Celebrating Forces Families Awards 2024 Programme

26th april 2024

FROM 17:30 UNTIL 00:30

Leonardo royal Hotel London City friday

CHAIR

sarah walker

partner Employment Working Group

“I am absolutely delighted to welcome you to the third Celebrating Forces Families Awards. It’s fantastic to meet our finalists and hear their many inspiring stories. In my eyes, you are all winners, and we thank you for your contributions in making the UK Armed Forces the fantastic worldwide community that it is today. Thank you also to our sponsors. Their support has allowed this not-for-profit event to happen, and they have all played their part in working with the event team to make some amazing memories with you this evening!”

The right Honourable

Dr Andrew Murrison Mp a letter from Minister for Defence People and Families

Our Armed Forces continue to play a central role in protecting the interests of the United Kingdom at home and abroad.

Life in the Armed Forces can be highly rewarding, but it can also make high demands of serving personnel, which can impact on family life, which is why recognition of the crucial support that service families play is so important in this equation.

Demands of service can place great strains on service families, but at the same time the support of a strong family unit can be the counterweight that every service person needs if they are to achieve balance in their professional and personal lives and maintain that operational effectiveness.

These awards acknowledge and celebrate the resilience of our families and the amazing projects that they have undertaken, triumphing over the complications association with military life can sometimes bring in opening career paths that help not only the Armed Forces community, but in many cases, the wider community too.

This is why it is so important to me that we released the UK Armed Forces Families Strategy back in 2022 and why I continue to be regularly updated on progress. The importance attached to service families is reflected in the redesignation of the position I hold as Minister for Defence People and Families.

headline sponsor

2024 sponsors

Your hosts for this evening

Antony cotton, MBE

Antony Cotton first appeared in Coronation Street in 2003. Twenty years later, Sean Tully–barmaid and knicker stitcher extraordinaire–has become an iconic Street stalwart, front and centre stage, at the heart of the show for two decades. Whilst in Weatherfield, Antony has won various awards - including a National Television Award and a

He is a patron and an ambassador of various charities including SSAFA and Help for Heroes. It is his work with the Armed Forces of which Antony is most proud. He has worked with the British Army on various welfare and recruitment policies and campaigns, including OPSMART/ MRT - its mental health resilience training package, and most recently on Op TEAMWORK,

the Army’s diversity and inclusion programme. He works alongside, and collaborates with, the Army Sergeant Major - the most senior soldier in the British Army–and together they find ways to deliver and improve the Army’s mental health, wellbeing and welfare provision. Antony spends much of his spare time visiting serving soldiers and their units, delivering mental health and welfare briefs to all ranks of personnel, from junior recruits to senior officers, to help improve their service lives and beyond.

In 2022 Antony was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Jubilee Honours, for his service to the British Army, personnel and veterans.

Antony can be found at @antonycotton on social media

Sian Grzeszczyk

Sian Grzeszczyk is an award-winning international TV defence reporter, presenter and video journalist with more than 15 years’ experience. For the last six years, she’s been reporting and presenting for Forces News, part of BFBS. Before joining BFBS Sian spent nearly a decade as a BBC news reporter.

Sian became the first British Journalist to fly in and shadow the controls of a US Army Apache attack helicopter, as she joined the Welsh Cavalry on Exercise Rattlesnake. She also gained exclusive access to fly on one of the Chinook helicopters

from RAF Odiham that was in the King’s Coronation flypast, providing live reports to the world from the air.

One of Sian’s favourite days on the job was the chance to interview Tom Cruise at the London premiere of Top Gun: Maverick when he praised our Armed Forces for the work they do.

Later this year Sian will become a military spouse when she marries Sergeant Andrew Melbourne who is in the RAF. She is delighted to return to co-host the CFF awards 2024.

order of events

17:30 - ARRIVAL DRINKS AND CANAPÉS

18:45 - ENJOY A THREE COURSE DINNER

20:10 - LIVE STREAM BEGINS

20:15 - ENTERTAINMENT

20:45 - THE AWARDS BEGIN!

