the whole of 

the Ship’s Company. Go ahead with your wedding 

and removal plans in the meantime. With regard to 

your SFA allocation, if your wedding is postponed, 

contact the HIC to scope the possibility of taking it 

on in these exceptional circumstances. 

Q – I am experiencing difficulty with getting 

BFPO (British Forces Post Office) post to 

my son in Afghanistan. He hasn’t received 

anything for some time. (This was also picked 

up as a thread on RNCom and reported to 

us independently of this enquiry.) 

A –The RN Fleet Mail Officer at BFPO explained 

that there was a backlog of mail during week of 

16 May due to mechanical failures with aircraft 

flying from Brize Norton. This was subsequently 

fixed but then all essential freight was transported 

ahead of any mail. The backlog should have been 

cleared during week of 23 May. This is the only 

explanation for non-delivery of mail. (Subsequently 

informed that mail now being received.) 

Q – Our seven year old daughter has 

been refused a school place and we 

have appealed. Could you help us in this 

appeal by writing a letter of support to be 

submitted to the Clerk to the Governors 

and the Appeals Panel? 

A – Initially you should contact CEAS (Children’s 

Educational Advisory Service) for some specialist 

support www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/ 

DefenceFor/ServiceCommunity/Education/ 

ChildrensEducationAdvisoryService.htm). 

They should be able to give you some hints and 

tips over the telephone for the appeals process, and 

maybe send a support worker to attend the hearing. 

NFF also more than happy to send a letter of support 

too. (NFF then wrote a letter of support drawing in 

various threads from different sources that the family 

felt fitted the bill. This letter was forwarded to the 

Clerk to the Governors who included it in the packs 

for the appeals panel. The family won the appeal for 

a school place for their daughter and felt that the NFF 

support had helped this process.) 

Q – My partner is deploying in a few days, 

due back for paternity leave at the end of 

July. I am worried what to do if I go into an 

early labour. I won’t necessarily need him 

to come home any earlier, but just want to 

be able to tell him that he’s a dad! 

A – Contact the appropriate office of NPFS 

(Naval Personal Family Service) – in your case the 

Plymouth Office. Tel: 01752 555 041. (Portsmouth: 

023 9272 2712; Helensburgh: 01425 672 798.) 

Q – My youngest son has just finished his 

training and is based in the West Country 

and I live in the North of England. I am 

looking for a support group. Not interested 

in RNCom/Facebook or anything else 

like that, as I prefer to have face to face 

contact and interaction. I am travelling 

down to Portsmouth in July as a stopover 

to visiting my son that weekend. Is there 

anything available, or planned for our area? 

A – Please call into the NFF offices for a chat 

whilst you’re in Portsmouth. There are a couple 

of Community Centres that have a coffee morning 

over those few days – Phoenix and Cockleshell 

Community Centres both meet at 1030 and the 

NFF would be happy to come along with you to 

one of these. (The mum subsequently visited the 

office and talked things through with some strategies 

put in place to help.) 

Q – I am thinking of leaving the Service, 

have taken out LSAP (Long Service 

Advance of Pay) and wondering whether, 

if I decide to leave, how I pay this back. 

Would it have to be in one lump sum or is 

it taken out in a number of payments? 

A – As part of the early termination process 

(conducted via JPA workflow), your Divisional 

Officer will enquire how you wish to repay this sum 

– generally there are three ways depending on how 

long you have served. Firstly, if you have served 

over 12 years on TX date, the outstanding sum 

will be taken from your terminal grant on release. 

Secondly, if under 12 years you will reply the 

amount in full, as a cheque through the Cash Office. 

Thirdly, if you have served for under 12 years, you 

should write to SPVA (Service Personnel & Veterans 

Agency) and pay in equal instalments depending on 

the amount of time left to serve, for instance over 

a period of 10 months, if 10 months left. There are 

sometimes circumstances where personnel have 

been asked to extend their time in order to repay 

LSAP as there isn’t sufficient time left to pay by 

instalments (such as where the instalment is greater 

than their monthly income for instance). 

Q – I am building up to leaving the Service 

and wonder why it isn’t possible to have my 

gratuity even six months before my final day 

in Service. We are hoping to buy our own 

4 HOMEPORT AUTUMN 2011

News & Views from the NFF Chair 

home before I leave and really need this 

money to go towards the purchase. If not, 

will have to move our family from the SFA 

we’re living in at the moment into rented 

accommodation, then again into our own 

home. This all adds to the stress of leaving 

the Service, finding a job etc. 

A – The Pay & Pension Agency currently states that 

payment of terminal benefits and pension will be 

paid within 30 days of termination date. Both the 

current pension schemes, AFPS75 and AFPS05, 

have in their Statutory Instruments the details of 

when pension benefits will be paid to members. 

AFPS75 states that ‘the pension and the lump sum 

become payable immediately on the member 

ceasing to be in Service’. AFPS05 states that ‘a 

scheme member is entitled to a taxable pension for 

life and a pension lump sum if he leaves the Regular 

Armed Forces at or beyond normal retirement 

age’. The Navy Pay Colonel has approached HM 

Treasury in the past to determine if it would be 

possible to bring forward this payment to help the 

individual’s transition to civilian life easier but the 

response has been a clear and unequivocal “No”. 

This is because the legislation underpinning both 

Pension Schemes dictates that benefits are only 

payable on the day of departure from the Service. 

Even if such an option was possible it would be 

worth bearing in mind that, as the individual is still 

serving, such payment would be treated as a benefit 

in kind and therefore liable to tax. 

The future pension scheme is currently being 

designed and there may be scope to allow for more 

flexibility over payments. Lord Hutton made the 

recommendation that “members should have greater 

choice over when to start drawing their pension 

benefits”. However, it must be borne in mind that 

the HM Treasury position on taxation of benefits in 

kind is unlikely to alter, so any change may be limited 

and unlikely to result in a pre-retirement lump sum 

within the timescales proposed here. 

Q – I am living in SSFA (Substitute 

Service Families Accommodation) and the 

managing agent, HCR, aren’t supporting 

me as much as I had hoped. What can I do? 

A – Please go back to HCR and explain your 

concerns. They are the managing agent and 

hold responsibility for ensuring everything runs 

smoothly. It may also be worth checking within the 

divisional system to see if there is any additional 

support from the Chain of Command to help 

should the need arise. (This caller did go back to 

HCR and is now very happy with the level of support 

they are receiving from them.) 

Q – My request for a travel warrant for my 

wife, whilst I am deployed on Herrick 14, 

has been turned down by my Unit Clerk, 

because my family live in Poole whilst the 

Unit is in Plymouth. Surely the location of 

the family isn’t relevant? 

A – If you are deployed for over four months 

your wife will be entitled to travel to either her 

or your parents as per the JSP. (04.1505: Travel 

for Immediate Families. Concessionary 

Travel for Families (CTF) is provided to enable 

the immediate family of Service personnel to 

have the benefit of the support of the Service 

person’s close family, during extended periods of 

deployment by their Service spouse/civil partner. 

Eligibility for FTR is created when an Acc (or 

INVOLSEP) Service person is deployed from the 

UK or from an overseas station to an operational 

location, exercise or deployment that attracts the 

Deployment Welfare Package (Overseas). This 

excludes those in Seagoing Longer Separation 

Allowance Qualifying Units who are entitled to use 

transferred Get You Home (Seagoers) Warrants. 

All Service personnel are eligible for CTF; for 

Reserve personnel however this is unlikely to 

extend beyond Full Time Reserve Service (Full 

Commitment) and mobilised personnel, except 

in DILFOR and compassionate circumstances. 

The assessment of CTF entitlement from the 

permanent duty station in UK or overseas is to be 

made at Unit level at the start of the deployment.) 

Q – I am Fijian, living here with my 

husband and family for the past three years 

and I’m wondering if I should apply for an 

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) visa. My 

current visa doesn’t expire until 2013; do 

I have to wait until then to apply or can I 

apply now? My husband is currently in the 

process of applying for his ILR visa so we 

would like to submit the one application 

because of costs. 

A – As long as your husband is in the Service he 

doesn’t need to apply for ILR. He has ‘Service 

exempt’ stamped in his passport, so would be 

wasting his money in applying for this visa. 28 

days before he is due to leave the Service he will 

be advised on what he needs to do and then will 

need to apply for ILR at that point. Because of that, 

as your visa doesn’t expire until 2013 you won’t 

need to submit your application until a month 

before that end date. 

Q – If a serving person is involuntarily or 

voluntarily made redundant from the RN 

may they subsequently reapply to the RN if 

the Service recruits thereafter? 

A – Yes they can. The options are – apply Intra 

Service/to a shortage branch in the RN or Inter 

Service to either RAF or Army. In the redundancy 

letter that will be issued, mention will be made of 

‘What to do next’ that will encompass such options. 

Q – I am married to a Royal Marine. I have 

seen a change in his behavior at home and 

I need to talk to somebody. I can’t speak 

to RM Welfare because I know them. Who 

else can I talk to? 

A – You don’t have to use RM Welfare. You can 

go to NPFS – gave NPFS contact details. 

Q – If my friend and I are in exactly the 

same job/category and he gets told that he 

is being made redundant, but doesn’t want 

it, and I do, can we swap? 

A – No. 

Q – I am due to leave the Service and have 

decided to move my family back to our roots 

where we own our own home. This means 

that my wife will have to leave her job and 

is subsequently not entitled to Job Seekers 

Allowance as she is voluntarily resigning, 

though this is due to Service reasons. 

A – The Job Centre Plus Armed Forces Champion 

reviewed existing procedural guidance to establish 

how Leaving Voluntarily works when someone 

makes a claim for Jobseekers Allowance. When a 

person states on their JSA claim form that ‘my spouse/ 

partner got a job somewhere else so I had to leave’ 

their employer will be sent a form to complete and 

the claimant will also be asked to provide further 

information around the circumstances of leaving that 

job. The claimant may also be asked ‘have they moved 

out of the area they were working in beyond daily 

travelling?’ All this information will then be sent to a 

Decision Maker who will look to see if the claimant 

may have ‘just cause’ in their personal or domestic 

life for leaving their job. Because the circumstances in 

which someone leaves employment are so varied, 

the Decision Maker should consider, as a whole, 

all the circumstances in which the claimant left 

employment. The Armed Forces Champion intranet 

site states: ‘Spouses of Service personnel who 

leave employment to follow their partner will 

have just cause for leaving that employment 

provided they did not leave earlier than was 

reasonably necessary in order to arrange the 

move. This means they should not be precluded 

from receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) on the 

grounds of voluntary unemployment. Each case 

should be considered on an individual basis using the 

relevant legislation and the information provided by 

the person claiming JSA.’ 

We Love HMS 

SOMERSET 

For a fabulous 

Families Day 


Strategic Defence & Security Review 

Naval Service Redundancy 

Programme –Update 

Tranche 1 Update 

The Royal Navy and Royal Marines have to lose 

approximately 5,000 personnel by 2015 to meet 

the manning requirements of a future smaller 

Fleet. The 5,000 cannot be achieved without a 

redundancy programme conducted in a series 

of stages, or Tranches, which started in April 

this year. Throughout the programme Service 

personnel will be given the opportunity to apply 

for redundancy in those competency or skill 

fields where reductions are required. Wherever 

possible, applicants will be taken in preference 

to non-applicants. However, this may not always 

be possible. For example, an applicant who has 

highly valuable skills may need to be retained 

and therefore a non-applicant is selected for 

redundancy instead. 

Redundancy may come as an unpleasant shock 

or a welcome opportunity. Either way everyone 

affected needs to start thinking about the future. 

Below is an update on the implementation and 

processes associated with Tranche 1 followed by 

a list of what to start considering if redundancy 

is a real prospect. The list is not exhaustive as 

everyone’s circumstances will be different. Specific 

advice on individual queries can be obtained by 

the serving individual requesting information from 

their Unit Personnel Office (UPO). For the very 

latest and detailed information on the redundancy 

programme, including all the relevant DINs, visit 

the Naval Service Redundancy Programme web 

page on the Defence Intranet. Information for 

families is also available on the RNCom and Naval 

Families Federation web sites. 

Key dates 

The key dates to be aware of are: 

• 30 September 2011 – redundancy notification 

letters given to applicants and non-applicants. 

• 30 September 2011 – letters despatched to all 

applicants not selected for redundancy. 

• 31 March 2012 – all applicants selected for 

redundancy will have left the Service (6 months 

after notification), except those completing 

operational tours and Post Operational Leave. 

• 30 September 2012 – all non-applicants 

selected for redundancy will have left the 

Service (12 months after notification). 

Personnel selected for redundancy can request to 

leave before these dates and all requests will be 

considered in the light of Service requirements. 

Selection Process 

Since the closing date for applications for Tranche 1 

in May 2011, Redundancy Selection Boards have 

been sitting to make the difficult decisions on who, 

from those who have applied and other eligible 

personnel, will be made redundant. In reaching their 

decisions the boards have all used a scoring system 

which considered an individual’s performance and 

potential, whether or not they were in date for their 

fitness test, and their disciplinary record. Some nonapplicant 

personnel are excluded from redundancy 

because they are deployed on certain operations, or 

have protected rights on 30 September 2012 (e.g. 

on Maternity, Adoption or Additional Paternity Leave). 

Every effort has been taken to ensure the process is 

open, fair and equitable with confidentially protected 

at all times. 

Op Ellamy 

An extension to the operational exclusions to include 

Op Ellamy Units in the Mediterranean has been 

announced in 2011DIN01-161, and the Units 

affected were announced by signal on 16 Aug 11. 

Notification Process 

All people who have been selected for 

redundancy (applicants and non-applicants) will 

be told by their Chain of Command on the 30 

September 2011 and will receive a notification 

letter detailing the date on which they will leave 

the Service, as well as a forecast of redundancy 

compensation and pension. The notification 

letter will be accompanied by supporting 

information on: 

• Sources of advice, including but not limited to 

the Department of Work and Pensions, Career 

Transition Partnership (for resettlement), the Royal 

Naval Association and the charitable sector. 

• Resettlement entitlement and process for accessing 

that entitlement. 

• Sources of independent financial advice. 

• Service housing. 

For personnel who are dislocated from the 

Service (e.g. career breaks, maternity leave) 

special arrangements will be made to ensure 

they are informed correctly. Those personnel 

who applied for redundancy but were 

unsuccessful will be informed by letter. This will 

not be delivered through the Command Chain 

but will be posted (on 30 September 2011) 

direct to the individual concerned so that no 

one else is aware that they were an applicant for 

redundancy. Anyone not selected can, of course, 

re-apply in any future Tranche so long as they 

are in a redundancy field, or submit their notice 

to leave in the usual manner should they wish to 

leave sooner. 

Appeals 

Any non-applicant can appeal against their selection 

and any unsuccessful applicant can appeal against their 

non-selection on the grounds that the Redundancy 

Selection Boards: 

• Failed to take into account some fact which should 

have been taken into account. 

• Took into account some factor which should not 

have been taken into account. 

• Failed to follow proper procedure. 

Personnel who wish to appeal have 30 calendar days 

(not working days) from the date of receiving their 

notification letter to submit an appeal to the Fleet 

Redundancy Cell. 

Resettlement 

Resettlement is the process which everyone leaving 

the Service undergoes and is designed to help with 

the transition into civilian life. All personnel who 

are made redundant, applicants and non-applicants, 

will be entitled to the full package of resettlement 

regardless of their length of service. The Summer 

2011 edition of Homeport contained a two page 

spread on resettlement and what the package 

entails. Work is underway to ensure that the 

resettlement organisation will be able to support 

all redundees along with those who are exiting 

the Service because they have served their time 

or have submitted their notice to leave. Current 

regulations do exceptionally allow the completion 

of resettlement training after an individual has left 

the Service but every effort will be made to assist 

personnel in completing resettlement before their 

final exit date. 

Personnel in sea-going units who are 

made redundant 

To enable personnel made redundant to undertake 

resettlement, terminal leave and any outstanding 

annual leave, it is inevitable that a significant number 

of redundees must be transferred ashore within a few 

weeks of the announcement date. 

• All successful applicants for redundancy will be 

transferred ashore no later than 16 December 

2011. Precise dates will be agreed between the 

parent unit and the individual’s career manager. 


Strategic Defence & Security Review 

• Selected non-applicants will be transferred 

ashore no later than 30 June 2012. 

Overseas Postings 

Wherever possible, successful applicants for 

redundancy who are serving in overseas posts 

will be able to return to the UK no later than 

1 December 2011. Non-applicants selected for 

redundancy will be returned to the UK no later 

than 31 March 2012. 

Effect on remaining personnel 

As a result of notifying people of redundancy 

and then having to move them at short notice, 

all units will experience a degree of upheaval. 

To reduce the impact and to ensure that the 

Naval Service continues to meet its operational 

commitments there will need to be short notice 

changes to assignments for many of those 

remaining in the Service. In a nutshell it is 

likely that many people who were expecting a 

degree of stability will have to be re-deployed at 

short notice. 

Tranche 2 

The announcement of Tranche 2 redundancy 

fields due on 30 Sep 11 has been postponed 

until early 2012. 

Fleet Redundancy Cell (FRC) 

The FRC is the central point of contact for all 

redundancy questions. In addition to standard 

business hours, the FRC Team will be available 

throughout the weekend of 1-2 Oct 11. 

What to consider if made redundant 

√ When will the Redundancy 

Compensation Award be in the bank 

account and how much will it be? 

The Armed Forces Redundancy Calculator, 

accessible through the Internet at www.modrc.co.uk. 

can provide a forecast of the lump 

sum payment due to an individual if they are 

made redundant. Details of the final award 

will be confirmed by letter by the Service 

Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) once 

the individual has been formally discharged 

and when, therefore, the final date of exit is 

known. It is important to note that it could 

be up to 35 days after the final exit date 

before the Compensation Award is in the 

bank account. SPVA will attempt to complete 

all processes to make the payment as soon 

as they can but there are certain limitations 

to the JPA system. The legal position is that 

redundancy compensation payments have to 

be made within 3 months of the final date an 

individual leaves an organisation and 35 days 

is well within this time-frame. The key point 

here is that no-one should make financial 

commitments until the money has entered 

the bank account. 

√ When does pension entitlement (if 

applicable) start and how much will it 

be? The Pension Calculator at www.modpc.co.uk 

provides a forecast of pension 

entitlements. Again a letter from SPVA will 

confirm the details once an individual has 

been formally discharged and the final date of 

exit is known. 

√ What other exit payments may be due 

and when are they payable? Some personnel 

being made redundant will also be entitled to, for 

example, a pension lump sum (gratuity) in addition 

to a Redundancy Compensation Award. Again, 

SPVA will confirm all the details once an individual 

has been formally discharged and the final date of 

exit is known. 

√ Tax Status? Potentially some personnel will 

be awarded significant amounts of money 

as a result of redundancy. It is advisable to 

gain a clear understanding of what is taxable 

and by how much, in order to allow sensible 

financial planning. In summary, Redundancy 

Compensation Awards and pension lump sums 

(gratuities) are tax-exempt, pensions are taxable. 