22:15 - LIVE STREAM CLOSES

22:15 - DANCING

00:30 - CARRIAGES AND TIME TO HEAD TO BED

Starters Main Dishes Desserts

HOME CURED SALMON

Beetroot cream cheese, yuzu, cucumber

QUINOA AVOCADO, SWEET

POTATO & FETA TIMBALE (vegan & gluten free)

CORN FED

CHICKEN SUPREME

Butternut pureé, fondant

potato, Savoy cabbage, confit shallot, carrots thyme jus

STUFFED AUBERGINE

Bean ragoût, garlic and herb crumb, tomato fondue (Vegan)

PASSION FRUIT

CHEESECAKE

LEMON AND BERRIES

CHEESECAKE (vegan & gluten-free)

choirs

voices of Armed Forces Children Choir

The Voices of Armed Forces Children Choir is run by the charity Never Such Innocence and is made up of children of Armed Forces members, both currently serving and veterans. The choir is a great opportunity for service children to meet one another, write and perform songs and have lots of fun! The choir has performed at Parliament, the National Memorial Arboretum and was even on Britain’s Got Talent! They will be releasing an album in April.

https://www.neversuchinnocence.com/

Military Wives Choir

The Military Wives Choirs is a community of over 2000 women in 70 choirs across the UK and internationally. We come together to celebrate a love of singing and a communal understanding that comes from our members’ shared experiences of the Armed Forces.

We welcome all women whose lives are currently impacted by their military connection; our network supports each other and forms life-changing friendships that lead to new and uplifting experiences through singing.

http://www.militarywiveschoirs.org/

SPONSOR

Centrica is the proud sponsor of the choir for tonight’s event. This year we welcome a very special performance from two choirs from within our Armed Forces families network.

Centrica is a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold award holder and is fully committed to engaging with and hiring the diversity of experience that exists across the Armed Forces community. We are honoured and privileged to be supporting Celebrating Forces Families for the second year running; it’s a truly inspirational evening, celebrating the most amazing achievements by exceptional individuals.

Celebrating Forces Families Song

This song has been written especially for the CFF Awards by The Voices of Armed Forces Children Choir and receives its debut performance tonight.

‘Celebrating You’, was written for the CFF Awards and for all of the nominees and winners! The children wanted to highlight how important the nominees are–shining brighter than the sun –for all of the wonderful work they do for the Armed Forces community throughout the year.

If you would like a digital copy of this unique song, please visit the raffle team. All donations go to the Never Such Innocence charity (No. 1156148); we are asking for a minimum donation of £2.50 for the MP4 and a Month of the Military Child wristband.

prize draw

One of the highlights of the Celebrating Forces Families Awards ceremony this evening will be the much-anticipated prize draw. Many businesses and advocates have generously donated prizes to support the military community.

Among the prizes this year are:

Framed Spitfire Ensign print and limited edition Spitfire lapel pin - Gillians Jones Designs

Hedgewild luxury gift box including hand and body lotion, beauty balm, soap, floral water and bath salt Bremont goodie bag

Weekend stay at the Taproom in Scarborough worth £250

Amazon tech bundle including an Amazon Echo Dot speaker, Amazon Firestick and Amazon Fire tablet CFF Team special Hamper

LEGO - genuine LEGO Creator London Bus and LEGO Architecture Skyline model building set.

£50 gift voucher for My Little Cherub Photography

One night stay at the Leonardo Royal Hotel London City... And many more

extra special prize

All finalists from the Armed Forces community will be entered into a draw at the end of the night to win two special breaks kindly donated by Sponsored Breaks. Sponsored Breaks came to light to offer those most deserving the appreciation, gratitude, and most of all the well earned break they deserve.

Tickets are available to purchase throughout the evening and all monies raised be used to continue our support of Armed Forces families.

Barclays vision is to be the UK-centred leader in global finance. We are a diversified bank with comprehensive UK consumer, corporate and wealth and private banking franchises, a leading investment bank and a strong, specialist US consumer bank. Through these five divisions, Barclays is working together for a better financial future for our customers, clients and communities.

Throughout its history, Barclays has had close ties with our Armed Forces communities and an active colleague veteran network can be traced back to the First World War. In more recent times, Barclays has become one of the UK’s leading advocates of support to our military family and formalised that support a decade ago. That has grown to today’s Military and Veterans Outreach initiative, which encompasses a suite of programmes, designed to provide assistance to service leavers, veterans, reservists, military spouses/partners and families. These efforts have been recognised through receipt of the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award.