The redundancy page on RNCom provides 

more detail. 

√ How and when will any public debt be 

recovered? Individuals will be asked how they 

intend to repay any crown debts, including 

LSAP. If the money is not to be taken from the 

Redundancy Compensation Award it will be taken 

from pay over the period left to serve. 

√ When must Service Families 

Accommodation (SFA) be vacated. 

Normal rules for personnel leaving the 

Service will apply, there are no special 

arrangements for anyone made redundant. 

JSP 464 is available through the internet for 

further information. 

√ What happens if a property was purchased 

under the Armed Forces Home Ownership 

Scheme (AFHOS)? It is suggested that contact is 

made with the AFHOS agent on 0800 028 1980 

to discuss transition arrangements. 

√ What removal and disturbance allowances 

are permitted to redundees who are 

leaving SFA and relocating to another part 

of the UK or overseas? The redundancy page 

on RNCom provides more detail. UPOs can also 

provide further information. 

√ What removal, disturbance and storage 

allowance is permitted if returning to the 

UK from abroad? The redundancy page on 

RNCom provides more detail. UPOs can also 

provide further information. 

√ What do Foreign and Commonwealth 

personnel need to consider? F&C personnel 

who are made redundant, whether applicants 

or non-applicants, need to consider whether 

they wish to return to their country of origin or 

remain in the UK. If they wish to return to their 

country of origin they must consider how they 

will get themselves and their families home (the 

redundancy page on RNCom provides more 

detail). If F&C personnel without leave to remain 

wish to remain in the UK, application must be 

made through normal channels i.e. the UK Border 

Agency. Normal rules for vacating SFA upon 

leaving the Service apply. 

√ When does Continuity in Education 

Allowance Cease (CEA) entitlement (if 

applicable) cease? The redundancy page on 

RNCom provides more detail. The Children’s 

Education Advisory Service (CEAS) at www.ceas. 

org.uk should also be able to provide details. 

√ If CEA entitlement is ceasing or personnel 

are re-locating to a new area in the UK 

then consideration needs to be given to 

applying for new schools. Local Education 

Authority websites are the best place to start 

understanding the process of applying for school 

places. CEAS may also be able to advise. 

√ Access to medical and dental care. If 

personnel are re-locating to a new area in 

the UK consideration needs to be given to 

registering for medical and dental care. Whether 

moving or not, the Service leaver will need to 

register, possibly for the first time. 

Tranche 2 

Information on which branches and rates/ranks 

are eligible for selection in the next Tranches will 

be released in the same way as for Tranche 1, 

and similar rules used for Tranche 1 will apply in 

Tranche 2. 

Useful Links 

Naval Families Federation www.nff.org.uk 

SPVA www.veterans-uk.info 

RN Community www.rncom.mod.uk 

Citizens Advice Bureau 

www.citizensadvice.org.uk 

Relate www.relate.org.uk 

UK Border Agency 

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk 

Tax/doctors/dentists www.direct.gov.uk 

NPFS www.rncom.mod.uk/NPFS/NPFS.aspx 

SSAFA www.ssafa.org.uk 

White Ensign www.whiteensign.co.uk 

Regular Forces Employment Association 

www.rfea.org.uk 

Royal Navy Benevolent Trust www.rnbt.org.uk 

RNRM Children’s Fund 

www.rnrmchildrensfund.org.uk 


News Strategic & Views Defence & Security Review 

Be the boss 

Scheme 

by Jenny Keeling, PR Officer, 

The Royal British Legion 

Service leavers are being encouraged to set up 

their own business through an initiative delivered by The Royal British Legion. 

‘Be The Boss’ is a business start-up scheme funded by the Department for Business, 

Innovation and Skills. It celebrated its one year anniversary in June 2011, and has 

already passed the 1,000 mark in terms of those it has helped. 

Designed for those who left the Armed Forces since the beginning of the war in 

Afghanistan in 2001 – it offers business start-up training, grants and loans up to 

£30,000, as well as ongoing mentoring. Financial support depends upon a business 

plan and provable needs. 

The scheme is delivered by The Royal British Legion and partner agencies, and 

funded by a £5 million grant from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. 

32-year-old Barry O’Connell has benefited from the 

scheme, utilising his 12 years of experience as a 

Physical Training Instructor in the Royal Marines to 

set up a gym in London. 

His Hammersmith-based studio ‘State of Mind 

Fitness’ has gone from strength to strength after he 

was awarded £25,000 to start up the business. He will 

continue to receive mentoring to ensure it’s a success. 

Further 

information can be 

found at 

www.civvystreet.org.uk 

or by calling Legionline: 

08457 725 725. 

JobcentrePlus ‘Champions’ 

for Armed Forces 

Armed Forces champions have been put in place within the counties’ Jobcentre 

Plus branches to support the Armed Forces, families and veterans and raise the 

profile of the support available to this community through Jobcentre Plus. 

The main role of the Champions is to be a key strategic link between Jobcentre 

Plus and the Armed Forces community and will be the main contact for the 

Armed Forces to tackle issues or problems relating to employment and workrelated 

benefits, such as Jobseeker’s Allowance. 

The Armed Forces Champions will: 

• Ensure that customer-facing Jobcentre Plus staff are providing the correct 

advice and support to members of the Armed Forces community 

• Support Service families who experience difficulties in seeking employment and 

be proactive in raising awareness amongst local employers about the skills and 

experience the Armed Forces community can offer to local employers 

• Form links with local military establishments in order to increase their Service 

awareness and in turn help Jobcentre Plus staff understand the needs of the 

military community more fully, including keeping abreast of 

key changes at local military establishments (such as a large 

influx of Service families seeking work). 

Launched in March 2010, there are now approximately 50 

Champions currently established in the UK in ‘districts’ that 

are generally county-based. London and Manchester are the 

only exceptions to this, with the cities broken down into districts 

to accommodate the large customer base in these areas. 

Note from 

Kim: 

Have you had contact 

with a Champion? Was it 

helpful? We would love 

to hear about your 

experience. 

Victory Services Club 

C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 

London For Heroes 

Experience and enjoy London's West End on a Haven For 

Heroes break at the Victory Services Club. 

At Ease at the VSC 

To demonstrate our support for British Personnel serving in Afghanistan and the 

Middle East*, on land, sea and in the air and to thank them for their commitment 

and bravery the VSC offers substantial discounts to those returning on R&R or 

post operational tour leave from those theatres. Below the "Haven for Hero" 

rates are shown against our standard price for a Memorial Wing Room. 

*Iraq, Pakistan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Yemen and at sea in the Arabian Gulf 

Room Type Haven for Hero Rates Standard Rates 

Single ensuite per night £32.50 £49.50 

Double ensuite per night £45.00 £94.00 

Family ensuite per night £65.00 £130.00 

(Haven for Heroes eligibility is only for British Serving Armed Forces men & women who have served 

in these theatres within the past 6 months. A Letter of proof of Service in Theatre signed by the 

commanding officer is required on all bookings) 

E: res@vsc.co.uk T: 020 7616 8335 

www.vsc.co.uk/Haven-for-Heroes 


Registered Charity No: 210760 Est. 1885, Registered Charity (Scotland) No: SC038056 

In 2010 you helped raise over £100,000 for 

SSAFA Forces Help by putting the kettle on, 

manning your teapots and having a Big Brew 

Up. That money has helped thousands of 

people in the Armed Forces community. You 

only need to look at www.facebook.com/ssafafh 

to see how that money is truly appreciated by 

people just like you. 

This year, let’s make more tea, have bigger 

cakes and raise even more. 

When: 

Where: 

3rd – 9th OctOber 

Wherever yOu are 

SIGn uP tO the WOrLd’S LarGeSt tea Party 

caLL: 020 74639310 

emaIL: thebIGbreWuP@SSafa.OrG.uk 

WWW.SSafa.OrG.uk/bIGbreWuP 

OB3260 AFJ Envoy Homeport 131x186 18/07/2011 14:24 Page 1 

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Breaking News 

Defence Reform 

A new vision for how the MOD will run and be managed was outlined in June 

2011 by Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox as the report on the Defence Reform 

Review was published. 

The report by Lord Levene and a team of external 

experts has been published in line with the principles 

for reform set out by the Secretary of State. There 

are several recommendations within the report and 

Dr Fox has said he agrees with all of them. 

The key ones are: 

• extra powers for the Single Service Chiefs to 

run their Services, including increased control of 

equipment programmes and greater freedom 

to flex within their budgets, as part of a much 

clearer framework of accountability and control 

• a smaller but stronger and more strategic 

Defence Board that will take major decisions, 

set direction and hold the Services and the rest 

of the Department to account 

• the creation of a new Joint Forces Command, 

with a new Military Commander, to oversee 

and integrate joint military capabilities which 

currently sit across the three Single Services – 

including cyber warfare and military intelligence 

– to foster an increasingly joint approach within 

Defence as a whole 

• a greater focus on affordability, with enhanced 

budgetary discipline and a cost-conscious mentality 

at every level of the Ministry of Defence 

• streamlined decision-making supported by 

a simpler structure with fewer senior posts, 

clearer responsibilities and greater accountability 

• making better use of people, including filling posts 

with the right person, with the right skills, and 

keeping them in post for longer 

• new, more joint personnel management for 

senior military officers. 

Work on the report commenced last summer 

when the Defence Secretary asked Lord Levene 

to lead an independent review of how Defence 

is structured and managed, along with a group 

of senior leaders from the private sector and a 

supporting team within the Ministry of Defence. 

The MOD will publish a 

blueprint setting out all 

the major changes the 

Department is embarked 

on later this year. 

To view the 

full report, go to 

www.nff.org.uk. 

Defence Equipment Budget Rises as Future Force Takes Shape 

It was announced in July that the Government is to increase the 

planned MOD equipment budget by over £3bn during the Spending 

Review period after 2015 to fund vital future military equipment. 

The longer-term vision for the make up of the Armed Forces – 

Future Force 2020 – will be secured by this one-per-cent-a-year 

real term increase in the planned equipment and equipment support 

programme. 

The culmination of this work means that there will be funding that 

allows the MOD to order significant pieces of equipment over the next 

decade, including: 

• The Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier conversion to catapult and 

arrestor gear ('cats & traps') 

• Initial spending on the new Joint Strike Fighter fast jets (known as 

Lightning II) delivering Carrier Strike capability from 2020 

• Development of the Global Combat Ship 

Computer graphic of the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier 

Equipment Programme 

The MOD will publish a fully funded and balanced 10-year Equipment Plan by 

September 2011, and the National Audit Office will conduct an affordability 

audit of this; the first of its kind. 

To see the full announcement visit www.nff.org.uk 

(Picture: © 2010 BAE Systems) 

New Medal to Mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee 

Members of the Armed Forces will be presented with a medal to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s 

Diamond Jubilee on 6 February 2012. 

The commemorative medal will be awarded to the following members of the Armed Forces: 

• (Regular and Reserves) who have completed five full calendar years of Service on 6 February 2012, 

• living holders of the Victoria Cross and George Cross 

• members of the Royal Household. 

The MOD will issue detailed qualifying criteria applying to their personnel later this summer. 

Designed by Timothy 

Noad, The Queen’s 

Diamond Jubilee Medal 

depicts a formal image 

of the Queen on one 

side, while the reverse 

shows a hexagon with a 

crown and royal cipher, 

inscribed ‘1952 to 

2012’, commemorating 

Her Majesty’s reign, 

and finished off with a 

red ribbon and white/ 

blue stripes (Picture: 

Crown Copyright/ 

MOD 2011) 


Breaking News 

Operational Allowance 

Extended to Libya Operations 

Service personnel operating within the landmass, airspace and territorial waters of 

Libya are now eligible to receive the Operational Allowance (OA). 

The Ministry of Defence conducts a review of the locations eligible for OA on 

a six-monthly basis – the most recent of which led to this extension and means 

that personnel working as part of the ongoing campaign to protect civilians 

under United Nations’ Security Council Resolution 1973 will now receive the 

Operational Allowance. 

The move means that all Servicemen and women deployed within the geographical 

confines of Libya on Operation ELLAMY will now receive the allowance that is 

based on an assessment of the risk and rigour of the operating environment. 

Pilots and aircrew operating over the Libyan landmass and the crew of ships and 

submarines operating within 12 nautical miles (22km) of the coast will receive the 

allowance for each day that they are serving in these specific areas. 

The payments will be backdated to 18 March this year, when the United Nations 

resolution justifying military action was signed. 

Having been doubled by the Government last year, the 

tax-free Operational Allowance now stands at £29.02 

per day. 

The Operational Allowance is already paid to all Service 

personnel serving in Afghanistan on Operation HERRICK. 

Note from 

Kim: Sounds 

good. Is it? Tell 

us… 

Increase in 

Council 

Tax Relief 

With effect from 1 July 2011, MOD doubled Council Tax Relief (CTR) 

from 25% to 50% for all Service personnel on eligible operations 

overseas; just one of the commitments announced in the ‘Armed 

Forces Covenant: Today and Tomorrow’ published in May 2011. 

MOD administers a Council Tax Relief scheme for all Regular and 

Reserve Service personnel serving in qualifying Operational Locations 

overseas (such as Afghanistan and now including Libya), who either pay 

or are counted for Council Tax or Rates for a property in the UK or the 

equivalent contribution if they are in Service Families Accommodation. 

The daily rate was previously based on 25% of the average Council 

Tax per dwelling in England. With effect from 1 July this increased 

to 50%, which amounts to approximately £296 for an average six 

month tour for Service personnel on eligible operations overseas. 

Paid as a tax free lump sum on completion of duty, Council Tax 

Relief is based on the number of days in the qualifying Operational 

Location. 

Full details of eligibility and methods of claiming, which are made on 

return from deployment, are published in Joint Service Publication 

754, Chapter 9, Section 11. The process of applying for CTR for 

those eligible has not changed. 

More than 300 units of blood are shipped out to help British troops 

injured on the front line every week, so with this in mind NHS Blood 

and Transplant (NHSBT) is asking military personnel and civilian 

staff to roll up their sleeves and help save lives. 

Just one unit of donated blood can help three people, not only on the 

front line, but soldiers and civilians in local hospitals who desperately 

need blood to keep them alive or give them a better quality of life. 

There are already around 42 military-based blood donor sessions in 

England and North Wales which brings in almost 4,500 donors, but 

many more personnel donate at regular public sessions. 

With almost 4% of the eligible population giving blood, it’s vital that 

those who can donate do so to keep blood stocks healthy and help 

keep the supply chain flowing. 

Anyone aged over 17, over 50 kg and in general good health could 

potentially become a blood donor. To book an appointment call 

0300 123 23 23 or visit www.blood.co.uk 


Help us help others. 

Save alife, give blood 

Olivia lost over five litres 

of blood due to arare 

condition experienced 

during pregnancy called 

major placenta praevia. 

She needed seven units of 

blood to help replace what 

she had lost. She says 

‘The blood that Ireceived 

undoubtedly saved my life. 

Without the kindness of 

blood donors, Isimply 

wouldn’t behere today’ 

To book an appointment 

visit blood.co.uk or 

call 0300 1232323 

give blood

Royal Naval W 


Cakes 4 casualties 

by Kath, ‘The Cake Lady’ 

It all started in September 2009 with my first encounter with 

injured Military. It was supposed to be a one-off visit delivering 

a bit of home baking for the lads. I could never have imagined 

or planned for what has evolved and become a most wonderful 

encounter and exchange. 

The Cake round is now a regular part of ward 

life at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham 

on a Wednesday and whenever one of the lads 

has a birthday and every six weeks for those at 

Headley Court. 

From September 2009 till April 2010 I just got on with 

it and then decided I really needed to do some fund 

raising and organised a quiz night to set up a fund. 

Friends and family were very generous and give me donations 

regularly; lots of people are very happy to help. Churches, schools 

and round table organisations are amongst the people that have 

helped out by fundraising for the cakes’ ingredients. 

In February 2010 one of the injured Soldiers asked if I was 

from Help for Heroes and I replied “No I am Cakes 4 

Casualties”. The lads thought it was really comical, so when a 

name needed to be found for fund raising it was the perfect 

choice and met with full approval from the lads on the ward. 

My brother designed the fabulous ‘Military Muffin’s’ originally to 

identify the cake trolley, and they were such a success they are used 

on the fund raising mugs. 

The cake round is just a small way to let the lads know 

there is a lot of love and support for them from the general 

public. It is a huge privilege to do and I was amazed a while 

ago when of the lads said “I have been looking forward to 

meeting you; they told me in Afghanistan to look out for you 

and try the vanilla slices”. It is good fun and the banter with 

the lads is brilliant. I love being the Cake Lady. 

The Cake Lady with WO Jim 

Morris at Hasler’s Families 

Day 

(MOD Copyright POA(Phot) Paul A’Barrow) 

AET Montgomery at 771 Squadron 

Jason Montgomery is an Air Engineering 

Technician (AET) on 771 Naval Air Squadron at 

Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall and 

this is a typical day on 771 Squadron, a day in the 

Fleet Air Arm! 

The Squadron never sleeps and never stops 

providing an around-the-clock Search and Rescue 

capability to Cornwall and the seas around the 

county. 771 Squadron is renowned throughout 

the local community and the other Services for its 

dedication and commitment to the preservation 

and safety of lives ashore and afloat. 

To provide Search and Rescue capability to the 

local area twenty-four hours a day, seven days 

a week, fifty-two weeks a year it takes eight Sea 

King Mk5 helicopters, operated by a compliment 

of twenty seven pilots, twelve observers and ten 

aircrewmen. These eight Sea King helicopters 

are maintained by 120 engineers divided into 

two 24-hour watches, supplemented by a night 

watch, and extra Search and Rescue watches. 

This engineering effort ensures that a Search and 

Rescue helicopter plus a spare are available at all 

times. 

From the aircrew’s point or view it’s all about a 

successful mission, whether it’s an emergency 

transfer of a seriously ill man from the hospital 

on the Isles of Scilly or the rescue of a fisherman 

stranded overboard in bad weather conditions. 

For the engineers it’s about providing serviceable 

aircraft, ready in all respects for the demands of 

the task ahead, whatever it may be. 

One of the advantages of working for a squadron 

in the Royal Navy is the wide variety of work, 



Each week I make: 

6 dozen vanilla butterfly cup cakes 

2 dozen apple and cinnamon muffins/cup cakes 

2-4 dozen chocolate (depends) 

2 large vanilla slices 48 portions 

3 bakewell tarts 

Tray bake carrot cup cake makes 38 slices 

Tray bake caramel shortbread 45 pieces 

10 individual banoffee pies 

Lemon cake 

Baked egg custard or angel delight for those 

on soft diet! 

2 dozen rice crispie cakes 

Victoria sandwich 

and whatever else the lads request… 

The weekly cost for the Cake and juice round is £70 and 

a trip to Headley Court is £150. 

The military patients request their favourite cakes each 

week, with the vanilla slices and the squidgy chocolate cake 

being very popular, and they have even set up a Facebook 

page called ‘THANK YOU QE (SELLY OAK) CAKE LADY’. 