Kevin Gartside, Global Head of Military & Veterans Outreach, says:

‘Barclays is delighted and proud to be headline sponsor for the 2024 Celebrating Forces Families Awards.

At Barclays, we are committed to supporting military spouses partners and the broader Armed Forces community, both through employment opportunities and bespoke banking products and services, recognising the positive role Forces Families play in our society’.

welcome & drinks reception sponsor

Mott MacDonald is a global consultancy whose purpose is to improve society by considering social outcomes in all we do, relentlessly focusing on excellence and digital innovation, transforming our clients’ businesses, our communities and employee opportunities. We are a uniquely diverse range of consultants delivering extremely high profile projects across the world, working to meet some of the world’s greatest challenges. A signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold award holder, Mott MacDonald proudly supports and actively recruits from the military community. In the past year, it has launched its Armed Forces Pathway, providing bespoke support and opportunities for service leavers, veterans and military family members.

Cathy Travers - Group Managing Director, Mott MacDonald said: Mott MacDonald is thrilled to be sponsoring this year’s CFF Awards reception. Over the last several years, we have been working with military communities across the UK on employment skills and have seen a large increase in the number of military family members developing their careers with us. With a dedicated Armed Forces Pathway that includes specific provision for family members, mentoring opportunities with our existing military family employees, specific line manager training and a culture that truly allows a healthy and flexible work–life balance for Forces families, we strive to be the inclusive employer of choice.

media partner

British Forces Broadcasting Service

We’re grateful to the BFBS team, who are supporting the Awards again this year, bringing them to life through big screens on the night. They will also be running the ‘Green Room’, where they will be recording in-depth interviews with the winners and sharing their inspiring stories across social media.

Mikaela Harley, Head of Communications for the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS), said: “BFBS is thrilled to be media partner for the Celebrating Forces Families Awards for the third year running. These awards reach deep into the heart of military family life and are vital for recognising the dedication of the partners, children, and support networks that enable our armed forces to operate.

Our award-winning BFBS Live Events team is producing tonight’s ceremony and entertainment, and our Forces News Reporter and Video Journalist, Sian Grzeszczyk, is co-host for the evening.

As media partner we’re also capturing the emotional and inspiring stories that spring from each award category and we look forward to sharing this content across our global radio, social media, and digital channels.”

https://about.bfbs.com www.bfbs.com www.forces.net

THE THrEE FAMILIES FEDErATIoNS

The Naval, Army and RAF Families Federations are independent to their respective single services, acting as independent voices for military families. They work hard to improve the quality of life for families around the world experiencing the unique challenges that can come with living a military lifestyle. In advocating for families, they are often pivotal in achieving improvements in government policy and the support provided to them by other agencies.

Naval Families Federation: www.nff.org.uk

Army Families Federation: www.aff.org.uk

RAF Families Federation: www.raf-ff.org.uk

Headline Award inspirational adult family member of the year

Someone who has gone above and beyond as a family member of the Armed Forces community and, because of of their efforts, has also helped or inspired members of the service community.

SPONSOR

Claire has channelled the heartache of losing her former husband in 2020 into a powerful campaign ‘The Forcer Protocol’ for vulnerable missing veterans, now a nationwide strategy, working in close collaboration with Greater Manchester Police and other agencies. Allowing prompt location of veterans and the provision of vital veteran specific support services. The aim is to spare others the anguish her family has endured. In Manchester alone in just four months 57 missing veterans have been located and referred.

Amy, a spouse and Royal Navy veteran, is the site manager of Bramble Woods in Catterick. Bramble Woods is an e50K community project and Amy has been at the forefront of its transformation from an underused space, into a welcoming, enticing, and practical focal point for the Armed Forces community. Amy’s tireless work to transform the space, including working very closely with the Armed Forces community has seen over 10,000 people benefit from the site in the last year.

Steph is married to a soldier, they have a son with additional needs and Steph herself lives with a physical disability. Through her experience, Steph has set out to improve the life of Service families living with disabilities/additional needs. Steph is operations manager for non-profit organisation Forces Wives Challenge and as a keen horse rider she created ‘Ride to Freedom’, which saw 8 spouses ride across the Pyrenees. Steph campaigns to improve disabled access and is Chairperson of the FANDF,

Amy Manuel

Claire Lilly

Stephanie quintrell

military family charity of the year

A registered charity or CIC that has provided exemplary support to Armed Forces families during 2023-2024.