Some comments received are: 

Sue – a truly amazing lady – my son remembers the 

wonderful cakes (how could anyone forget... yummy) but most 

of all the delicious apple juice and ice and then her generosity 

when it was his birthday. Her weekly visits made an enormous 

difference to him xxx 

George – We met the ‘Cake Lady’ last night; we had gone 

to see our injured son who got back in the country yesterday. 

She is such a nice lady and was saying that she’s doing fund 

raising to help (we brought one of her cups) and she’s now 

spreading her wonderful humour and cakes down to Headley 

Court. I think people 

like her are few 

and far between, 

and if possible any 

assistance that 

can be given to 

this wonderful lady 

should. The smile 

and morale boost 

she gave our son and the other lads that came in 

yesterday was wonderful to see as for most of the 

day it was form filling, questions and more poking 

and prodding. 

My visits fit in with the hospital’s day to day running, 

including making sure the cakes are only available after 

the patients have eaten their hospital evening meal! 

Editor’s note: Tesco’s have adopted Cakes 4 

Casualties as their local charity and discount 

Kath’s bill every week. Cadburys, who are based in 

Birmingham, have given Kath a community pass so 

she can buy chocolate and any other ingredient at 

reduced prices. 

If 

you’d like to 

help support Cakes 4 

Casualties, you can also donate to 

buy ingredients at the Queen Elizabeth 

Hospital Birmingham Charity through their 

online shop www.qehb.org/shop – search 

for ‘Cakes for Military Patients’. We have 

three sets of Cakes 4 Casualties mugs 

and plates to give away – see 

page 42 for details. 

arship Air Crew 

there are never two days alike, there’s always 

something different to do each day. Today the 

majority of the work was on one aircraft, ZA166, 

(that’s side number One-Six to you and me). The 

previous watch had given One-Six a foam wash, 

which is like giving a car a car wash, but after a 

foam wash there is work to be done to ensure 

that all water collected from the foam wash has 

been removed and the aircraft protected with 

specialist compounds to prevent corrosion. 

More significant engineering activities include 

periodic compliance such as removing 

soundproof panels and soundproofing from inside 

the aircraft to provide access to the helicopters 

tail rotor cables for wear and tension checks; 

removal of main gearbox cowlings to provide 

better access to the area for examinations and 

visual inspections of system components in the 

surrounding area; removal of exhaust covers 

removed for rotor brake clearance and wear 

checks, and much more. 

On completion of all the work the aircraft is then 

rebuilt, tools put away back into their respective 

tool boxes and the aircraft fitted with the 

necessary covers to protect the aircraft from the 

elements. Even though the work in the hangar 

may be complete, the job is not done until the 

administration has been finalised. This means 

that all work carried out has to be documented 

on the relevant forms and signed for by those 

responsible. 

For the future, Jason hopes to advance within 

his own trade, widening his experience within 

the military environment and climbing up the 

promotion ladder. 

AET Montgomery at work on a Sea King helicopter 

(MOD Copyright) 


Did You Know 

The Armed Forces Covenant 

by Commander Sarah Leach, Royal Navy 

Over the last few months there has been considerable media coverage 

associated with the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC). The Covenant itself is 

a detailed document, but by the end of this article you should have a good 

understanding of what the Covenant actually means and how it could affect you 

as a Service family. 

What is it? 

The AFC is a strategy that outlines the 

Government’s wish that members of the 

Armed Forces and their families should not be 

disadvantaged as a result of their Service, and that 

where appropriate they should receive special 

treatment. The Covenant has been written in law 

for the first time. This does not mean that legally 

enforced rights are created for Service personnel, 

but it does mean that the Defence Secretary has 

to report annually to Parliament on performance 

against the Covenant with a particular focus on 

the areas of health, education and housing. So as 

long as your feedback on matters covered by the 

Covenant is sent through the correct channels 

your voice should be heard. 

What does it actually mean for me? 

The AFC has a broad range of measures 

associated with it, including those announced 

under the Service Personnel Command Paper 

and a number of new measures. Some of these 

measures will not apply to you at the moment, but 

as your personal circumstances change they may 

well do! As the family of a member of the Naval 

Service, it is worth having a basic understanding 

of the Covenant and its measures so that you 

can take full advantage of them when they are 

applicable. It has the potential to make a difference 

to all of us at some stage in our lives if we engage 

with it. The following summary covers a number 

of current measures that may affect you: 

• The Armed Forces Home Ownership Scheme 

– a shared equity scheme that assists Service 

personnel in home ownership 

• The award of ‘Priority’ status on the 

Government’s affordable housing scheme. This 

remains valid for 12 months post Service 

• The retention of places on the NHS Waiting list 

if you move house (including IVF treatment) for 

family members 

• Fair access protocols within the Schools 

Admissions Codes to ensure that your children 

are not disadvantaged in accessing school 

places. (If you are experiencing difficulty getting 

your children into your local school contact the 

MOD’s Children’s Education Advisory Service 

01980 618 244, enquires@ceas.detsa.co.uk) 

• A £200 Pupil Premium for Service children to 

help schools provide pastoral and educational 

support. This has been awarded for 2011, 

and expected for 2012. In order to be eligible 

for next year’s grant you must ensure that 

your child’s school is aware that they are a 

Service Child 

• Further Education and University Scholarships 

for Bereaved Service Children 

• Council Tax Relief (CTR) – All Service Personnel 

on operations overseas will shortly be able 

to claim CTR. Eligible personnel will receive 

council tax relief of 50% of the average council 

tax paid in England for their period of their 

deployment. (Approximately £286 for a six 

month deployment) 

• Forces Free Air letters and packages up to 2kg 

to all operational locations 

• Portability of Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) 

checks to improve Armed Forces families’ 

employability 

• Access for family members to a range of 

elective e-learning opportunities including 

NVQs 

• Ability for family members to use spare access 

in Service Learning centres 

• The Community Covenant Scheme. 

The Community Covenant 

This is a Government scheme which encourages 

Local Authorities to set up Community 

Covenants to encourage local communities to 

support the Service Community in their area and 

improve understanding and awareness amongst 

the public of issues that affect the Armed Forces 

and their families. A number of Covenants have 

already been signed, including Oxfordshire, 

Hampshire and West Yorkshire; these will be 

closely followed by a number of other counties. 

The Community Covenant scheme has an 

associated grant of £30m to support local projects 

which strengthen the relationship between 

members of the Armed Forces Community and 

the wider community in which they live. To find 

out if there is an active scheme in your area look 

on your Local Authority Website. Birmingham 

City Council for instance has a section for 

Armed Forces Personnel looking to purchase a 

home in the area; Hampshire has a number of 

links including one to 50% discount scheme for 

entrance to a number of cultural venues. 

What if I am being disadvantaged in 

accordance with the Armed Forces 

Covenant guidance? 

The easiest route for a family member to raise an 

issue is via the Naval Families Federations (NFF). 

They are able to influence change but only if they 

are aware of the issue; this can be easily achieved 

via their website, which can be found at www. 

nff.org.uk. The Service Personnel and Veterans 


Did You Know 

Agency and Service charities such as the Royal 

British Legion can provide similar advice. If you 

have a particular issue such as school place 

allocation there is a route for recourse with 

your local authority. You will need to raise the 

issue with your local Ombudsman, details of 

this process can be found on their website, the 

easiest way to find this is via a search engine. It 

may look daunting, but the process is relatively 

straight forward. 

Feedback and Suggestions 

The annual report that the Defence Secretary 

has to present to Parliament will summarise 

how the Government is progressing with the 

Covenant in supporting the Armed Forces, 

their families and veterans, including any 

disadvantage due to Service. This report is 

an opportunity for change and the evidence 

for this change will be from your feedback. 

This feedback will be collated from a variety 

of sources including the reports from NFF 

visits, their website and your comments in the 

Families Attitudinal Survey. 

Navy Command HQ plays a role within 

the AFC Team, and the NFF also have an 

independent feed into the compilation of 

the Annual Report and in all Covenantrelated 

matters. The Chair of NFF sits on an 

independent Covenant Reference Group 

which meets quarterly to discuss and raise 

awareness of current issues. If you have 

a suggestion of an initiative that would fit 

within the bounds of the Covenant, it can be 

submitted via the NFF. 

Further Information 

You can find out more via www.royalnavy. 

mod.uk that has links to NFF, RNCom and 

a number of other helpful sites. Using any 

search engine for ‘Armed Forces Covenant’ will 

find the report and the associated measures. 

Homeport and NFF will continue to provide 

updates as new measures are announced. 

Armed Forces Community Covenant Scheme Launched 

On 16 May 2011 the Secretary of State published 

the Armed Forces Covenant that outlines 

the moral obligation between the Nation, 

the Government and the Armed Forces and 

aims to improve support to the Armed Forces 

Community (that includes serving personnel, their 

families and veterans). 

The aims of the Community Covenant include: 

• to encourage local communities to support the 

Armed Forces Community in their areas, and 

vice versa 

• to promote understanding and awareness 

amongst the public of issues affecting the Armed 

Forces Community 

• to recognise and remember the sacrifices made 

by the Armed Forces Community 

• to encourage activities which help to integrate 

the Armed Forces Community into local life. 

The Community Covenant has been launched 

in three locations in England – Oxfordshire, 

Hampshire and North Yorkshire. In addition, 

Vale of Glamorgan in Wales has decided to 

launch a Community Covenant, the first in 

Wales. The Local Authorities in these areas 

have established, or are establishing, effective 

relationships with the military communities 

in their area. However, establishment of a 

Community Covenant can also be initiated by 

the Armed Forces Community. MOD has also 

been approached by other areas expressing an 

interest, so watch this space. 

The vast majority of communities in the UK, 

if not all, will have members of the Armed 

Forces Community living within them, be 

they regular serving personnel, reservists, 

family members or veterans. A large presence 

of serving personnel is therefore not a 

prerequisite to embrace this scheme. 

The scheme will consider applications from local 

groups for projects that meet the overall aims of 

the Scheme. It is likely that matched funding by a 

local authority or local group will be encouraged. 

Each application for funding will have to be 

submitted jointly by at least one Armed Forces 

Community party to the Community Covenant 

(such as a Service unit, a veterans’ group, or a 

families’ organisation) and at least one non-Armed 

Forces Community party (such as a Local Authority 

or service provider, or a commercial organisation). 

£30m of Government funding has been 

allocated over the next four years to support the 

Community Covenant scheme. 

Picture: Harland Quarrington, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010 

BFBS Now in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham 

The British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS), which provides TV and radio 

for troops stationed around the world, has recently extended its radio service 

in the UK to deliver its unique output to Service personnel in the Queen 

Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham. 

Injured British Forces troops are automatically transferred from Afghanistan 

to Birmingham’s Selly Oak and then on to the brand new Queen Elizabeth 

hospital for treatment. 

Until now it has not been easy for those in hospital to stay in touch with 

friends and colleagues still in theatre and others scattered around the world. 

Through its national DAB service and its many overseas stations BFBS Radio 

has plugged that gap. With the help of Premier Telesolutions, who provide the 

bedside entertainment system in the hospital, BFBS Radio is now available as a 

free option at every bedside. 

BFBS Radio is on DAB Digital in the UK, on FM across the Forces world, on Sky 

Guide 0211, Freesat 786 and online at www.bfbs.com. 


Advertising Feature 

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costs each year with tax and 

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Thousands of your MOD colleagues are already enjoying the 

benefits of the MOD childcare voucher scheme. And, like 

them, you can cut the costs of your childcare. Here’s how... 

The Government lets you exchange part of your salary, each 

month, for childcare vouchers before your usual tax and 

National Insurance contributions are taken. This means that 

you only have to pay the tax and NI on what’s left, saving 

you up to £933 per year. 

AND what’s even better is that both parents can take 

advantage of the scheme, so you could make a joint saving 

of up to £1,866 per family! 

Childcare vouchers can be used to pay any Ofsted (or 

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childminders, nannies, play schemes, out-of-hours school 

clubs and holiday camps, as well as the boarding element 

of lots of independent schools. 

Your carer may already be registered with Sodexo – give us 

a call and we’ll let you know. 

For more information take a look at 

www.MODChildcare.co.uk or visit 

your local HIVE. If you have any 

questions please call us on 

0800 066 5075 for Armed Forces, 

or 0800 085 2875 for Civilians. 

The RN & RM Children's Fund is a National Charity 

based in Portsmouth. We care for children of men and 

women who have served or are serving in the Royal Navy 

and Royal Marines. 

Originally set up as an orphanage we now assist 

children with a wide range of needs and at times of 

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MODAD0711A 


Royal Marines 

Story Book Commando 

by Kerry Joseph and Sarah Evans (Story Book Commando Editors) 

Story Book Commando is based at 40 Commando Royal Marines. This project began in 2003 at Her Majesty’s Prison 

Dartmoor (Story Book Dads) and proved such a success that not only is it run in over 90 prisons, it is now being 

adopted by serving units within the Armed Forces. It helps maintain family ties by allowing sailors and Royal Marines to 

record bedtime stories for their children whilst deployed. 

Recorded stories are then sent back to the 

UK and edited by specially trained editors. 

The editing process consists of removing any 

unwanted background noise and errors such 

as unclear sentences. Once the sounds have 

been removed, new sounds such as sound 

effects and music is then added to make the 

story come to life. With the possibility of 

errors being digitally removed, any nervous 

readers can rest assure that the final product 

will be of a good quality. Once the editing is 

complete, the story is transferred on to CD 

and is then sent to the Serviceman’s child. 

Personal messages at the beginning and end 

of the story are encouraged. This creates a 

unique and personal keepsake for the children. 

Hearing their parent’s voice brings comfort 

and reassurance, particularly when the child is 

young. This is a very worthwhile project and 

is already proving very popular amongst Royal 

Marine families. 

Kerry Joseph (L) and Sarah Evans (R), in the editing room 

Story Book Commando is operated by donations 

and voluntary workers. Central to the success 

of this project was the efforts and time given by 

volunteers and the Royal Marines Welfare team. 

Credit is also due to a number of charities and 

organisations for funding the project. Without the 

financial assistance from the Royal Marines (1942- 

46) Association and Go Commando, this project 

would still be in its infancy stages. Also to offer 

their support for the Royal Marines community 

donations were received from Tesco Ltd and 

Waterstones, Piccadilly. 

The Future for Story Book Commando is looking 

very promising. Already there is much interest 

and because of this there are now plans to create 

a ‘deployable pack’. This will house recording 

equipment small enough to take into theatre so 

the continuity of bedtime stories can be recorded 

throughout an operational deployment. Credit 

and thanks to ‘Help4Forty’ (fundraising for 40 

Commando) for financing the ‘deployable pack’. 

From the editors and volunteers who have helped 

get this project up and running, they would like 

to encourage all fathers at 40 CDO (and other 

units close by) to come and record their bedtime 

stories for their children. Because 

of the mass interest it is 

stressed that Servicemen 

should record at least 

one story prior to 

deploying. It may be 

a little daunting but it 

is great fun and most 

importantly the children 

love it. 

To arrange 

a recording or for 

information on Story Book 

Commando, please contact 

the Royal Marines Welfare 

Office, 40 CDO on: 

01823 362 265. 

Royal Marines Chefs Feed the Front Line 

Working 14-hour days in kitchens where temperatures reach 60 degrees Celsius, chefs from 42 Commando 

Royal Marines are producing up to 900 meals a day for troops at a patrol base in central Helmand. 

Despite the austere working conditions at Patrol Base Shahzad, in Nad ‘Ali (North), and limited ingredients, 

the chefs go to great lengths to produce a varied and healthy menu of three square meals a day, while 

maintaining the strictest of hygiene standards. 

In order to feed almost 250 people for six months, the chefs will cook with: 

• 12,150 slices of bacon 

• 3,024 tins of beans 

• 8,400 baguettes 

• 5,880 slices of pizza 

• 1,200 whole chickens 

• 1,150 sacks of potatoes 

• 3,840 steaks. 

Royal Marines serve themselves some well-deserved food 

LA(Phot) Dave Hillhouse, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011 


Royal Marines 

the ROYAL MARINES MUSEUM 

The Royal Marines today form an important part of Britain’s 

Armed Forces. They are part of the Naval Service, so form 

part of the Royal Navy’s ability to defend, deter and defeat 

any potential threats to the United Kingdom. Uniquely they 

are able to undertake Amphibious Operations – landing from 

specialized shipping and other craft at sea. 

Located in Portsmouth, Hampshire is the Royal Marines Museum that gives 

visitors the chance to explore the fascinating history of the Royal Marines. The 

museum celebrates the history of the Royal Marines from their origins in 1664 

as Sea Soldiers through to their roles in Trafalgar, China, the Falklands and 

current day activity in Afghanistan. 

Visitors can take a walk through history and learn about the lives of the extraordinary 

people who become Royal Marines through a series of interactive displays. The 

museum’s extensive collection displays items gathered from around the world and 

features a collection of over 8,000 medals including 10 Victoria Crosses. 

A visit to the Royal Marines Museum allows you to discover the stories behind 

men who are part of this elite fighting force; from the point of entering as raw 

recruits until the day they pass out as Royal Marines and are awarded their green 

berets. See their website www.royalmarinesmuseum.co.uk for more details. 

Turn to page 42 for your chance to win a Family Ticket to The Royal 

Marines Museum. 

Go Commando was set up in November 2010 to 

provide support for the families of 40 Commando, 

Royal Marines, based in Taunton, Somerset. Since then 

the charity has expanded to offer support to all Royal 

Marines and their families whether they live on base 

or in their own home. 

By funding support such as childcare, provision of 

a support network, improved communication with 

loved ones serving overseas, and generally offering 

help where it is needed, Go Commando can make a 

difference to the lives of the parents, wives and children 

who are left behind. 

Mumma Mia – Mums of Marines in Action 

For more 

information on the 

charity, or if you would 

like to support them, visit 

their website www. 

gocommando.org.uk. 

Mumma Mia is aimed at supporting mums of 

serving members of the Royal Marines through 

caring and sharing. 

Royal Marines mums are subject to all the 

stresses, strains and anxieties associated with 

living daily in the knowledge that their sons are 

fighting for Queen and Country in an extremely 

hostile environment. 

Mumma Mia provides emotional support 

through telephone contact or face-to-face 

meetings to help mums talk through their cares 

and worries with other mums who are going 

through the same situation, to help reduce the 

emotional burden. 

If you would like to find out more about Mumma 

Mia or contact them as a mum, visit their website 

www.mummamia.co.uk. 

Bring on Some Sunshine, Get Packed Up and Let’s Go... 

by Jane Williams, Deputy Chair, NFF 

The summer months are (sensibly) the time 

that lots of families days take place. When units 

are planning an event month’s ahead, picking 

a date that will work for serving personnel and 

families is a tricky business. Luckily the NFF diary 

quickly filled with requests to attend families 

days and events from various Royal Marines 

establishments, all of which we were very happy 

to accept. 