SPONSOR

Amey is a strategic partner to the UK Government and a leading provider of full life-cycle engineering, operations and decarbonisation solutions for transport infrastructure and complex facilities.

Operating in the UK’s most exacting and complex environments including Justice, Defence, Education, and the NHS, we bring a unique blend of expertise, innovation, and dedication to every challenge.

Through its Defence contracts, Amey has been supporting the servicemen and women, their families, and the civilian teams that have protected our country for over 100 years. We work hard to ensure military assets, including vehicles, equipment and housing, operate smoothly and safely.

As well as supporting the UK’s national defence capability today, we also help prepare for the future by introducing energy sources and energyefficient technologies that protect the environment, deliver sustainable infrastructure and create a society where everyone can thrive.

Tom Silvey, Amey’s Business Director Defence, said:

“We are proud that a significant portion of our workforce has deep connections to the military. Our commitment to creating a lasting impact and doing the right thing extends beyond our corporate culture. We have cultivated partnerships with organisations like Buildforce, CTP, Forces Transition Group, SSAFA, and RBLI, among others, to facilitate our engagement with veterans and service partners.

We’re delighted to sponsor this year’s Celebrating Forces Families Awards which provides an opportunity to shine a light on those who exemplify the true spirit of dedication, service and commitment within the military community.”

www.amey.co.uk

Dandelion Military Charity

Dandelion Military Families was set up to create connection and to promote honest conversations around parental mental health (particularly in the perinatal period); it supports military families regardless of rank, service or circumstance. Despite no funding, they have made a huge impact in such a short space of time by offering online peer support groups ranging from book clubs to a bereavement group run in partnership with the national charity Sands, to ensure no military family feels alone.

Little Troopers

Little Troopers is a tri-service charity dedicated to supporting and celebrating all children who have one or both parents serving in the British Armed Forces, both regular and reserve. The charity recognises the unique challenges that military children often experience such as regular separation from their serving parent, as well as frequent house and school moves. Through its resources, programmes, events and initiatives, Little Troopers supports more than 15,000 military children every year, at home and in school.

Naval Childrens Charity

Established in 1825, the Naval Children’s Charity supports children from Naval families, up to age 25, helping around 4,000 children and young people each year with grants in times of crisis or with significant issues such as disability/illness, resources to support mental health and wellbeing, and opportunities to enhance and improve outcomes through the Life Chances Programme. The charity puts children front and centre; staff members have first-hand experience of Service life –they understand, have empathy, and change lives every day.

overcoming adversity

An award for a military family member who has experienced and achieved success despite experiencing significant difficult challenges. This could be based around mental, physical, emotional or social challenges, that the individual has overcome.

SPONSOR

Centrica is unique among energy companies in the UK and Ireland, operating across the entire energy value chain through a variety of distinct, but complimentary businesses, all of which share the same purpose–energising a greener, fairer future. To support our drive to Net Zero, we’re looking for more military spouses, partners, service leavers, veterans and Reservists to join our team–with opportunities at all levels, across our organisation. Via our Centrica Forces Pathway, we’ve created a focused package of support, developed for you, by our ex-Forces community.

Head of Centrica Forces Pathway, Laura Blair said:

“Centrica is a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold award holder and is fully committed to engaging with and hiring the diversity of experience that exists across the Armed Forces community. We are honoured and privileged to be supporting Celebrating Forces Families for the second year running; it’s a truly inspirational evening, celebrating the most amazing achievements by exceptional individuals.”

Elizabeth Amoaa

Elizabeth is the author of ‘The Unspoken Identity’. After a challenging health journey, Elizabeth decided to use her philanthropic work as a platform to advocate for women dealing with gynaecological conditions. She founded ‘Speciallady Awareness’ in 2017 to raise awareness and funding around reproductive health disorders and encourage women to seek early medical intervention, thus preventing unnecessary surgeries and complications, similar to her own experiences. Speciallady Awareness has since donated over £120,000 to healthcare units in Elizabeth’s birthplace in Ghana.