The schedule kicked off with an all-comers family 

day at CTC Lympstone, where families from 

the Plymouth area were invited to enjoy the 

activities and pick up information from the various 

organisations attending the day. The sun did shine 

and we got to meet some wonderful families (I 

think it helped being in the tent next door to the 

main food stand!) We were really left with our 

jaws dropped watching the Goodies chasing the 

Baddies in the main display arena, and we loved 

the ‘Best in Show’ dog segment The Marine 

dressed as Scooby Doo was fab, and really should 

have been given a rosette, especially after the 

judge checked to see if he was a boy or a girl! (It 

was OK folks, the judge was sensitive to the fact 

that children were watching!) 

The next event also happened to be at CTC 

Lympstone, the visit had been requested by the 

CO, Lieutenant Colonel Neil Wilson RM who 

asked the NFF to host a brief for all CTC staff 

and their families. The Chair of the NFF, Kim 

Richardson said that it was a really interesting 

brief; there was lots of two way discussion 

points. The Adjutant, Major Rob Simmons said 

afterwards “If you found it half as useful as we 

did, then I’m very pleased”. 

It was a case of empty the vehicles and re-pack 

for a very well supported families day at RM 

Poole, the day really swung 

into action at lunch time, with 

families from the area trying 

their hand at all the various 

‘Commando’ stands, enjoying 

the main arena displays and 

for some lucky folks a trip in 

one of the helicopters based 

at RM Poole. 

Then last but by no means least in the back-toback 

RM families day diary, came the families 

day for Hasler Coy. The event was held in the 

fabulous surroundings of Pentillie Castle where a 

good number of the 69 ranks assigned to Hasler 

Coy and their families enjoyed fairground rides, 

ice-cream and candy floss. People travelled from 

as far afield as Bradford and Birmingham to enjoy 

some Cornish hospitality AND the front cover is 

courtesy of some of the Boys posing! 


TWO six 

– Stay Safe 

Social Media websites are widely used by Service personnel, defence civilians, veterans and their friends and families as a 

way of staying in touch and communicating with loved ones whilst away on deployment. 

The MOD has launched an online security 

awareness campaign to inform users of the 

potential risks of social networks and the steps they 

can take to lessen these. Improper or irresponsible 

use of social media channels can present risks 

to operational and personal security unless 

appropriate steps are taken to safeguard personal 

and operationally sensitive information. 

Guidance for Staying Safe Online 

Whenever you use any social media channel 

such as Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Flickr 

or LinkedIn, make sure that you’ve familiarised 

yourself with the security or privacy settings. 

Be aware that information you share on these 

channels can be widely available and may be seen 

by people other than family and friends. 

Make sure you know who are you befriending 

online and don’t add friends that you don’t know. 

Never share any information which may put Service 

or defence personnel at risk (this may include 

technical information, operational plans, troop 

movement schedules, current or future locations 

of military units, aircraft and ships, descriptions of 

overseas bases, details of weapons systems, casualty 

numbers or discussions of areas frequented by 

Service members overseas). If you’re not sure 

whether the information that you’re sharing is 

sensitive, do not share it until you have sought 

clarification from your Chain of Command. 

Sensitive information that you share can also be 

found within photographs and videos, especially 

those taken in military establishments, and imagery 

of this sort can also identify Service personnel to 

the public against their wishes, putting them at risk. 

Do not share or tag information (including photographs 

or videos) about other serving personnel or defence 

civilians without gaining their permission first. 

Be careful when using location-based services 

such as Facebook Places, Foursquare and Gowalla 

since the information you provide through 

such sites can give away more than you intend 

about yourself and your regular movements. If 

you choose to use any of these services, make 

sure security and privacy settings are used 

appropriately, and that you do not ‘check in’ to 

military establishments. 

If you have shared information that you think may 

put others at risk, remove the information (text or 

imagery) from where you posted it, and inform your 

chain of command about your concerns to ensure 

remedial action, if any, is taken promptly. 

Identifying yourself as Service 

personnel or as a defence 

civilian and then posting 

information on public social 

media channels may bring 

yourself, your Service or the 

defence community into disrepute. 

Full details can 

be found on Defence 

Instructions and Notices 

2011DIN01-134 – Online 

Security Awareness 

Campaign. 

Online Dating Scams 

Some users of online dating websites have reported making contact with 

people who claim to be British Army soldiers on operations in Afghanistan 

or Iraq. 

Typically, they have reported building a relationship over time, through 

correspondence and exchange of photos etc – but eventually there is an 

attempt to defraud when the spoof soldier either asks for bank account 

details to transfer a significant amount of money, or by asking for money to 

enable them to go on leave. 

The former is a long-established scam (known as ‘Nigerian money scam’ or 

‘advance-fee fraud’) while the latter is a new, but outright, con! British forces 

personnel on Operations do not have to pay to go on leave, or to pay for 

flights, or replacement personnel. 

Anyone in such a position should cease all communications and contact their 

local police station. 

Remember: people online may not be who they say they are. 

Armed Forces Legal Aid Scheme 

The Armed Forces Criminal Legal Aid Authority (AFCLAA) is a tri-Service 

organisation that administers legal aid for the Armed Forces, including civilians 

subject to Service discipline, through the Armed Forces Legal Aid Scheme. 

Its main role is to process applications for legal aid and recover contributions, 

as appropriate, in respect of cases heard in the Court Martial (CM), the 

Service Civilian Court (SCC), the Summary Appeal Court (SAC) and Civilian 

Criminal Courts overseas. 

As a result of the changes to the civilian legal aid scheme, it has been necessary 

to revise the Armed Forces legal aid provision. The changes will re-establish 

broad equality with the civilian scheme and the underlying principle that Service 

Personnel and entitled civilians are not significantly advantaged or disadvantaged, 

compared to those receiving legal aid from the civilian scheme, and take into 

account the specific circumstances and needs of applicants, as well as the 

operational requirements of the Services and the Service 

Justice System (SJS). The revised scheme will be known as 

the Armed Forces Legal Aid Scheme 2011 (AFLAS 11). 

The revised scheme will continue to provide criminal legal 

aid to eligible personnel, but will use a more appropriate means test process, 

based upon the actual personal and financial position of the applicant, derived 

from the civilian scheme. AFCLAA will review all 

applications and inform the applicant of their eligibility 

for legal aid, the contributions they are required 

to make, if they accept an offer of legal aid, from 

income and capital/equity. Certain groups of 

applicants will continue to remain exempt from the 

means test assessment. 

Further 

information 

is available in DIN 

2011DIN01-096: The 

Armed Forces Legal 

Aid Scheme 2011 

(AFLAS 11). 


Information 

Three Year ‘Pause’ in 

Accommodation Funding 

In August 2011 it was announced 

that spending on Service Families 

Accommodation (SFA) upgrades and 

the main Single Living Accommodation 

(SLA) upgrade programme in the 

United Kingdom will be on hold from 

2013 for three years. 

Nearly 900 SFA homes were upgraded in the last 

financial year (in addition to other improvements). 

We are told that 96% of SFA properties are now 

in the top two standards for condition. During 

the three year pause previously planned upgrades 

(normally 800 per annum) will not be delivered. 

Despite the current financial challenges, the MOD 

will continue to target efforts on the most pressing 

accommodation issues. Until April 2013, planned 

investment in accommodation will continue, 

including major upgrades and new build projects. 

For example some £100m has been allocated to 

the SFA upgrade programme between now and 

2013. 

Some SLA upgrade programmes, such as Project 

SLAM, will also be put on hold for three years 

from April 2013. Other projects delivering SLA will 

not be affected. 

MOD will continue to fund routine and 

response maintenance on accommodation, 

together with minor new works (including 

special needs adaptations, carpet replacement 

and improvements delivered through the Asset 

Replacement Programme) during the three year 

upgrade pause. 

NFF comment 

The NFF, alongside the two other Family 

Federations, were asked to attend a meeting ahead 

of the announced pause in SFA upgrades and SLA 

modernisation program. The meeting was initiated 

by Andrew Robathan MP, Minister for Defence 

Welfare Personnel and Veterans who wanted to 

tell the Federations personally what was going on 

in advance of any announcements. He also wanted 

to give the Federations an opportunity to ask 

questions, which we did. 

We asked that assistance with affordable house 

purchase should be kept firmly on MODs radar. 

We also sought assurance that if there was any 

money available then an equal division of funding 

across the SFA estate and the three services should 

be considered. We queried at what point repeat 

repairs should become replacement work that 

would ultimately prove to be a more cost effective 

and sensible route. 

The NFF concern is that this is yet another piece 

of bad news on top of other bad news for serving 

personnel and their families. The meeting was not 

a consultation; decisions had already been made. 

It appears that none of us, including DIO, have a 

choice in this. Interestingly the recent NFF Housing 

Survey highlighted that 20% of respondents (the 

highest response in the category question; ‘what 

do you like least about living in SFA/SSFA?’ stated 

that the condition of the accommodation was the 

worst aspect of living in SFA. 

We will watch with interest what proposals are 

made for 2016 onwards. By then other areas 

of work, looking at the future shape of all three 

Services, will have delivered their initial findings. 

What shape will accommodation take in the 

future? Oh for a crystal ball or Marty McFlys Back 

to the Future time machine… 

Please 

keep reporting 

defects, following up any 

repairs and maintenance issues 

and feeding your experiences 

back to the NFF. As your conduit, 

these issues will go directly to the 

service providers and decision 

makers. Please contact Jane 

Williams on jane.williams@ 

nff.org.uk with your 

comments. 

Changes in Gibraltar 

After the Strategic Defence and Security Review, 

British Forces Gibraltar will retain its Naval Base, 

the RAF Airfield and the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. 

However, there will be some reductions in 

personnel and changes to health support, housing 

and children’s education. 

In December 2010 British Forces Gibraltar’s 

emergency care service (ambulance and A&E) 

transferred to the Gibraltar Health Authority 

(GHA) and is provided by St Bernard’s Hospital. 

In July 2011 the Lands Agreement 2011 was 

signed with the Government of Gibraltar (GOG) 

that will mean the MOD will reduce to seven 

Core Sites over the next three years and 361 

Service Family Accommodation (SFA) units 

will transfer to the GOG and 91 SFA units will 

be reprovided at Four Corners. All SFA and 

Community Facilities will be concentrated in the 

Four Corners accommodation estate. 

From September 2012 there will be changes in 

the provision of education in Gibraltar for MOD 

families with children in Year 1 to Year 7. A 

decision has been taken to close St Christopher’s 

School in July 2012 and transfer the provision 

of this schooling from the Service Children’s 

Education (SCE) to the Government of Gibraltar. 

MOD parents posted to Gibraltar whose children 

will begin school in Gibraltar in the academic year 

2011/2012 will be given the option of placing 

their children in GOG schools or St Christopher’s 

school from September 2011. The SCE will 

remain responsible for the education of all the 

children in the whole of the Foundation Stage (FS1 

and FS2, 3 – 4 year olds) thus ensuring that all 

children get their full entitlement to education. 

If you have any questions prior to your assignment 

to Gibraltar please contact NPFS Gibraltar on 

00350 2005 5136 or Gibraltar HIVE on 00350 

2005 5004. 


Protect Your Family Home This Winter 


The UK has experienced a few instances of extreme winter weather in the 

last couple of years and this has highlighted the need for all householders to 

prepare for cold weather and protect their homes during the winter months. 

Crown Copyright/MOD 2010 

The severe weather at the end of 2010 resulted 

in problems for thousands of people across 

the UK, including over 280 families in Service 

Family Accommodation (SFA) who experienced 

flooding either during the cold weather or in the 

thaw that followed. 

Flooding can cause a real mess, and structural 

damage, but families affected can also lose 

valuable possessions and personal items, as well 

as having to cope with the inconvenience and 

stress of dealing with the situation. 

Prevention is always better than having to cope 

with a flood so please follow this advice to help 

stop damage to your home and possessions 

when the weather takes a turn for the worse 

later this year. 

maintenance Helpdesk if you have any problems. 

You can’t beat heat 

It is your responsibility to look after your Service 

Family Accommodation. That means during cold 

and severe weather you should ensure that the 

temperature in your SFA does not fall below 

10°C – so don’t be tempted to switch it off if 

you go away. 

It’s not expensive to leave low level heating on 

constantly, as it is far better to spend a small 

amount to prevent problems, rather than incur 

the cost and inconvenience of a major clean up 

operation if your home floods due to a burst 

pipe. 

It is also a good idea to let that heat circulate to 

all parts of the house where possible, so keep 

internal doors open and ensure that rooms you 

don’t often use also benefit. 

If you are going away, consider opening the loft 

hatch slightly if you are worried about pipes in 

the attic – as the heat from the house will move 

upwards. 

any taps, pipes and cisterns that require attention 

and also any damage to insulation on outside 

pipe work too. 

Take special care with outdoor pipes. For outside 

taps you should shut off any isolating stopcock 

when not in use, and leave taps open. 

Going away to beat the winter 

weather? 

As well as ensuring your heating is left on, it is 

also a good idea to ask a neighbour to keep an 

eye on your house for you. They might be able 

to spot a problem and stop it, or report it early 

and avoid more problems. You can always return 

the favour next time your neighbour is away. 

So remember 

If you’re going away in cold or severe weather, 

you are responsible for ensuring that your SFA 

is protected from the frost and cold. Check the 

long range weather forecast if you’re planning 

to be away for more than a few days. And 

finally remember to follow these top tips… 

Be prepared 

Most people start switching on their heating 

in October or November, but as your heating 

system hasn’t been used for a while, some 

will discover that their heating systems are not 

functioning correctly. 

To make sure you are ready for winter weather, 

test run your heating system before winter sets 

in – ideally in September. If you identify any 

problems you’ll be giving your maintenance 

contractor plenty of time to fix these before the 

cold weather arrives. 

So test your heating system early and call your 


Water works 

If we asked you to locate the water main 

stopcock in your property could you find it now? 

Make sure you know where this is and that it 

operates in case you need it in an emergency. 

Contact your maintenance Helpdesk to report 

• Leave your heating on permanently on low 

with the room thermostat set to minimum 

of 10°C 

• Turn all your radiator valves on to full, leave 

all internal doors open and slightly open 

your loft hatch if you are worried about 

pipes in the loft 

• Isolate outside taps and empty them of 

water 

• Where possible, leave your keys with a 

trusted friend or neighbour – and ask them to 

check the house regularly while you’re away. 

Pay As You Dine 

Views Please 

Pay As You Dine (PAYD). What do you think of it? Let 

us know as we will be meeting the AFPRB (Armed 

Forces Pay Review Body) in October and want to tell 

them what you think. E-mail: admin@nff.org.uk. Over 

to you… 



NFF Survey: The Future of 

Accommodation for Service Families 

by Emma Prince, Marketing & Communications Manager 

As part of a wider study, the MOD is looking into the future of accommodation 

for Service personnel and families. As the independent voice for Royal Naval 

and Royal Marines families, the NFF is actively involved in order to ensure that 

the opinions of families are acknowledged. 

We ran a short survey on our website to 

gather the views of personnel and families. 

The survey was open to those living in Service 

accommodation and those in their own homes. It 

ran for nine weeks over June and July 2011 and 

received an outstanding response. 

Questions looked at the importance of home 

ownership, gathered attitudes towards Service 

Families Accommodation (SFA) and Single Living 

Accommodation (SLA), and enquired about the 

serving person’s commutes between work and 

home. The survey suggested fresh criteria for 

future accommodation policies, such as opening 

Service accommodation to unmarried partners and 

recognising the children of personnel who are over 

18 years of age, and asked opinions on these notions. 

The questions were compiled by the RAF Families 

Federation and all three Federations ran similar 

surveys to provide maximum feedback to the 

MOD. 

The request for space to include additional 

comments was popular and the NFF invited such 

observations via e-mail as it makes the data we 

feedback to the MOD more meaningful. We 

received interesting and thoughtful feedback; many 

different points were raised with some common 

opinions emerging. 

NFF Chair, Kim Richardson, had an aspiration 

to reach 1,000 responses. We reached that 

target within four weeks and the total rose to 

an outstanding 2,057. 

We knew housing was an important matter 

for our families but we were blown away by 

the response. Thank you to all those that took 

the time to complete the survey. The winner 

of the prize draw to receive a £100 shopping 

voucher, courtesy of Sodexo Defence, has 

been notified. 

The results of the survey will be forwarded 

to the MOD’s Future Accommodation Project 

(FAP) team, who are due to report their 

findings in April 2012. 

If you have any comments on housing which 

you would like to raise with the NFF, please 

e-mail: info@nff.org.uk. 

Birmingham City Council Provides Housing for Serving Personnel 

Birmingham City Council leads the way in supporting 

former serving personnel. As an ex-Serviceman himself, 

Cllr John Lines, Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet 

Member for Housing, has a strong interest in the housing 

welfare of former Servicemen and women. 

In his early years of work as the Cabinet Member for 

Housing, Cllr Lines discovered that former Armed 

Forces personnel appeared to have no extra entitlement, 

privileges, or recognition than anyone else when requesting 

accommodation. 

He recently travelled to Westminster to brief Housing 

Minister, Grant Shapps, and Minister of Defence Personnel, 

Welfare and Veterans, Andrew Robathan, about the 

council’s pioneering work building new homes for those 

who have served. (The NFF also attended the meeting.) 

The meeting was part of the Government’s Housing 

Summit, and the council was chosen to attend because 

of its leading work in this area. As a result of the Summit 

councils are now signing up to the Government’s 

Community Covenant. 

Birmingham City Council is constructing 12 new homes 

– Homes for Heroes – in partnership with the Alderson 

Trust, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and 

developer Galliford Try. The creation of new family homes 

will extend beyond the serving person and will include their 

partners, children and other dependants. 

Their housing officers are now able to offer a dedicated 

service and have became the first local authority in the 

country to build family homes exclusively for former Service 

personnel. They also work with relevant agencies to provide 

adaptations for injured ex-Servicemen and women, bringing 

comfort to those who have suffered at the hands of war. 

The council has also announced a new scheme to help 

those who have served get a foot on the property ladder. 

Birmingham City Council’s ‘Veterans Home Buy’ scheme 

will provide grant assistance to those who have served 

in the Forces. The scheme is made possible through 

the governments ‘New Homes Bonus’ and will enable 

former Service personnel to purchase a new home – a 

development through the Birmingham Municipal Housing 

Trust (BMHT). 

The council also gives housing advice for people leaving the 

Armed Forces through literature and a dedicated team is 

on-hand to assist with housing applications. 

Homes for Heroes 

Coming Home is the charity campaign 

for the charity Haig Housing Trust to raise 

money to provide specially adapted and 

appropriate housing for the hundreds of 

Service personnel in need of rebuilding 

their lives. 

Specially adapted homes cost £150,000 to 

£300,000, depending on location. Coming 

Home aims to raise a total of £20 million to 

provide up to 100 much needed units. 

Several badly injured 

ex-Servicemen have 

already been provided 

with a home for life 

through Haig Housing 

Trust and Coming Home. The Haig 

Housing Trust is hoping to help more than 

200 sailors, soldiers and airmen, whose 

lives were changed forever serving this 

country, into their own properties. 

To find out more information visit 

www.coming-home.org.uk 



HMS COLLINGWOOD 

by Mark Hannibal, Base Warrant Officer 

Hi, my name is Mark Hannibal and I am justly proud to be the Base Warrant 

Officer of HMS COLLINGWOOD. One of the busiest places to have worked 

during my 28 years in the Royal Navy; here is just a taste of what we actually 

do behind that very long fence line. 

Mark Hannibal, Base Warrant Officer 

HMS COLLINGWOOD is the lead establishment 

of the Maritime Warfare School (MWS) and the 

largest Naval training organisation in Western 

Europe and delivers over 72.000 man days of 

training a year. Nearly 3,300 students successfully 

complete courses here each year. 

Our purpose is to teach core professional and 

leadership skills to individual students and then 

bring the whole package together in Operations 

Room simulators to build and practise teams 

capable of fighting their ship with confidence. 

Whether a virtually new entrant to the Royal 

Navy learning a trade, or a Commanding Officer 

(Designate) of one of the RN’s major warships, 

the aim is for all personnel to leave the MWS with 

an enhanced warfighting skill and a crystal clear 

understanding that they are part of a Royal Navy 

striving to meet the First Sea Lord’s directive of 

being “Ready to Fight and Win”. 

The organisation has several core training groups: 

the Warfare Support Training Group delivering 

training to RN personnel from our junior Able 

Seaman through to Senior Officer level, across a 

broad range of subjects; the Weapon Engineering 

Training Group that delivers training to Weapon 

Engineers across the Navy; and the Warfare Training 

Group that aims to provide efficient, robust and 

relevant Surface maritime warfare training to enable 

the Royal Navy to deliver the strategic outputs of 

Maritime Force Protection and Maritime Security, 

enabled by Maritime Manoeuvre. 

With the induction into HMS COLLINGWOOD 

of HMS DRYAD and HMS MERCURY, the history 

of our Service flows through every room, and now 

with the guys and girls from RAF SWANWICK 

firmly part of our team, the title of Senior Non 

Commissioned Officer has not only been added to 

the Mess but is worn as a badge of commitment 

to the tri Service nature of our business. 

As well as training, HMS COLLINGWOOD prides 

itself on the quality of welfare and administrative 

support it offers. 

HOOD building is the home of the personnel 

centre that also provides medical and dental 

services. We have our own chaplaincy with four 

professional chaplains to help with any spiritual or 

welfare issues. 

There is also a dedicated dining facility, supported 

by shop, hairdressers, internet café and bar with 

sky TV for those all important sporting spectacles! 

One of the best used facilities here is the Sports 

and Recreation Centre; this modern and well 

equipped facility combines a swimming pool, 

sports hall, astro turf, squash courts, weight training 

areas and a vast CV (Cardio Vascular) suite, 

many of which are available for hire to the local 

community. These facilities are, of course, also 

available for families and we also offer swimming 

lessons for children. 

And finally, there are many clubs and societies, 

the details of which are displayed at our termly 

Showcase. We also have our very own Forces’ 

Families’ club, for more information contact 

our First Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander 

Jon Glass 01329 332 425, who is the in-house 

liaison. Additionally Sara Smith in the HIVE here is 

always available to support you and your families 

with a breadth of knowledge about activities and 

organisations in the Fareham area; she can be 

contacted on 01329 333 730. 

‘I never knew there was so much going on’ was 

definitely my thoughts during my initial weeks 

here and, having read this, I hope it lends weight 

to the statement I made at the beginning about 

being ‘justly proud’ of being part of this first class 

team. If you get the opportunity to work here or 

just to visit, take it. Words are one thing but the 

view from the inside defines the Royal Navy going 

forward. 

If you would like more information on the services 

we can offer you and your family please give me 

a call on 01329 332 510 or drop me an e-mail at 

mws-cwd-bwo@fleetfost.mod.uk 

Victory Squadron is part of the Warfare Support 

Training Group and focuses on delivering Duty of 

Care and Divisional Support to all Phase 2 Warfare 

and Weapon Engineering ratings conducting their 

professional courses, ensuring that they are prepared 

effectively for life in their first sea assignments. 

My main area of involvement is in providing 

Executive, Duty of Care and facilities management 

functions for trainees at stages 2 and 3 of their 

Warfare and Weapon Engineer training and lodger 

organisations, including the Royal Navy Leadership 

Academy Maritime Warfare Centre and the Royal 

Navy Acquaint Centre. I am also lucky enough 

to be the President of 1,100 members of the 

Warrant Officers and Senior Rates Mess; no small 

community, I think you’ll agree. 

Inset: HOWE Building Main Pic: Sports and Recreation Centre pool 




HMS TURBULENT East of Suez Deployment 

by Commander Ryan Ramsey, MA RN 

Trafalgar Class SSN (Ship Submersible Nuclear) HMS TURBULENT is approaching the half-way milestone of an East of 

Suez deployment, due to last over 10 months. Here, her Commanding Officer, Ryan Ramsey, and his team talk about 

some of the challenges that they face while they provide the strike capability to Commander Joint Operations. 

Leaving your family is never easy and it never 

gets easier over time. Saying goodbye and 

knowing that you are going to be gone for 

10 months is daunting for everyone, but we 

have an exceptionally important job to do. The 

constraints that submarines operate under are 

quite considerable; little communication with 

home (none when we are on operations) and the 

occasional e-mail when we are transiting. 

For us this moment had been a long time coming, 

but due to the conflict beginning in Libya we were 

required immediately to conduct a high speed 

transit to the Gulf of Sirte in the Mediterranean 

Sea, in order to provide TLAM (Tomahawk Land 

Attack Missiles – cruise missiles as used in Libya) 

support to NATO operations in the region. The 

journey was relatively short and exceptionally 

busy as we continued all the preparations for the 

operation. In fact, such tempo can be a great 

distraction. People have little time to reflect on 

who we have left behind and you could feel the 

degree of tension as we closed our operating area. 

Another aspect to the beginning of the deployment 

included embarking a TV crew. Traditionally 

known as the Silent Service, ‘Turbs’ had a media 

team embedded, from commencing final predeployment 

preparations in January to the first 

arrival in Fujairah, Dubai in May. The documentary 

will contain never seen before footage of a Royal 

CO Ryan Ramsey 

Navy submarine on a covert patrol and follows 

the lives of the men who live and work onboard. 

Although the TV crew joined an already crowded 

environment, they made the best possible effort 

to bond with a team that is used to working in 

isolation. They didn’t quite take on six hours on 

six hours off routine that submariners live by 

continuously for up to 90 days, but they brought a 

fresh and open-minded attitude to the established 

routines of the submarine and their company was 

valued throughout (with the exception that they 

eat too slowly!). 

Keeping fit should be a real struggle on a 

submarine, but onboard it has become an 

obsession. We have two rowers, one stationary 

bike (obviously stationary!) and lots of weights. The 

rowers have almost been in continuous use (day 

and night) and with the exception of when the 

operational tempo is raised, people are training. 

With the film crew always ready to film you, the 

effort you put in appears to be considerably more 

– it is amazing what you will do for the cameras. 

The amount of weight loss onboard, despite the 

excellent food, is incredible and we are considering 

selling weeks onboard as a new fad diet! 

Images courtesy of Mr Daniel Lemon 

It is amazing what the chefs do with the food. 

Even after 50 days at sea and the fresh food 

running out after week two, they have continually 

produced fantastic food (Heston Blumenthal 

thought so too – although he wouldn’t say it on 

camera!). It has a huge effect on morale onboard 

and while it is not like eating at home, where you 

probably don’t have a queue outside your dining 

room waiting for you to finish; it is a focal point of 

the day for everyone. 

Cameraman Geoff Small 

Such deployments always involve prolonged 



AB Darcy and AB Bergin, Watch Tactical Systems 

Row the Suez Canal Challenge 

periods at sea with only limited ‘runs ashore’. 

These are the periods when my team will relax, 

touch base with their friends and families, sort 

admin and enjoy the local culture. Unfortunately 

the submarine will not look after itself whilst 

alongside and requires a constant duty watch that 

will see most people spending one or two 24 hour 

periods onboard during the average visit ashore. 

These visits are never certain, so I encourage my 

team to make the most of them and if possible fly 

out their families. It is of course expensive and not 

everyone can, but those who do have the support 

of their shipmates, who take over their duties. 

A milestone of the deployment was the Suez 

Canal transit, which is a potentially hazardous 

period for any vessel and requires meticulous 

planning and constant concentration by all involved. 

That said, I and my team managed to find time to 

participate in the ‘Row the Suez Canal Challenge’ 

in aid of the submarine’s affiliated charity, the 

Children’s Hospice South West Precious Lives 

Appeal. The submarine took 11hrs 59 minutes to 

transit the 161Km canal while the team of rowers 

covered the same distance in 10hrs 46 minutes. 

Showers were out of use during this period of 

time which added to the challenge! 

Operating in the Indian Ocean, where the average 

water temperature is 32C, affects the submarine 

and the crew. The inside of the boat is warm, my 

cabin is 27C, 2 deck is 24C and the engine room 

in places reaches 45C. The only country we have 

visited so far has been the United Arab Emirates, 

which is even hotter! Here we, as submariners 

always do, stand out having had no sunlight for 

prolonged periods of time. 

These challenges are nothing compared to that 

of leaving your family and friends for such a long 

time. With a crew of 180 and only able to take 

130 to sea at a time, my team will have managed 

to rotate nearly everyone for a period of ‘fifth 

watch’ back in the UK, where they will be able to 

be with their families. That still means that most 

will do over seven months away in total this year. 

There will, however, be less than 10 of us that will 

do the entire 10 month adventure that involves a 

major sacrifice for our families, particularly with the 

sporadic contact. 

HMS TURBULENT continues to conduct vital 

operations in the area and is due to return to the UK 

very late in the year. The crew and their families will 

have made the difference – we will have provided 

deterrence to those who may wish us harm as well 

as huge contributions in other areas. We are reliant 

on your backing as well as organisations such 

as NFF who support us all. I know, although 

we shouldn’t, we take our families for 

granted, we unfortunately have to. On behalf 

of my crew, I thank you all. 

For now though we must continue HMS 

TURBULENT’S motto that is ‘Turbulenta Hostibus 

Fiat’ – troublesome to our enemies! 

The three part series about HMS TURBULENT 

will air on Channel 5 in October 2011. 

Support for the Eastern Caribbean 

by Greg Hind, tri-Service Community Social Worker for the Eastern Caribbean 

There are more than 1,200 Services personnel from 

the British Armed Forces (Army, Navy and RAF) 

who come from the Eastern Caribbean region and 

whose families require welfare support. 

This includes supporting the families of casualties 

as well as dealing with compassionate cases and is 

particularly important now that some casualties are 

intending to return home to the Eastern Caribbean 

to settle following their medical discharge. 

The Review of the Armed Forces Compensation 

Scheme recommended that those seriously injured 

as a result of their Service, who choose to live 

outside the UK after their medical discharge, will be 

able to reclaim certain costs of ongoing treatment for 

their injury. A local welfare presence in the Eastern 

Caribbean ensures that Service personnel from the 

region do not miss out on this entitlement, the details 

of which still have to be worked out. 

Families are given briefings that provide information 

about how the compassionate system works and 

the effects of the cycle of deployment on families 

and the conditions faced by personnel on active 

deployment in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Families 

also experience difficulties in using the internet 

to communicate with those in theatre as well 

as sending parcels or packets from the Eastern 

Caribbean to loved ones out in Afghanistan and 

other locations. 

Many Service personnel from the Eastern 

Caribbean were recruited in 2008 and are now 

facing the difficulty of bringing their families over 

to the UK. Apart from the expense of flights, and 

the eventual airfare to travel to the UK, each 

settlement visa costs £810; therefore, for a family 

with two or more children it’s important that as 

much information as possible is given in order to 

ensure no mistakes are made with the applications 

as fees are not normally refundable. 

There will be similar Families Briefings in St Lucia 

and Grenada in the near future. You can find out 

more about these events by contacting him at 

GregHind249@mod.uk. 



Having Your Say – the 2011 Families CAS 

by Paul Cox, HR Research Team, Directorate of Naval Personnel Strategy 

Between January and April this year 1,725 spouses/partners took part in the Naval Service Families Continuous Attitude 

Survey (FCAS). The FCAS includes a number of questions that are also asked of Army and RAF families. Together they 

are analysed to produce a tri-Service Report (FAMCAS) that is put before Parliament. It will be published on the MOD 

Freedom of Information website and is used as a measurement of the Armed Forces Covenant (previously known as the 

Service Personnel Command Paper). The FCAS results are reported below: 

What did spouses/partners tell us? 

Unsurprisingly many spouses/partners told 

us they found some aspects of Service life 

hard. As shown in ‘Figure 1’, three quarters of 

respondents felt their life was generally more 

difficult than that of friends whose spouses/ 

partners were not in the Service. Just under half 

said they sometimes felt unsupported which, 

quality of childcare facilities for families has 

improved but it is understood, through your 

feedback to the Naval Families Federation, that 

there is still much work to be done. 

Over three quarters of respondents indicated 

that they are happy for the Naval Service 

to contact them directly, with particular 

Comment from 2SL, Vice Admiral 

Charles Montgomery CBE ADC 

“The impact of Service life is not only felt by 

our Serving personnel, but also their families. 

In my role as Second Sea Lord, a husband 

and a father, I know only too well that Service 

life can put demands and restrictions on our 

families. I use the Naval Service FCAS, as 

well as other feedback I receive, to ensure 

that your views are factored into our policies 

and priorities for investment. I would like 

personally to thank all those families who 

took the time to complete this survey. Your 

support is fundamental and in return I want 

to ensure that we understand and respond 

to your needs. With this in mind, I have 

tasked my team to examine how to engage 

better with you, to ensure your opinions and 

concerns are accurately represented, with 

their findings reported directly back to me. 

although high, is lower than the previous two 

surveys. Moreover, the majority of respondents 

said they did not feel valued by the RN/RM for 

the sacrifices they have made in supporting 

their partner and the limitations of their career 

choices due to Service life. 

Consequently, just under half of respondents 

claimed they would be happier if their spouse 

left the RN/RM, and around seven in ten 

thought their family life would improve. 

Following on from this, around seven out of ten 

respondents said they had at some time started 

a discussion with their spouse/partner about 

them leaving the Service. 

Figure 1 

emphasis given to contact by e-mail. This is 

being reviewed to see how it can be taken 

forward without compromising the anonymity 

of the FCAS. 

Note from Kim: Do you agree with these 

findings? If not, fill in the FCAS when it comes to 

you. 

The next Naval Service FCAS is due in the 

New Year. If you receive one, please take 

the time to complete it. I understand that life 

is busy, but it is important to me that future 

decisions are based on evidence taken directly 

from the heart of the Naval Service – you.” 

If you would like to know more about 

the Families CAS please contact 

Paul Cox in the HR Research Team, 

Directorate of Naval Personnel 

Strategy. Tel: 023 9262 5496, e-mail: 

Paul.Cox989@mod.uk). 

The top positives (see ‘Figure 2’) were the 

location of and the charges for SFA/SSFA. The 

majority of people continue to be satisfied with 

the Armed Forces pension scheme and two 

thirds are satisfied with the amount of leave 

given to their partner. 

In particular, satisfaction with the access to and 

Figure 2 


Amendment to the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme – 

Payment of Bereavement Grants to Eligible Children 


The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) makes provision to pay bereavement grants to a surviving spouse, 

civil partner or surviving adult dependant (‘surviving partner’) where the death of the individual was due to Service. 

The grant is paid to supplement the Death in Service lump sum payable under 

the Armed Forces Pension Schemes (AFPS). The amount of bereavement 

grant payable depends on which Armed Forces Pension Scheme the member 

belonged to. The AFPS 1975 makes provision to award a lump sum, 

depending on individual circumstances, to an eligible child where there is no 

surviving partner. 

A recent case has highlighted that sometimes where a child receives the 

AFPS lump sum and an AFCS Child Payment, he/she is not eligible for 

an AFCS bereavement grant. This was not seen as fair and MOD plan 

to change the AFCS rules to allow such payments. This change will be 

included as part of a package of otherwise minor legislative amendments 

to the Scheme. 

In the meantime they will be applying this change to previous AFCS 

cases of this type, on an exceptional, one-off basis, over the next few 

months, as they undertake the exercise to re-visit all previous AFCS 

awards and uplift them in line with the Boyce Review changes. 

HMS HEROES 

HMS Heroes was formed in 2010 as a support 

network made up of pupils from primary and 

secondary schools across Plymouth who have 

parents or carers in the Armed Forces. It is 

co-ordinated by Plymouth City Council’s Services 

for Children and Young People and provides 

practical help and advice to Service children 

ranging from 7 to 14 years old. 

The group started life as a pilot, funded using a 

Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning grant, 

awarded by the former Department for Children, 

Schools and Families. As the group’s success grew, 

further funding and sponsorship from the RBL and 

Serco has been secured. 

HMS HEROES has already attracted national 

interest from the Defence Directorate Children 

and Young People, who recognise the power of 

children supporting each other and their families. 

The group’s achievements to date include: 

designing a school passport for all Service children, 

challenging their local councillor, questioning 

their local MP and taking part in major events 

such as the March for Honour, Remembrance 

Sunday and, most recently, Plymouth Blitz 70 

commemorations. 

In June this year the children took part in a special 

church service at St Nicholas Church in HMS 

DRAKE to dedicate a new flag designed by the 

children using the Royal British Legion’s flag along 

with the HMS HEROES logo. 

Throughout autumn, the standard will be hosted in 

each of the schools involved with HMS HEROES, 

where children will have a ‘hands on’ opportunity 

to learn the history and handling of standards from 

the Royal British Legion team of standard bearers. 

Around six per cent of school pupils in the city 

have parents or carers who serve in the Armed 

Forces, with some schools having more than 30 

percent. (This figure does not include pupils who 

have siblings and other relatives serving in the 

Armed Forces.) 

Anyone interested in joining the group should 

email heather.ogburn@plymouth.gov.uk. 

Service Personnel and Veterans Agency 

– Removal of Agency Status 

The Service Personnel and Veteran Ageny (SPVA) has had a slight change in that it has ceased 

to be classed as an ‘Executive Agency’ because of running costs incurred by being an Agency 

such as annual report, audit work and governance structures. 

Although no longer an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Defence, SPVA will keep its identity 

and logo that helps to maintain its association with ex-Service charities and organisations. This 

will avoid the unnecessary expenditure associated with re-branding. 

SPVA provides: 

• Personnel administration services and accurate payment 

of pay, allowances through the tri-Service administration 

system, known as Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) and 

pensions (War or Armed Forces) to the serving and Veterans 

communities 

• Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, including recent changes 

• Medals Office • Veterans Welfare 

For further 

information on SPVA 

telephone 0800 169 

2277 or visit 

www.veterans-uk. 

info 

Refurbished SFA 

in Fareham 

More than £7m is being spent on modernising Service 

Families Accommodation (SFA) on the Peak Lane Estate 

in Fareham. 