Lyla o'donovan

Diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of 3, Lyla has helped so many other children who share the journey she has and continues to live with. Enduring multiple surgeries, with more required, and having additional health issues, have not stopped Lyla helping others. Lyla set up a Facebook page, provides bravery certificates to other children, raises awareness of her condition and is an ambassador for childhood brain tumours, using her personal experience to help other children and families.

Steph suffers with a neurological condition which has led to her becoming a wheelchair user. A keen rider and determined to ride again Steph was back in the saddle just 18 months after falling ill. She created and participated in the FWC Ride to Freedom expedition, showing how to overcome adversity and prove that barriers can be broken down. This attracted national press interest and showed the wider world that despite the challenges of a disability barriers can be overcome.

quintrell

SPONSOR

public service award

For any Public Service employer who has signed the Armed Forces Covenant, and either holds a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme award, or uses forcesfamiliesjobs.co.uk. They must also be actively seeking and supporting the employment or training of military families.

We are proud to have been the official provider of Armed Forces resettlement for over 25 years. The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) is a partnering agreement between the Ministry of Defence and Right Management. Ltd, the global career and talent development expert within ManpowerGroup. We provide resettlement support to 14,000 leavers of the Armed Forces each year, to help them to achieve their desired next steps after a military career.

The CTP and Right Management are delighted to support the Celebrating Forces Families (CFF) Awards for a third year by sponsoring the new Public Service Award. We work closely with leavers of the Armed Forces and know that moving from life in the military to civilian also impacts on the family of the leaver. The military community as a whole is a bedrock of people who do incredible initiatives to support others and we feel it is really important to celebrate their contribution.

NELFT NHS

NELFT provides an extensive range of community and mental health services for people living across several London Boroughs, Essex, Kent and Medway, and they recognise the skills and value that people within the Armed Forces community bring to the organisation. They have implemented several initiatives to support them, including, additional leave for Reservists, a guaranteed interview scheme, flexible working policies and an Armed Forces Network for staff, and they have introduced Armed Forces Champions in addition to achieving the Employee Recognition Scheme Gold award. This demonstrates their huge efforts to support the military community.

NHS Highland dental services

The NHS Highland team, who coordinate and deliver dental services in Helensburgh. Over the past two years, The team have gone above and beyond to support the service families as they move into and out of the area in response to hearing the challenges that service families face. Through the Child Smile initiative, the team have provided outreach to service children’s families and can now quickly react to improve access to services.

oxfordshire County Council

The Oxfordshire County Council team are the shining light to how a council can serve their Service children. The OCC team provide a wide variety of opportunities, activities and supports for Service children across the council. They are supporters of schools and organisations to ensure that all service children in their county are cared for. The team are seen as an inspiration to all and are setting the standard for supporting Service children through there work with OCC.

SPONSOR

YouNG people's AwArD: supporting THE armed forces community

For a child of someone who serves or has served, who has given their time and energy to the betterment of the Armed Forces community.

Serve and Protect Credit Union is passionate about improving the financial resilience of those who serve and protect the nation. As a not-for-profit, it is there to help Service Personnel and their families save and borrow with repayments from their Military pay. You can learn more or join today for free via:

www.serveandprotectcu.co.uk

Jon Sykes, Business Development Officer, says:

“We are passionate about inspiring a next generation of savers within the military family, so the Young People’s Award is a perfect fit.”

Maisie & Harry Mead

Maisie and Harry’s father is an Army veteran and since an early age, in honour of their father and all who have served and still serve. They have worked tirelessly to raise awareness around Remembrance tide. Each year Maisie and Harry have transformed the street where they live into Poppy Street, decorated with thousands of poppies to mark the period of Remembrance, and have raised much needed funds for the Royal British Legion from their personal efforts.

Jessica purchase

Jessica is the child of a current serving person, who recognises the challenges that service children face and has used her experience to help others facing similar challenges. Jessica has worked to inspire, represent, and help other service children mainly through the RAF Airplay initiative at several RAF bases, supporting hundreds of fellow service children. Jessica has undertaken fundraising, provided mentoring, and led representation of young people’s voices through her local Youth Forum, which she also chairs. She has most recently been elected as a member of the Central Bedfordshire Youth Voice.

Jamie

Jamie is nominated for the work he has done in supporting others having faced the horror of the loss of his father to suicide when he was just 8 years old. He created a film with the Army, raised over £3,000 in funds, and spoke out on his personal journey to help others. Helping those who are living with loss from suicide, and those who are feeling vulnerable to suicide, Jamie has turned his personal trauma into helping and inspiring others.

social media influencer of the year

For someone who is a military family member and has been instrumental in specifically supporting or benefitting the Armed Forces community through the use of social media.

SUPPORTER

The Partner Employment Working Group (PEWG) is a collaborative effort of likeminded organisations which are dedicated to improving employment opportunities for Armed Forces families.

We recognise that these families face unique challenges when it comes to employment, purely because they’re a military family. These challenges include frequent relocations, limited job prospects, and difficulties in translating military skills into civilian roles, all of which can make it a very daunting experience to establish a stable career.

Our aim is to address these unique challenges and we do this through tailored support, information sharing, and signposting, all in the hope of empowering individuals and their families when it comes to navigating the complexities of employment within the military community.

www.pewg.co.uk

The PEWG are the team behind these incredible awards and are all dedicated to supporting Armed Forces Families. The awards are a simple way to shine light on the incredible hard work that goes on behind the uniform.

Will Hairsine

Will was medically discharged from the Royal Navy and started diarising his journey into civilian life using LinkedIn not only to announce himself to employers, but also to help other service leavers understand the process and to show they are not alone. Working with employers such as Amazon, KPMG and PACE-XL, has given Will a platform to use social media to advocate for the Service community and the huge skill sets that all members of the Forces family bring.

A time when the Army, and in particular the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, was receiving negative press, Denis, a Reservist working in the Welfare team, set up a X (formally known as Twitter) account under the name of “Sgt Maj Norman”. The account was set up to provide its audience with humour, compassion, honesty, and humility about Army life and was so successful that even the Army enquired as to how they could better support the community through social media.

Lauren is a mother and RAF spouse who, whilst her husband was on deployment, documented her family’s journey to help others. Her main aim was to show families positive ways to get through deployment and give ideas on how to handle difficult times, using social media platforms to connect with those who are going through similar situations and offering comforting advice to make deployment and separation easier, providing a bright spark in many people’s lives throughout her personal deployment journey.

Denis Tingay

Lauren Hyland

SPONSOR

small business of the year

For a military family member who has set up their own business, and due to the nature of a mobile lifestyle in the Armed Forces has made it the best it can be, no matter what size.

X-Forces Enterprise (XFE) supports business aspiration in the military community: veterans, service leavers, reservists,

partners, family members and cadets are all eligible for free-to-access services. Since the organisation was founded in 2013, XFE has helped over 10,000 people to consider, start and scale their businesses, delivered over 50,000 hours of enterprise training, and facilitated access to more than £40m in seed funding. Their unique package of services provides knowledge and support for the Armed Forces community, enabling informed decisions about business and facilitating connections within a family of like-minded business owners.

Martin Wing, Joint CEO of X-Forces Enterprise said::

“X-Forces Enterprise acknowledges the crucial role of families in the Armed Forces community and we are proud to support the Small Business of the Year Award to celebrate entrepreneurial endeavours by family members amid the demands of Armed Forces life.”

Amber Glen-Mcquillan

MS performing Arts

Marham School of Performing Arts (MSPA), based at RAF Marham, was set up in 2012 by Amber, a service child, to give back to the community through this performing arts school. Knowing only too well the highs and lows of service life, Amber and MSPA provide a safe place to support all her students and families at Marham, in the surrounding area and across local primary schools. Amber’s efforts are described as remarkable and benefiting so many, which is just what she intended through her business.

Elizabeth is the founder and CEO of e50K CIC which encompasses e50K Communities and e50K Strategic Advisory. e50K Communities creates place-based community projects around the Defence estate to support Defence families. These projects provide essential employability skills and work to combat social isolation. e50K Strategic Advisory provides critical social value advice to businesses from SMEs to primes bidding into UK government procurement. e50K employs directly from the Defence community and in 2023 the combined income of e50K was in excess of £500,000.

David Wood

When Drumfork Nursery & Family Centre was suddenly closed in 2020 David, a Navy veteran and his wife Roanna stepped up to provide much-needed childcare for Naval families in the Helensburgh area. Through their own personal experience, David and Roanna understood how crucial the availability of childcare was for families. The centre has a team of staff, the majority themselves service families, and is contributing to the lives of many who use or work in the facility.