Defence Infrastructure Organisation, part of The Ministry 

of Defence, is refurbishing 195 homes. Improvements 

include new kitchens and bathrooms with thermostatic 

showers, better loft insulation, new curtains, carpets and 

flooring and new internal doors. The homes also have 

new, energy-efficient central heating and have been 

re-wired and re-decorated. 

The latest round of refurbishments is the second phase 

of upgrades for the Peak Lane area; 55 properties have 

already been modernised and have families living in 

them. 


Serving in Scotland: 

NFF Visit to HMNB CLYDE 

by Emma Prince, Marketing & Communications Manager, NFF 

Back in May 2011 two members from the NFF were delighted to take up an invitation to visit HMNB CLYDE in 

Scotland. We have been keen to speak with personnel and families in this area for some time and so myself and Deputy 

Chair, Jane Williams, grabbed an umbrella and off we went! 

Our visit was packed full of activities to make the 

most of our time. This was a fantastic opportunity 

to speak to lots of people about life within the Naval 

Service community in Faslane, and to get a firsthand 

account of the living and working situation, 

which is invaluable when handling questions and 

discussing any concerns raised from the area. 

Our visit allowed us to gain a small snapshot into 

Service life in the area and brought several issues 

to our attention. 

First and foremost, there is a concern about the 

negative perceptions of the area. Some people 

are hesitant about postings to Faslane owing to 

its location and the Scottish weather. There is 

also some apprehension about the condition of 

Service Families Accommodation (SFA). Another 

point raised was about the changes needed over 

the coming years to facilitate Faslane becoming the 

home of the Submarine Service. This will involve 

a large increase in the workforce and requires an 

expansion of base capabilities, accommodation and 

family services, for example. 

Reputation 

We had the opportunity to tour some of the SFA 

patches in Helensburgh and take a look inside 

various banded properties. Whilst from the outside 

some SFAs look tired, the inside delivered a 

pleasant surprise. The houses we visited were a 

good size and the rooms were light and airy, with 

new paintwork and carpets. Properties are well 

looked after; AMEC Turner hold the maintenance 

contract for Service accommodation in Scotland 

and receive positive feedback from the Chain of 

Command. There has been lots of regeneration 

in the area and more is planned, the Defence 

Infrastructure Organisation has announced, as 

funding has been secured. 

Churchill is the biggest SFA patch in Helensburgh. 

It is a vibrant and mixed community with Service 

and civilian families living alongside one another. 

There are excellent support facilities; NPFS, 

HIVE and the MOD Police are all based within 

the patch. There is a shop, multi-use floodlight 

games court and a social club and church from 

which various groups operate – there is a Zumba 

dance class for the ladies and a disco for the kids! 

The community team organise regular events 

such as parenting groups and the recent Families’ 

Ice Patrol Ship 

HMS PROTECTOR 

Following the re-affirmation of the 

United Kingdom’s requirement for 

an Ice Patrol Ship in the Strategic 

Defence and Security Review, 

the MOD has signed a contract for a three-year 

lease of a commercial ice-breaker to act as an interim 

replacement to HMS ENDURANCE, which suffered 

severe flood damage in December 2008. 

Although the ship is of commercial design and 

classification, HMS PROTECTOR will fly the White 

Ensign and be manned by Royal Navy personnel. 

HMS PROTECTOR was formally commissioned 

into the Royal Navy’s fleet in a ceremony in June 

2011 and will deploy on the Navy’s Antarctic task 

in November, serving in the region for the 2011-12 

austral summer. Meanwhile the long-term future of 

HMS ENDURANCE is being considered. 

Tickets for Troops – Win 

Olympics and Apollo Cinema Tickets 

All serving members of HM Forces, and all those medically discharged from the Forces since the 

commencement of military action in Afghanistan in 2001, are eligible to register for tickets to see 

sport, music, theatre or comedy events with Tickets for Troops. 

Tickets for Troops has recently announced a new partnership with Apollo Cinemas to offer Servicemen 

and women the opportunity to see a film, for free, every week at all 14 UK Apollo Cinemas. Click on 

the ‘What’s On’ tab for full details. 

There is also a chance for members of the Armed Forces 

to attend the Olympic and Paralympic Games next summer, 

free of charge. Registration for the Olympic Games tickets must 

be made by 1 November 2011. 

Simply go to www.ticketsfortroops.org.uk click ‘Register’, enter your details and you’ll have access 

to the list of tickets available. Depending on popularity, tickets are allocated on either a First Come, First 

Served basis or entered into a ballot where your name will be randomly selected. You may not be aware 

that each registrant is eligible to win one ballot every two years, so please make sure you choose wisely. 

For full details of forthcoming events, eligibility and regulations visit www.ticketsfortroops.org.uk. 


Fun Day in support of Armed Forces Day. The 

residential areas are quiet, with green space and 

play parks. There are several good schools in the 

area, with shops and supermarkets and it is less 

than an hour’s drive into the hustle and bustle of 

Glasgow, or you can hop on a direct train at the 

local station. 

Accommodation on the base is “probably the best in 

Defence” according to Base Logistics Commander 

Stuart Somerville, and from our tour of Neptune 

Village we can see what he means. There has 

been massive regeneration with newly built 

accommodation and top class community facilities. 

There is a general store, hairdressers, coffee shop 

with Wi-Fi, restaurant and several bars. HMNB 

CLYDE offers a superb range of sporting facilities to 

personnel and their families, including a gym, sports 

courts, bowling alley and dry ski slope! 

During our visit we experienced all sorts of weather; 

it can change from sunshine to rain in a moment and 

then change right back again! Whilst we cannot deny 

getting a little soggy at times I must quote the famous 

Scottish comedian, Billy Connelly, who said ‘If you don’t 

like the Scottish Weather just wait 20 Minutes!’ A plus 

point to the changeable weather is the lush greenery it 

produces – the beauty of the rolling hills and dramatic 

skies is really rather breathtaking. 

Whilst the weather can be a little greyer in Scotland, 

there are some definite plus points for life north of 

the border. Scotland’s independent Government is 

responsible for health and education. The Scottish 

NHS offers free eye tests and prescriptions to 

patients, and free or reduced cost dental care; whilst 

the Scottish education system provides free university 

education for those who have lived in Scotland for 

the last three years. For full information and eligibility 

details visit: www.scotland.gov.uk. 

Maritime Change Programme (MCP) 

The changes set out in the MCP mean that HMNB 

CLYDE will become the Submarine Centre of 

Specialisation for the Royal Navy. Whilst there is a 

lot of change coming in the years ahead, it provides 

the base with a full and pre-determined schedule; 

somewhat of a security for the community. 

The large influx of workers will be a challenge 

and brings concerns over adequate provision 

of housing, schooling and spousal employment 

opportunities, as well as continuity of employment 

for personnel during the transition. However, the 

Captain of HMS NEPTUNE, Captain Tarr OBE, 

introduced us to the ‘Firm Base’ initiative. This 

framework engages local authorities on matters 

where the military population touches the wider 

community, for example, housing, employment, 

education and healthcare provision. The idea 

is to ‘Support the Service Person, Engage the 

Community’. Captain Tarr went on to say that the 

local Government is very much behind the MCP 

migration and local facilities are prepared; there is 

plenty of space in the local schools, hospitals and in 

NHS dental surgeries. 

On the accommodation front the ambition is to 

house the majority of families within the local 

community. Submariners are likely to stay at 

Faslane for the duration of their career and this 

sort of stability encourages families out of Service 

accommodation and into their own homes. Whilst 

properties within Helensburgh are a higher value 

than some areas, the prices drop considerably if 

you look just a few miles further out. 

Families looking to move to Faslane in the future 

should contact the community support teams. 

The local HIVE can provide information on 

housing, schools, shopping and leisure facilities. 

NPFS (Naval Personal and Family Service & Royal 

Marines Welfare) offer a tour of the base and 

facilities to families. Visit our website: www.nff. 

org.uk for contact details of your nearest HIVE 

and NPFS office. 

RSR Braeholm is offering two nights’ free bed & 

breakfast to personnel and their immediate family 

members who are looking to move to the area 

under the MCP. For details, contact Braeholm on: 

01436 671 880. 

The Chain of Command at HMNB CLYDE is 

keen for continued NFF involvement; for us 

to communicate the busy and changing nature 

of Service life to the MOD. There is a lot of 

distance between MOD Headquarters in London 

and those based at Faslane, and some unique 

challenges that must be acknowledged. 

If you’re a Naval Service family living north of the 

border and have an issue or view you would like 

to raise please get in touch with the NFF. 

The MCP is generating a real sense of change 

in the brisk Scottish air. Unfortunately whilst we 

were in Scotland there was also the threat of 

volcanic ash in the air; our flights home were 

cancelled and an impromptu road trip home 

began! Anyway, a very insightful visit and warm 

Scottish welcome! 

Many thanks to HMNB CLYDE for their invitation 

and to our wonderful host, WO1 Bob Cawley, RM. 

www.methodpublishing.co.uk 

METHOD PUBLISHING 

Sutherland Press House 

Main Street . Golspie 

Sutherland KW10 6RA 

Telephone . 01408 633871 

Facsimile . 01408 633876 

Email . admin@methodpublishing.co.uk 

Publishers to The Ministry of 

Defence and to Army Garrisons and 

Establishments throughout the world 



Winter Driving 


Winter Driving Checklist for Drivers 

As a road user (motorist or pedestrian) you have a 

responsibility to yourself, your passenger and other 

road users. Here are some suggestions as to what 

you can do to help you have a safe journey during 

the winter months. 

1. Consider whether your journey is absolutely 

essential 

2. Obtain the latest weather information 

3. Plan your journey, allowing yourself extra 

time if required 

4. Ensure your eyesight is up to the relevant 

standard (have your eyes checked at least 

every two years) 

5. Tell someone your journey plan 

6. Do you have experience in winter driving? 

(Consider a course in skid control) 

7. Consider joining a recognised breakdown/ 

recovery service 

8. When driving travel slowly and at a safe 

distance from the vehicle in front to avoid 

harsh braking and steering 

9. When driving in poor visibility always use 

dipped headlights 

10. It is always better to travel a little further on 

a main road that has been salted than to use 

untreated minor roads. WARNING – Treated 

roads may still be icy 

11. Be aware of ‘Dawn Frost’, which occurs on 

dry roads when early morning dew falls on 

cold surfaces and freezes on impact 

12. Finally, don’t automatically assume roads 

have been salted; even the most carefully 

organised procedures can suffer setbacks or 

mechanical breakdowns and as a result some 

salting routes may not always be treated as 

quickly as programmed. 

Winter Driving Checklist for Your 

Car 

Before starting a journey check: 

1. Your tyre pressures are at the recommended 

level and that the tread depth is correct. 

Don’t forget to check the spare as well 

2. Your vehicle lights are clean and in working 

order 

3. Your wiper system is working effectively, your 

washer bottles are full and contain suitable 

additive to prevent freezing 

4. Your battery is in good condition, topped up 

and fully charged 

5. Your anti-freeze is at the correct strength 

6. That all your windows and mirrors are 

completely clear of ice and condensation 

7. That you have a can of de-icer and a scraper. 

Also overnight use a suitable cover to keep 

your windscreen free from ice 

8. That, for long journeys, you have considered 

taking a flask of hot drink, a blanket, a torch 

and a shovel. 

If you do get into trouble… 

Do not use a mobile phone while driving. Stop 

somewhere safe or ask a passenger to make the call. 

On a motorway, it is best to use a roadside 

emergency telephone, because the breakdown/ 

emergency services will be able to locate you 

easily. If you have to use a mobile phone, make 

sure you know your location from the numbers on 

the marker posts on the side of the hard shoulder. 

Abandoned vehicles can hold up rescue vehicles 

and snowploughs. To ensure that the road is 

cleared as quickly as possible, stay with your 

vehicle until help arrives. 

If you have to leave your vehicle to get help, make 

sure other drivers can see you. 

Driving in Floods 

Driving through water can be extremely 

hazardous. Flooding in the UK has become an 

annual event which can cause major problems on 

the roads. 

Floods usually occur after a period of heavy rainfall 

when rivers burst their banks or drains fail to cope 

with the quantity of water. Sudden large volumes 

of water can cause flash-floods. 

If you need to travel anywhere affected 

by floods, firstly ask yourself is the journey 

absolutely necessary? 

Things to consider 

o Flash floods can come rapidly and unexpectedly 

near rivers 

o Do not attempt to drive through a flood unless 

you are sure how deep the water is. Be aware 

that water can hide dips in the road. In extreme 

circumstances there may be no road at all under 

the water. Flooding can wash away the entire 

road surface and a significant amount of ground 

beneath 

o Only 6 inches of water will reach the bottom of 

most passenger cars; this depth can cause loss of 

control or possible stalling as water is sucked into 

the exhaust or washes into the air intake 

o If negotiating a flooded section of road, drive 

slowly and steadily in low gear without stopping 

o If possible observe other vehicles to get an 

indication of the safest route through the flood 

o Consider other drivers and pedestrians – pass 

through flooded sections one car at a time, don’t 

drive through water against approaching vehicles 

o Many cars will start to float in as little as 

one foot of water – this can be extremely 

dangerous because as the wheels lose grip, 

control will be lost 

o Two feet of flowing water can sweep away most 

vehicles including large four-wheel drive cars. 

Don’t try driving through fast-moving water 

o Always test your brakes, whilst driving slowly, 

after driving through a flood. 

For further information your Ministry of 

Defence Police contacts are: 

Community Safety Department – 

community.safety@mdpga.mod.uk 

PS George Smart – 01436 674 321 x7249 – 

george.smart371@mdpga.mod.uk 

PS Gavin Alcroft – 01228 794 576 – 

gavinalcroft247@mdpga.mod.uk 

PC Fiona Franklin – 01252 355 894 – 

fiona.franklin676@mdpga.mod.uk 

PS Debs Walden – 01225 883 410 – 

deborah.walden300@mdpga.mod.uk 


Your Money 

The Final Report from the 

Independent Public Service Pensions Commission 

by Lieutenant Commander David Marsh, Pensions Secretary of the Forces Pensions Society 

Regardless of whether you work in the private or public sector, pensions are on everyone’s mind. No more so if you are 

part of a Service family, budgeting day to day and year to year. 

What implications are there for you and your 

pension and what is the current position of the 

Government over the coming months and years? 

The Forces Pension Society’s Pensions expert, 

Lieutenant Commander David Marsh RN, takes 

us through what this could mean for you and 

your family. 

The recent Public Service Pensions Commission, 

chaired by Lord Hutton, produced 27 

recommendations, some of which were significant. 

A couple caught me pleasantly by surprise but 

most were expected and, to a large degree, 

welcomed as an opportunity to rebuild trust 

between the country and the Service community. 

What happens to the Armed Forces Pension 

Schemes (AFPS) next? The ball is now firmly in the 

Government’s court and it must decide whether 

to accept the Commission’s report in full, partially 

(cherry pick the bits it likes and discard the rest) 

or reject it. Once it has declared its hand then the 

responsibility is on the MoD to construct a new 

pension scheme that is compliant with the wishes 

of Government as well as the Services too. 

The principal recommendation on which the new 

scheme is to be based, and the thrust behind the 

whole report, is that the Armed Forces are to be 

moved off final salary pension schemes and onto 

what is termed a Career Averaging scheme. This 

includes all those serving on the day the new 

pension scheme is put into place. We anticipate 

that AFPS75 and AFPS05 will close on that day to 

all new and current members, as will the RFPS. 

The Commission strongly recommended 

that the Government must honour in full the 

pension promises that have been accrued by 

scheme members up to the point of closure 

of the current schemes. Importantly also, the 

Commission recommended that those accrued 

rights maintain the final salary link for past 

service. This means that those leaving after the 

new scheme becomes operative will have the 

portion of their pension from the AFPS75 or 

AFPS05 pension schemes based on their salary 

on exit – not on the salary they were in receipt 

of at the time of scheme closure. 

For scheme members who serve full careers in the 

Armed Forces the Commission recommended that 

a new pension scheme, together with a full state 

pension, should deliver at least adequate levels 

of income as defined by the Turner Commission 

benchmark replacement rates, which sit between 

60% and 66.67% of salary. 

A surprising recommendation is that pension 

benefits should be up-rated in line with the 

Average Earning Index (AEI) during the accrual 

phase for active scheme members. As a current 

comparison, the Civil Service operates a career 

averaging pension scheme (called Nuvos), but 

pension benefits earned during the accrual 

phase for active members are increased in line 

with prices indices. The AEI is usually more 

generous than prices indices over a period of 

time. Note, however, that once pensions are 

put into payment or deferment (preserved), 

then they are increased by prices indices, just 

as is the case today. 

Another key recommendation is that the 

Government should consider setting a new 

Normal Retirement Age (NRA) of 60 for the 

Armed Forces. This is a matter for the Chiefs 

of Staff to consider, however the Commission 

recommended that scheme members should 

be given the option of drawing their pension 

benefits earlier (from age 55) or later, with accrual 

adjustments to reflect the choice made. 

An important recommendation, acknowledging 

some behind-the-scenes work that the Society 

has been quietly lobbying for over the past ten 

years, is that regular benefit statements should 

be issued to active scheme members, at least 

annually and without being requested. 

It was a little embarrassing that the Commission 

felt it necessary to comment on the level 

of service being offered by pension scheme 

administrators to scheme members, necessitating 

a recommendation for an improvement to an 

acceptable level. Again we have repeatedly called 

for that and are pleased to see it included. 

The current levels of MOD manpower and 

expertise being asked to maintain business as 

usual are very tight without the additional task 

of producing a brand new pension scheme, 

plus all the transitional arrangements that are 

compliant with pension law, and palatable to 

the Services too. 

It would appear, therefore, that we are in for a 

very interesting time over the next five years. 

First, the construction of the new scheme; then 

sorting out of transitional arrangements following 

closing AFPS75, AFPS05 and RFPS; then the 

education of the Services about their new pension 

scheme; and finally dealing with the inevitable 

queries and problems after implementation. 

Fortunately most members of the staff in the 

Society have experience of the development 

and introduction of AFPS05 that will enable us to 

monitor the whole process in a constructive and 

creditable way that will be of use to our members 

and to the Armed Forces as a whole. 

The Forces Pension Society is open to all 

members of the Armed Forces and their 

dependants. It is a not-for-profit organisation with 

three primary objectives: 

• Campaigning to secure equitable and justified 

conditions in the Armed Forces Pension 

Scheme for all ranks of all three Services, 

both serving and retired and for their widows, 

widowers and dependants 

• Campaigning to seek 

resolution of 

various legacy 

issues 

• Assisting its 

members with 

Service pension 

problems and 

related issues 

For further 

information please visit 

the FPS website: 

www.forcespensionsociety. 

org.uk or call us on 

020 7820 9988.

Your Money 

Money Saving Ideas 

by Liz Dunscombe, Credit Action 

We’re all feeling the pinch financially at the moment and, whilst we might feel that we’re victims of global trends 

or government policy, there are things we can do to make the most of what money we do have in our pockets. 