Elizabeth Newman Earl

SPONSOR

away from home award

For a family member, or family who are based overseas and have gone above and beyond to help their local Armed Forces Community.

Amazon is a committed supporter of the whole military community, providing a diverse range of employment opportunities and support to the service leavers, veterans, reservists, military partners and their families. Amazon recognises the unique challenges of service and provides support though portable careers allowing military partners to maintain employment when posted with their spouse.

Amazon is delighted to support the Away from Home award, and recognises the unique challenges of service life particularly for families when away from home.

Jokapeci ratabuli

Army partner Jo has spent 11 years overseas. Not only through her work with the HIVE Service, but in her own time, Jo has helped thousands of individuals. An active supporter of Station events, sharing her time and knowledge of Cyprus freely and providing transport to those in need, Jo is a constant support and friend to many. With a desire to help those most in need, Jo has been seen as an important figure in British Forces Cyprus for a prolonged period of time.

Sitiveni (steve) Kabulevu

Steve, Ana, Jekope, Adi, Elesi and Rocky are keystone members of Brunssum community. Never afraid to volunteer, the family are the standout family and leading figures of any community event. The collective family endeavours include: demonstrating Fijian dance at a school assembly, and cooking for the Coronation Community Party and Summer BBQ. Steve was the Chairman of the AFNORTH School Christmas Fayre committee, which raised €5,000. They are always on hand for the less glamorous jobs, never seeking the limelight or recognition.

Daniela Makin

Daniela is a mother of three who was posted to Brunei with her serving partner in 2021. An enthusiastic “community champion”, Daniela has devoted her free time to either start or help grow a plethora of support organisations to improve and support the lived experiences of all British Forces in Brunei (BFB) families. She has chaired the SSAFA In-Service Committee since her arrival in Brunei; set up the BFB Bookworms Book Club with the support of Forces’ literacy charity, Reading Force, and organised social and cultural events for its members.

armed forces advocate(s) of the year

The winner publicly and positively supports Armed Forces families. This could be a school, group/ club, family or an individual!

SPONSOR

With over 700,000 members, Defence Discount Service is partnered with over 8,000 brands, providing savings, benefits and discounts.

Defence Discount Service is committed to giving back to the Armed Forces community and their spouses and partners. Each year, we donate over £250,000 for MOD wellbeing projects and initiatives. We are incredibly proud to be sponsoring the Advocate of the Year award to recognise and reward the individuals who are and we offer a huge congratulations to all the finalists for their outstanding contributions, championing positive change within the Armed Forces community and beyond.

Forces children scotland children and young people's forum members

In 2019, Forces Children Scotland began to develop forum groups of children and young people from serving and veteran families to ensure that lived experience is at the heart of everything it does. Our forum members devote their free time and creativity working with Forces Children Scotland staff on a variety of projects aimed at enhancing awareness of Service life. They make an invaluable contribution to our organisation and bring an endless passion for making a difference to their peers.

Joanne Lee

Joanne is an Armed Forces Champion in the NHS who offers support to patients who are part of the Armed Forces community providing help and support, often at difficult times, like the 98-year-old D-Day veteran Joanne recently supported who sadly told her he had lost his medals and wished he had returned to Normandy to say goodbye to fallen comrades. Joanne not only arranged for him to receive replacement medals, but also to make a final return to Normandy.

Chelsea Tudhope

Working as an NHS midwife, Chelsea is nominated for her exceptional contributions to supporting Armed Forces families, particularly in relation to maternal mental health. As a Champion for the Maternal Mental Health Alliance, Chelsea has gone above and beyond in her efforts to address their unique challenges. Additionally, as a member of the Perinatal Clinical Reference Group, she advocates for military families and the inequalities they may face in accessing healthcare. Her Master’s research explored Army partners in the perinatal period to further understand the impact of mobility, separation and isolation on their mental health.

volunteer

of the year: supporting THE armed forces community

This could be any individual military family member or family of any age who has volunteered towards any cause that supports the Armed Forces.

SPONSOR

These awards present a great opportunity for us as an organisation and a community of people to show our appreciation for those who serve and importantly their supportive family members. HSBC’s veteran, Reservist and service family members are recognised as making a significant contribution to the culture of HSBC and upholding our organisational values of succeeding together, valuing difference, taking responsibility and getting it done. Those nominated for this award have also demonstrated their contribution to the UK Armed Forces community and displayed behaviour that aligns to our organisation.