In July 2011 it cost on average £68.05 to fill a 

car with a 50 litre tank with unleaded petrol. 

Over a quarter of us say we’re cutting back on 

our car usage and this makes sense. Could you 

share transport to work or taking the children 

to school/clubs – or better still get the children 

walking. Plan journeys so that you achieve as 

many tasks as possible – a round trip to multiple 

venues will probably be cheaper than home and 

back to each one individually. 

Food shopping takes up about 25% of the net 

disposable income of the average family and is 

probably the most flexible part of any budget. 

Large supermarkets are good for allowing us to 

do all our shopping under one roof, however 

they also tempt us with lots of ‘bargains’ 

that we don’t actually need. The key to not 

spending more than necessary is to write a 

clear list of what you require and then to stick 

to it. Shopping for six days and then eating up 

all the leftovers on the 7th day can work well 

– as can making sure that you’re not hungry 

when you shop! 

It is also much cheaper to buy basic ingredients 

and cook a meal from scratch than it is to use 

pre-prepared items. If you have a freezer then 

cook double or even treble quantities when you 

are able and freeze in appropriate size portions 

for your household – then you’ll have ‘ready’ 

meals when you need them. Take advantage 

of special offers (research current ones 

online and plan your menus 

around them), but 

don’t buy more than 

you’ll really use of 

something just because 

it’s cheap – you’ll end up 

throwing it away. 

The UK base rate has been at a 315 year low of 

0.5% since March 2009, however the average 

interest rate for credit cards is now 18.7% – this 

compares with average credit card rate of 16.6% 

in July 2007 (when base rate was 5.75%). So 

although it might be a challenge, one very good 

way to save money is to clear as much credit card 

debt as possible thereby saving yourself significant 

amounts of interest. 

The most effective way to clear debt is to create a 

realistic and sustainable budget for your household 

– costing out your necessary expenditure will help 

you to evaluate what you have available to repay 

debts. Visit www.budgetbuilder.creditaction. 

org.uk for an online tool to help you create such 

a budget. If you can’t get your budget to balance, 

then contact the Consumer Credit Counselling 

Service on 0800 138 1111 or www.cccs.co.uk. 

A survey has found that being sensible with money 

is the number one principle that parents want 

to pass onto their children. Personal financial 

education has no standard place in our schools 

so most teenagers are dependent on what the 

adults around them pass on. However children are 

not always terribly receptive to parental wisdom, 

particularly in their latter teens! Credit Action is 

able to give a presentation on handling money, 

free of charge, to any sixth form in the UK apart 

from in Scotland. In certain areas 

we are able to deliver to the 11-16 

age group. So if your teenagers are challenging 

your advice, why not ask their school to invite us 

in (e-mail office@creditaction.org.uk or telephone 

0207 380 3390). 

In a study two groups of people were sent out 

to buy a camera, one had to use cash the other 

a credit card. The cash purchasers spent on 

average £29.58, the card purchasers £52.67! 

Another study showed that over a three month 

period those that shopped with cash spent 20 

-30% less than those who used a debit or credit 

card. So you might want to consider trying to 

live with cash only for a while – but do make 

sure you’re keeping a record of what you are 

spending the money on and monitoring it against 

your budget. 

We might not be 

able to control 

the economic 

storm, but by 

taking positive 

action regarding 

our own 

finances, we can 

affect how well we 

ride it out! 

Editor’s Note: 

When driving, remember 

another way to save money is 

to reduce your speed, therefore 

driving more economically. Dropping 

your speed does not actually add 

much time to your journey, but the 

difference in your fuel bill will be 

noticeable! 

One of the newer 

arrivals in terms 

of obtaining discount 

on products is ‘voucher code’ 

websites. The codes, if used very 

carefully, can save you money, however 

all too often you end up falling foul of some 

small print condition, not getting the discount 

but purchasing the item anyway. Also something 

is only a bargain if you would have bought it (or 

something very similar) anyway – otherwise it is 

an extravagance that you probably can’t afford. 


Your FAMILY 

Changes to Car Insurance Rules 

From June 2011 car insurance rules changed which 

means that if you’ve got an uninsured vehicle you are 

breaking the law, whether you drive it or not, unless 

you have a Statutory Off-Road Notice (SORN). 

Cars, motorbikes and motor homes must now be 

continually insured. Even if you let cover lapse during 

holidays, hospital stays or deployments, you’ll be 

breaking the law. There’s a £100 fine followed by 

clamping, seizure or your vehicle being destroyed, 

though warning letters come first. 

The new Continuous Insurance Enforcement Scheme 

makes it an offence to keep an active, uninsured 

vehicle. Under the previous law, you only needed 

insurance if you were driving. 

The aim of the new rule is to cut down on the 

number of uninsured vehicles that currently stands 

at 1.4 million. It’ll allow the Government to use 

databases to match-up owners with insured vehicles. 

If you are due to be away on deployment when your 

car insurance is due, you must plan your car insurance 

renewal before you go away. If your vehicle is offroad 

and will not be used during your deployment 

then arrange a SORN through the DVLA (Driver and 

Vehicle Licensing Agency) or risk receiving a fine. 

Follow the Flag 

Follow the Flag supports those serving 

and those who have served in the Armed 

Forces and their families. Their aim is to 

build a central market place where you 

can find excellent, diverse, independent 

businesses and individuals offering highly 

skilled niche services, whilst supporting 

our Armed Forces and their families. 

By understanding the effect moving so 

frequently can have on running your own 

business, Follow the Flag offers a smart, 

easy to navigate website for Forces’ 

Families to market their independent 

businesses, both inside and outside the 

Forces community. 

For more information visit www. 

followtheflag.com and find out what 

businesses are in your area or advertise 

your own. 

In beautiful countryside one mile south of the small 

Cotswold town of Corsham – midway between 

Bath and Chippenham lies 

The Services 

Cotswold Centre 

Any Service family needing short term accommodation, 

between postings, on retirement, for a break in the 

country or for Welfare reasons can stay at the Centre. 

You stay in centrally heated, fully furnished and 

equipped, 3 to 4 bedroom self-catering chalets. 

To find out more contact your Welfare Office or 

telephone the Centre 01225 810358. 

How would you 

like to reach 

105,000 families? 

Call Jeanne Alker on 

01408 633871 

Your 

Home from Home 


Education 

Directorate Children and Young People 

The Directorate Children and Young People (DCYP) has 

been recently established as the MOD lead for Service 

children and young people. The Directorate is headed up 

by Lynda Fisher (the 2-star MOD ‘Director Children and 

Young People’). Lynda has a wealth of experience in the 

wider children’s services arena and joined the MOD from 

Portsmouth City Council where she had held a senior post 

as Strategic Director. Key staff appointments within the 

Directorate include Safeguarding, Policy, Commissioning 

and Communications. The Directorate’s job is to ensure 

that every Service child, wherever he or she is living in the 

world, has the best possible opportunity to achieve their 

full potential and to represent Service children’s needs at 

the highest level across all Government Departments and 

Devolved Administrations. 

DCYP has identified key areas in Service children’s lives 

to concentrate on: 

• Dealing with upheaval caused by frequent moves of home and school 

• Dealing with separation due to the operational deployment of a parent or 

close family member or friend 

• Promoting and supporting healthy lifestyles 

• Providing inspirational and exciting learning and play activities that ensure 

that Service children and young people raise their expectations and achieve 

at the highest possible levels 

• Ensuring that all our children and young people are supported and 

protected and that they feel safe 

• Providing opportunities for Service children and young people to have their 

voices heard and have a say in shaping the services available to them 

• Providing access to a range of learning pathways so that our young people 

are able to meet the challenges of adulthood and enter the world of work. 

where Service children move to. Again, 

this is an area which DCYP is very 

closely focused on at the moment. 

Service Children in State Schools (SCISS) 

is a group of representatives from over 

800 state schools in England that serve 

military communities, local authorities, 

Department of Education, Service Children’s Education (SCE) and CEAS, and 

played a significant role in persuading Ministers to provide additional funds (the 

Service children’s Pupil Premium). 

DCYP recently commissioned Ofsted to look closely at the impact of the 

partnerships and support for Service children. 

The Ofsted Report (published in May 2011) 

recognised the strengths of the partnership 

working between schools and Commands 

overseas, SCE Pupil and Family Services, 

CEAS and local authorities and schools 

in the UK. Again, DCYP will continue 

to work closely with all partners in 

implementing the key recommendations of 

the Ofsted Report. The Report can be found 

www.nff.org.uk under Education. 

Please 

visit the DCYP 

website at www.mod.uk/ 

ChildrenAndYoungPeople for 

further information about what we 

do on behalf of all Service children and 

young people. 

If anyone wishes to submit a comment 

or specific questions please e-mail 

us at: 

LF-PSC-CYP-Mailbox@ 

mod.uk. 

The MOD commissions an annual survey known as ‘Your Say’ which is 

anonymous and open to all MOD staff. The responses to the 2010 survey 

are of particular interest to DCYP as they relate directly to some of the 

priority areas outlined above. For example, the survey highlighted concerns 

across the Services population about the upset, upheaval and sometimes 

emotional impact caused by frequent moves of home and school as well as 

separation caused by frequent operational deployments. 

These sorts of issues are very much on the radar of DCYP and, for example, 

a key priority within the Children’s Plan is supporting children during times 

of upheaval and change. This priority area is led by Mrs Olivia Denson who 

also heads up the Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS), which sits 

within DCYP and provides support, information and advice about all aspects 

of education for Service children, particularly when a posting, for example, 

necessitates changes to Service children’s educational requirements. 

Parents facing a move, who are concerned about the impact on their children’s 

education, should contact CEAS before the move for advice. CEAS produces 

a useful booklet entitled ‘Moving Schools’ aimed at primary school children 

and geared towards helping the children to think about and prepare for their 

forthcoming move. CEAS can be contacted on 01980 618 244 or their 

website at www.ceas.mod.uk 

Another area of concern in the Your Say survey touched on the need for 

better liaison between the services provided abroad and schools back in UK 


charities in action 

Help for Heroes – £100 Million Raised! 

Help for Heroes, the charity that provides direct practical support for members of the 

Armed Forces that have been wounded in the service of our country since 9/11, has now 

raised over £100 million! 

Launched in October 2007, they support capital 

projects and grants to specialist organisations 

that directly support the wounded. 

To date Help for Heroes has funded a variety of 

projects including the £8 million Rehabilitation 

Complex at Headley Court, a new £3.5 m 

treatment centre for Combat Stress, adaptive 

adventure training through the Battle Back 

programme and the creation of a £6m Quick 

Reaction Fund to support individuals in need. 

In 2008 they held a Help for Heroes rugby match 

where they raised a staggering £1.46m and this 

year they hope, once again, to raise over £1m at 

their Heroes Rugby Challenge at Twickenham on 

Saturday 3 December 2011. Adult prices start at 

£30, check out www.ticketmaster.co.uk for full 

details, including family tickets. 

Help for Heroes also supports bereaved children 

of military families through Winston’s Wish, the 

charity for bereaved children. 

This programme of support enables military 

families who have experienced the death of a 

parent or sibling, to receive a full package of 

bereavement support. This can include face to face 

meetings with an allocated family worker, support 

in coping with the bereavement and access to 

a residential group programme alongside other 

military bereaved families. The experience gained 

at Winston’s Wish from almost 20 years of service 

delivery indicates that this is the most effective 

programme of support for children bereaved 

through traumatic and unexpected death. 

To make direct contact with Winston’s Wish, 

which depends almost entirely on voluntary 

donations for its income, please call the national 

Helpline on 08452 030 405 or visit the website 

www.winstonswish.org.uk. 

Recently Help for Heroes have headed up the 

‘Band of Sisters’, a support network for those 

who care for, and support, their wounded hero 

and who understand some of the thoughts, 

emotions and day-to-day situations that might 

be experienced. Covering the UK the Band 

of Sisters offers a friendly ear and shoulder for 

family members, that can be used when needed 

and in confidence. 

If you have a wounded member of the Armed 

Forces in your life, or know anyone who does 

and would like to join the Band of Sisters, e-mail: 

bandofsisters@helpforheroes.org.uk. 

Toe in the Water 

A tri-Service initiative, TOE IN THE WATER, aims 

to inspire the men and women who have sustained 

often traumatic injuries, including the loss of limbs, 

to move beyond their disability and to become re-inspired by life 

through sailing. 

Competitive sailing is a physically and mentally challenging 

adventurous sport that provides a unique opportunity for injured 

men and women to sail and race on equal terms with their able 

bodied contemporaries. 

Staffed almost entirely by volunteers, Toe in the Water receives no 

statutory funding and relies entirely on voluntary contributions from 

individuals, trusts and companies and the wider sailing community. 

Visit www.toeinthewater.org to find out how you can 

support their work and help re-inspire, re-engage and 

re-integrate injured Service personnel by using competitive 

sailing to help them move beyond their injuries. 

Salute for Sailors – Support our 

Armed Forces with a Big Brew Up 

As a nation of tea lovers we’ll use any excuse to put the kettle on, so why not raise a 

cuppa for a good cause and support our Armed Forces. The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen 

and Families Association (SSAFA) – Forces Help has launched its annual Big Brew Up 

campaign, taking place 3-9 October 2011, where they ask the whole country and 

overseas operations to organise tea parties, raising vital funds for the Armed Forces, 

veterans and their families. 

Last year’s campaign raised over £100,000, and a Big Brew Up was held in nearly every 

British military base along with thousands of businesses and homes across the UK. 

All money raised through the Big Brew Up will be put to good use, supporting the Service 

Community. SSAFA Forces Help focuses particular attention on families, providing assisted 

housing for families of injured Service personnel at their Norton Homes, support groups, a 

confidential support line and also though their national network of branches in the UK and 

on military bases. 

For more information about 

how to host a Big Brew Up, 

whether it’s a Mad Hatter’s 

Tea Party, a ‘tea-total’ event 

or a Big Breakfast Brew 

visit www.ssafa.org.uk/ 

TheBigBrewUp, call 

020 7463 9310 or e-mail 

thebigbrewup@ssafa.org.uk to 

register your event. 


South West Scotland 

R&R for Injured Service Personnel 

Two-and-a-half years ago Brigadier’s 

daughter Jennefer Tobin started the 

charity ‘South West Scotland R’n’R’ 

that provides much needed and 

appreciated holidays in Dumfries and 

Galloway for soldiers injured, while 

on active service in Afghanistan and 

elsewhere, to give the men a chance 

to relax, to regain self confidence and 

to continue on the road to recovery. 

She’s so far helped 180 Servicemen who 

have returned injured and traumatised from 

the frontlines in Afghanistan and Iraq; whose 

complaints range from lost limbs and bullet 

shrapnel wounds to post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Many used to be ‘fighting fit’ but have been 

medically downgraded as a result of their injuries. 

The servicemen come for a week’s holiday and 

soak up the welcoming environment and home 

cooked meals while enjoying clay pigeon shooting, 

falconry, fishing, hunting, carriage driving, sailing 

and extreme sports like mountain boarding, with 

the local villagers pitching in to help. 

Landlady Annie from The Steamboat Inn, next 

door to Jennefer’s, cooks dinner for the men 

using free donations of food from her suppliers, 

with everything from sausages and bacon to pies, 

curry, lasagne and fish. There’s even a local group 

of retired women who named themselves ‘Baking 

for Heroes’ who make anything from bread rolls 

to jam, desserts or pies when the lads are in the 

village. There’s also a qualified masseuse on hand 

to de-stress the troops! 

The Tardis-like building is divided up into seven 

bedrooms, five bathrooms and three sitting 

rooms, with a separate dining space and kitchen 

The Royal British Legion – Poppy Funds 


spread over three floors. There’s even a wet 

room that caters for wheelchair users. 

For more information on South West Scotland R&R, 

go to www.southwestscotlandrnr.org.uk. 

The Royal British Legion provides welfare to the 

whole Armed Forces family – serving, ex-Service 

and their dependants. They also campaign on 

a range of issues affecting Service people, are 

the custodian of Remembrance, run the annual 

Poppy Appeal and are one of the UK’s largest 

membership organisations. 

In 2011 they are celebrating their 90th birthday 

and hope to raise £90 million over this year. 

There are many ways to support The Poppy 

Appeal – through their Poppy shop, by buying 

a poppy or download music (in 2010 the Royal 

British Legion released its own single ‘Two 

Minute Silence’). If you would like to help raise 

money through their Poppy Appeal either with a 

donation or to volunteer go to 

www.poppy.org.uk for details. 

The Royal British Legion also now run Poppy 

Lottery, a fun way to support the vital work of the 

charity where each week you could win one of 

100 cash prizes of up to £2,000! 

Each weekly entry costs just £1 and all the 

proceeds from this fundraising lottery help serving 

and ex-Service people in need. For full details of 

how to enter visit www.britishlegion.org.uk, 

entrants by law must be aged 16 or over. 

The proceeds from the Draw help to fund the 

Legion’s many welfare services that include: 

• New Recovery Centres for the recent war 

wounded 

• Poppy Homes 

• Poppy Break Centres 

• Providing additional mobility aids for 

housebound veterans 

• Expertise to assist with pension claims and 

disability entitlements 

• Essential home repairs for the elderly 

• Advice and support with resettlement, learning 

and work. 

Heritage Stairlifts has announced a partnership with 

The Royal British Legion to launch a new brand to 

the UK marketplace – Poppy Stairlifts. 

The new partnership has been developed to 

help raise funds for the benefit of Armed Forces 

personnel past and present, and their families. 

Under the agreement, each stairlift sold will 

help raise funds for The Royal British Legion’s 

important welfare work. In addition, members 

of The Royal British Legion will receive a 10% 

discount on purchase of a 

Poppy stairlift. 

Through the Poppy brand, stairlift dealer Heritage 

hopes to raise £250,000 for The Royal British Legion’s 

new Battle Back Centre that will help in the recovery 

of wounded, injured and sick Armed Forces personnel 

through adaptive sports and adventure training. 

The Royal British Legion has 

committed £50 million to this 

project, that will be used to 

build the Battle Back Centre 

and provide for the operation 

of the four Personnel Recovery 

Centres and the Battle Back 

Centre for the next 10 years. 

The Royal British Legion is dedicated to meeting 

the specific needs of sick and injured personnel and 

helping them to make the transition into civilian 

life. Additionally, they are committed to look after 

people who have been seriously wounded in battle 

and who are long-term sick or injured and will 

continue to support them throughout their lives, 

even when they leave the military. 

If you would like to contribute and assist us in this 

important project, please make a donation through 

www.britishlegion.org.uk. 



Hounds for Heroes 

Allen Parton, a Chief Petty Officer serving in the Royal Navy during the Gulf War, suffered a severe head 

injury that left him with considerable physical and emotional trauma. It wiped out his memories and 

left him unable to walk, speak or write. He couldn’t even remember getting married or the birth of his 

children. He spent the next five years in hospital, struggling to come to terms with his disabilities. 

Then Allen was partnered with Endal, a yellow 

Labrador assistance dog. Since then, Allen’s 

confidence has returned to such an extent that 

he cannot stop talking about how much Endal 

transformed his life. 

Endal could respond to over one hundred 

commands and could also solve problems, 

such as reaching up to withdraw money from a 

cashpoint machine. 

This amazing partnership started Allen thinking 

about setting up a new charity to help the 

disabled of the Armed Forces and Emergency 

Service and so ‘Hounds for Heroes’ was born. 

The purpose of ‘Hounds for Heroes’ is to provide 

specially trained assistance dogs to injured and disabled 

men and women of both the UK Armed Forces and 

civilian emergency services, giving them help and 

practical support leading to an enhanced quality of life. 

Sadly Endal died in Spring 2009 but the partnership 

keeps going and Allen is pictured above with EJ 

(Endal Junior) who is the one of the first dogs to be 

trained under the auspices of ‘Hounds for Heroes’. 

For more information on ‘Hounds for Heroes’, 

visit www.houndsforheroes.com. 

Bespoke Orthopaedic Shoes for Service Personnel 

The Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers is 

one of the City’s Livery Companies that was 

incorporated by Royal Charter in 1670 and 

originally made protective footwear to raise the 

wearer out of the mud from the streets. 

Nowadays the organisation concerns itself 

with various charitable works including the 

provision of bespoke orthopaedic shoes for 

Service personnel who have suffered foot 

injuries. 

A pair of bespoke orthopaedic 

shoes cost approximately £1,500 

per pair. For more information on The 

Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers 

visit www.pattenmakers.co.uk 

Enjoy a great family break at the seaside, and 

forget the stresses and strains of daily life. 

A free one week holiday for all Serving and 

ex Service families and their children meeting 

the eligibility criteria. 

High quality accommodation with meals and 

entertainment provided in one of our selected 

resorts throughout the UK. 

Breaks are available from March to October. 

For more information on how to apply call 

08457 725 725. 

www.britishlegion.org.uk 

Shoulder to shoulder with all who Serve 

Registered Charity No. 219279 


LOW COST 

LIFE INSURANCE 

for YOU and your FAMILY 

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Life cover is essential to all who have children or amortgage. 

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Overseas: +44 (0)1243 817777 

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and receive a 

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* Monthly price based on non-smoking, 30 year old male insured for 25 years on alevel term life insurance policy. All quotes are subject to occupation 

and full underwriting which may affect the monthly premium. Prices correct on 20-04-2011. 

** All gift cards are issued three months after the policy start date. Gift cards are supplied from One4all. For more information visit their website 

www.one4allgiftcard.co.uk 

Trinity Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in the UK. Members of the Services Insurance 

and Investment Advisory Panel (SIIAP). 


Reader Offers 

Nursery Flowers 

Win a Beautiful Bouquet of Orchids 

Register your details for a 

free copy of Homeport to be 

delivered to your door – and 

you may get more than you bargained for! We will 

enter your details into a draw for a free bouquet of 

27 Orchids, courtesy of Nursery Fresh Flowers. 

You can apply on-line at www.nff.org.uk, 

phone the office on 023 9265 4374, or e-mail 

Sarah at editor@nff.org.uk. 

Nursery Fresh Postal Flowers is also offering a 

15% discount to Forces’ personnel and their 

families. For information, call 023 9247 4567 or 

visit their website at www.nurseryfresh.com. 

Cakes 4 Casualties 

Mug and Plate Set 

Cakes 4 Casualties, led by ‘Kath, The Cake Lady’, are helping to 

make life sweeter for the military patients at the Queen Elizabeth 

Hospital Birmingham, by bringing them a selection of delicious 

homemade cakes to enjoy every week. 

The military patients really appreciate this extra comfort, especially as many of them are far from home. 

We have three sets of these beautiful fine bone china mugs and plates, featuring humorous pictures of 

military personnel to give away. 

If you would like to support ‘The Cake Lady’, visit the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham’s charity 

website www.qehb.org where you can either make a £10 donation towards her ingredients or 

purchase one of these mugs for £5 from the ‘Shop’ tab. 

To win a mug and plate set, mark your entry ‘Cake’. 

Win one of 10 Children’s Reward Charts! 

The Victoria Chart Company produces a wide 

range of eye-catching reward charts, aimed at 

different aged children to assist in such activities 

as potty-training, eating well, doing homework 

and transition through schools. For more 

information please visit their website at www. 

VictoriaChartCompany.co.uk. 

The Victoria Chart Company offers a 25% 

discount to all military families on their range of 

charts. Just enter the discount code: ‘military’ in 

Shopping Vouchers 

for You 

We have two £100 

vouchers to give 

away to families, 

courtesy of Sodexo Defence, that can be used 

on thousands of the best entertainment, fashion, 

dining and leisure outlets across the UK. 

Whether it’s toys from Hamleys of London, 

delicious Cadbury chocolates or music, games 

or films from HMV; there’s 

something for everyone with the 

SayShopping vouchers. Click on 

the ‘My Vouchers’ tab on the 

website www.sayshopping. 

co.uk to find out how you can 

spend your vouchers. 

Sodexo Defence is committed 

to the well-being of all those in 

the Defence Community and to 

their families, past and present. 

To win £100 of SayShopping 

Vouchers, mark your entry ‘Vouchers’. 

the vouchers section of the check-out page, press 

‘recalculate’ to activate the code. 

To win a Reward 

Chart, mark 

your entry 

‘Chart’ stating 

the age of the 

child you would 

like the prize to 

be for. 

Family Ticket to Royal 

Marines Museum 

Explore the fascinating history of the Royal 

Marines at their museum in Portsmouth. Take a 

walk through history from 1664 and learn about 

the lives of the extraordinary people who have 

become Royal Marines. 

Follow a recruit through training and on to 

deployment around the world then creep through 

the jungle and marvel at the medal collection. 

Finish your visit in our award winning café the 

Quartermaster’s Kitchen and our Museum shop 

while enjoying the seafront location. See www. 

royalmarinesmuseum.co.uk for details on 

events and special exhibitions. 

For your chance to win a family ticket for two 

adults and up to four children, mark your entry 

‘Marines’. 

Just Another Pair Ltd is a shoe party that you hold 

in your own home. Just invite some friends or 

work colleagues and all the shoes are brought to 

you for you to try and 

buy as many pairs as you 

like. The hostess then 

receives commission to 

spend on shoes and bags 

from the collection. 

If you would like to 

contact Just Another Pair, please call Lisa on 

either 0750 845 6938, by e-mail through www. 

justanotherpair.com or find them on facebook. 

For your chance to win a suede handbag from a 

choice of colours, direct from Italy, send in your 

entry marked ‘Pair’. 

Reader Offer Results 

Subscription Offer Nursery Flowers: 

C Peppiatt, Southampton 

Sodexo Shopping Vouchers: 

Mrs C Hedges, Poole; Mrs C Ryan, Gosport 

Family Ticket to Maritime Museum: 

Mrs F Naylor, Torpoint 

Hunter Wellington Boots: 

Mrs S Hepburn, Portsmouth 

Family Ticket to Colchester Zoo: 

Mrs N Humphrey, Plymouth 

Heroes Book of Photographs: 

Mrs L Lawes, Walsall 

Union Jack Baby Shoes: Mrs A Coots, Plymouth 

£50 Boden Vouchers: Mr A Hallam, Wareham 

Swimshop Goody Bag: Mrs J Magan, Lee on Solent 

Family Ticket to Woburn Safari Park: 

Mrs J Treloar, Poole 

Bottle of Sainsbury’s Pitchers Cocktail: 

Miss N Lewis, Southampton 


Luxury Overnight Stay at Careys Manor Hotel 

Reader Offers 

Experience a world of pure relaxation and luxury 

at Careys Manor Hotel & SenSpa, where world 

class spa facilities, luxurious bedrooms and 

delicious dining options combine to make this 

hotel in the New Forest so special. 

Careys Manor Hotel in the New Forest 

is offering one night’s luxury overnight 

accommodation, dinner in the two AA Rosetter 

Manor restaurant plus breakfast and a two course 

Thai lunch. A tour of the SenSpa facilities, a mind 

and body class plus use of the SenSpa facilities 

Family Ticket to 

Thackray Museum is an award winning museum, 

in Leeds that transports you into a living 

experience of health and medicine, past, present 

and future. 

that includes a Hydrotherapy Pool, Herbal Sauna, 

Crystal Steam room, experience showers, ice 

room, Tepidarium, Laconicum and relaxation 

areas. 

Visit Careys Manor Hotel and SenSpa and 

prepare to relax and be transported to a world 

of tranquillity. 

For your chance to win this luxury overnight stay 

and serene retreat, send in your details marked 

‘Careys’. 

Win an Old Bag! 

The Old Bag Company is a range of funky, UK designed canvas beach bags, everyday bags, 

backpacks, weekend sets, baby changing bag and purses. 

The Award Winning Charlotte range is made from canvas with pockets inside 

and out; waterproof, machine washable and available in lots of colours, including 

the limited edition Union Jack range – a perfect beach bag. For more details on 

the range, visit www.theoldbagcompany.com. 

To win a Charlotte Beach Bag from their limited Union Jack Range, simply send 

in your details marked ‘Bag’. 

Tickets to St Andrews 

Aquarium 

Take a walk down a back street of Victorian Leeds. 

See, hear and smell what life would have been 

like. Follow the life of a Victorian character and 

make the choices that determine their survival, 

amongst the rats, fleas and bedbugs! 

Learn how medicine has developed into modern 

practices – see who made these discoveries 

and what inspired them before moving on to 

investigate our collection of fascinating medical 

equipment. 

Nestled on St Andrews’ dramatic north facing cliffs in 

Fife, Scotland, with stunning views of the famous west 

sands and St Andrews Bay; St Andrews Aquarium 

boasts one of the finest coastal locations in the historic 

town. 

Step through their doors and come face to face with some of the most beautiful, fascinating and 

dangerous creatures of the watery worlds. From black tip reef sharks to seahorses, lobsters to lionfish, 

poison dart frogs to piranhas, lovable seals... and not to forget their fabulous meerkats! 

For your chance to win a ticket to St Andrews Aquarium, send in your details marked ‘Aquarium’. 

To win a family ticket to Thackray Museum, send 

in your details marked ‘Thackray’. 

For all Reader Offers 

Competitions are open to all readers of 

Homeport, except employees of the NFF and 

their families, its publishers, printers and anyone 

connected with the competitions. Entries must 

clearly state which offer you are applying for. 

Only one entry per household per prize. Your 

details will not be passed on to any organisations. 

Send in your name and address on a postcard 

to NFF, Castaway House, 311 Twyford Avenue, 

Portsmouth PO2 8RN, or apply online using the 

Contact Form: go to www.nff.org.uk. 

Closing date for entries is 28th October 2011. . 

Christmas Decorating Pack 

ChristmasTimeUK is the leading Christmas decorations supplier in the UK, offering an extensive product 

range that is available online all year round. 

So whatever time of the year you may be celebrating Christmas with your loved ones, ChristmasTimeUK 

can provide immediate delivery of everything you will need to make your home truly festive. 

If you are interested in seeing the full Christmas range, visit, www.ChristmasTimeUK.com or 

contact their Sales Team directly on 01427 667 270 who will be more than happy to assist you. 

To win an Antique Chic Decorating Pack with over 100+ decorations for your home this year, 

send in your details marked ‘ChristmasTimeUK’. 


44 HOMEPORT SCHOOLS AUTUMN 2011

HOMEPORT SCHOOLS AUTUMN 2011 45

Ad Ad 

Ad 



UK BOARDING SCHOOLS 

who welcome service children 

princesshelenacollege 

Hitchin • Hertfordshire 

Boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18 

Most of the schools which advertise in this section have 

substantial experience of Service Children and a number offer 

significant concessions to Service parents. However, not every 

school suits every child and you are strongly advised to take 

independent advice and visit a number of schools before making 

a decision. Assistance may always be sought from local SAFAB 

 

 

10% discount for 

HM Forces’ families 

Further 

bursaries and 

scholarships 

available 

offices on base or from the base education office or Unit Pay 

Office. More specialized advice and comment on short lists 

can be obtained from the Children’s Education Advisory 

Service on Mil Ext (94344) 8244 (01980 618244) or by fax 

on Mil Ext (94344) 8245 (01980 618245). Your Unit Pay Office, 

NPFS or Royal Marines’ Welfare can advise on availability of 

allowances etc. 

Open Afternoon 

Saturday 1 October 2pm - 4pm Last tour at 3:30pm 

Please contact 

Mrs Heather Baim, Registrar 

t 01462 443888 

e registrar@princesshelenacollege.co.uk 

w www.princesshelenacollege.co.uk 

Registered charity number 311064 

FORCES 

DISCOUNTS 

AVAILABLE 

Mrs Claire Reid-Warrilow, Director of Admissions 

For information on forthcoming Open Days 

please call the admissions office 

Tel: +44 (0) 1547 530961 

Email: admissions@bedstone.org Fax: +44 (0) 1547 530740 

www.bedstone.org 

Bedstone College, Bedstone, Nr Bucknell, Shropshire SY7 0BG, England 


Forces 

Bursaries 

Available 

CHAFYN GROVE 

SALISBURY 

Day &Boarding for Boys &Girls from 2½-13 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Open Days 

Saturday 8th October 

10am-12.30pm, Whole School (Ages 3-13) 

Thursday 13th October 

9.30am-11am, Nursery &Pre-Prep 

www.chafyngrove.co.uk 

BE PART OF SOMETHING 

SPECIAL 

King’s College, South Road, Taunton TA1 3LA 

telephone: 01823 328204 > admissions@kings-taunton.co.uk 

www.kings-taunton.co.uk 

A reputation 

built on results 

At Wycliffe we have a long and happy 

relationship working with Forces families 

Wycliffe Nursery, Preparatory, Senior School and Sixth Form 

Co-educational day and boarding from 2 – 18 years. 

For more information please call 01453 822432 

Wycliffe, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, GL10 2JQ 

www.wycliffe.co.uk 


Cheltenham College 

Co-educational | 3-18 | Boarding & Day 

Autumn & Spring Open Mornings 

October 2011 &March 2012 

Please contact us to register, ortobook apersonal tour. Weoffer awide range 

of scholarships and bursaries, aswell as generous Forces Discounts. 

• Outstanding all-round education 

• Warm, friendly community 

• Unrivalled pastoral care 

• Boarding from age 7upwards 

• 80% full time boarders 

• 1hour from Birmingham &Bristol 

T: 01242 265 662 | registrar@cheltenhamcollege.org | www.cheltenhamcollege.org 


The Royal Masonic School for Girls... 

1st Class 

Katie 

Photographer 

BE PART OF SOMETHING 

SPECIAL 

+44 (0)1923 725354 

www.royalmasonic.herts.sch.uk 

Rickmansworth, Herts, WD3 4HF. Reg.Charity No. 276784 

King’s Hall School, Kingston Road, Taunton TA2 8AA 

telephone: 01823 285921 > admissions@kingshalltaunton.co.uk 

www.kingshalltaunton.co.uk 


ESMS_BOARDING_131X91_PORTRAIT_AD_V1.qxd:Layout 1 6/7/11 15:26 Page 1 

Erskine Stewart’s 

Melville Schools 

Proud to be different 

The ‘home 

from home’ 

boarding 

experience 

See howyour child can flourish by 

boarding at Edinburgh’sfamilyofschools 

with the unique ‘diamond structure’. 

• Boarding forboysand girls from 10 years + 

• Affordable Fees 

• Commitment to Excellence in Sportand the 

Performing Arts 

Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools Cup U18 winners -2011 

The Mary Erskine and Stewart’s Melville Junior School 

kellycollege.com 

for more information 

and to download a prospectus 

Consistently high academic results 

A wide range of extra-curricular activities 

An ideal balance of Boarding & Day Pupils 

Kelly College Preparatory School for ages 3-11 

Kelly College for ages 11-18 

“a happy, thriving community in 

which young people can realise 

their aspirations and potential” 

Every day is an open day - you are welcome to visit 

Kelly College at a time to suit you - please contact 

our Registrar, Kirsten Bailey on 01822 813193 

or email: registrar@kellycollege.com 

✆ 0131 3111111 

QueensferryRd. Edinburgh EH4 3EZ 

Stewart’s Melville College 

The Mary Erskine School 

The ESMS Sixth Form 

www.esms.edin.sch.uk 

admissions@esmgc.com 

Merchant Company Education Board Schools. Registered Charity No.SC009747 


Whatever your daughter’s interests and 

talents, Headington School Oxford will 

give her the skills and confidence she 

needs to succeed. 

• Boarding and day school 

for girls aged 3–18 

• Means tested bursaries 

of up to 100% of fees 

• Art, music, sport, drama and 

academic scholarships also available 

Come and visit 

Headington 

We hold termly open days, 

or you can book an individual visit. 

Email admissions@headington.org 

or call 01865 759861 

www.headington.org 

Headington School is a leading educational 

charity. Registered Charity No. 309678 (1942). 

HABERDASHERS’ 

MONMOUTH SCHOOLS 

Preparing for life’s journey 

Service families guaranteed to pay only 10% of the fees, around £740 per term* 

* This applies to Service Families who are eligible for the Continuity of Education Allowance, entering the School 2012/2013 

MONMOUTH SCHOOL 

AND THE GRANGE 

BOYS 7 - 18 with boarding from 9 

Tel: 01600 710433 

www.habs-monmouth.org 

HABERDASHERS’ MONMOUTH SCHOOL 

FOR GIRLS AND INGLEFIELD HOUSE 

GIRLS 7 - 18 with boarding from 9 

Tel: 01600 711104 


Set in 200 acres of stunning Suffolk countryside the 

Royal Hospital School provides exceptional academic and 

extra-curricular education for boys and girls aged 11 to 18 years 

Scholarships, Bursaries and Discounts for Services families. 

Open Morning 1st October 

9.00am - 12.30pm 

For details contact Admissions on 01473 326210 or admissions@royalhospitalschool.org 

and visit www.royalhospitalschool.org 

Badminton girls 

feel at home 

Set among a stunning campus with excellent facilities, Badminton is one 

of the top academic schools in the UK. 

The small class sizes and outstanding pastoral care affords every girl lots 

of individual attention, empowering her to realise her full potential and 

achieve excellent results. 

As well as inspiring your daughter academically we will also encourage her 

to make the most of the broad range of extracurricular, creative and sporting 

activities on offer. 

Making new friends is one of the most important aspects of growing 

up and friendships at Badminton are made to last a lifetime. 

Our state-of-the-art boarding house facilities provide a perfect 

social and study environment and offers the ideal introduction 

to living away from home. 

We offer 20% off fees for forces families 

in receipt of the CEA allowance. Talk to 

us for more information or to arrange 

an individual visit. 

Badminton 

Nurture. Inspire. Empower. 

www.badminton.bristol.sch.uk 

Badminton from 3-18 years with boarding from 9 years old 

Talk to Karen Balmforth today on 0117 905 5271 or 

email admissions@badminton.bristol.sch.uk

Information - NFF

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