Natasha Thickett says:

“HSBC has a long history of employing ex-servicemen and women in the UK. Our commitment was further strengthened when we signed the Armed Forces Covenant with the Ministry of Defence in 2013. Like the armed forces, HSBC values the unique contributions that each employee brings to our business. We recognise the importance that family plays in the wellbeing of our employees and chose to support these awards to ensure that the Forces family members receive recognition for the effort they put into supporting their serving family members. Volunteering is important to our culture and that is why we chose to sponsor the Volunteer of the Year award.”

Lesley Collier

Over the past four years Lesley has set up and run ‘Neurodiverse Community Catterick’, a group set up to help those with or caring for individuals impacted by neurodiversity to offer support, a safe space and inclusion. Based on her own experiences, Lesley has sought to improve the lives of those impacted by neurodiversity including undertaking home visits to those in need. In addition to this Lesley recycles furniture to help veterans and serving personnel furnish their homes.

Emma passant

Emma is a spouse currently based in Northern Ireland, who volunteers for a wide range of Station activities including single-handedly arranging a Station Coronation event, that was well attended across Aldergrove Station. Similarly she set up a charitable response to help a family following a devastating house fire, volunteering for the Youth Clubs, Station coffee mornings and, BFBS cinema and even helped setting up and running the community bar and more. Emma gives so much of her time to help the whole community.

Edward Schlesinger

Edward is a service spouse with a love of swimming and has for the past three years, volunteered as the swim coach to the community in British Forces Brunei. Dedicating hundreds of hours, Edward has coached a range of abilities and ages, and supported a team of 17 individuals to participate in a national competition. The group won over 30 medals despite some of them barely being able to swim at the beginning. Edward has improved the wellbeing, fitness, and safety of so many.

FINALIST

FINALIST

FINALIST

business award

NEW FOR 2024

For any corporate or commercial business supporting the military community through the Armed Forces Covenant, ERS, forcesfamiliesjobs.co.uk or any other support directly aimed at the Armed Forces community.

SPONSOR

The Forces Employment Charity was formed from two of the UK’’s largest and most respected military charities; RFEA – The Forces Employment Charity and the Officers’ Association. Founded in 1885 and 1920 respectively, we have the experience and specialist knowledge to bridge the gap between military life and civilian employment. Our dedicated advisers understand. Providing one-to-one advice and guidance, employability and employment support to veterans, spouses or partners and service children aged 16–-24. Support includes bespoke career and training diagnostics, apprenticeship, CV and application assistance, interview techniques, coaching and mentoring, links to local businesses and an extensive database of nationwide employers.

As a charity with a long legacy of supporting the military community, we have consistently witnessed, first-hand, the profound effect that Forces-friendly businesses can have on the community, which is why we are delighted to be sponsoring this brandnew award! We thoroughly value the dedication of Forces-friendly employers who demonstrate their commitment to the wider military community every day through the implementation of defined policies, provision of training opportunities, mentoring, training and various other contributions that extend beyond corporate responsibilities. We are thrilled to be sponsoring this award!

BAE Systems

BAE Systems has collaborated with Recruit for Spouses since 2017 to deliver a bespoke programme created to support the Armed Forces community, including partners. The programme supports and guides candidates to take their next professional steps by matching them with passionate and committed volunteers who provide mentoring and advice. The programme has so far supported over 400 candidates providing confidence, career transition support and goal setting, with an impressive 90 candidates supported in 2023 alone, and continues to grow.

Mott MacDonald

Mott MacDonald is a global consultancy which actively employs members of the service community and has tailored the offer to provide ‘flexible-first’ working and dedicated support for their careers and wellbeing. Since signing the Armed Forces Covenant, Mott MacDonald has achieved Gold in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. Its Armed Forces Steering Group ensures that diverse viewpoints are included, and a new Armed Forces Pathway has been set up to support the military community with career guidance and employment support.

PA Consulting is a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold award holder and a strong advocate of the Armed Forces Covenant since 2016, supporting over 250 Service leavers. A founder member of the Royal Logistic Corps Foundation and forging links with other Corps and Regiments, PA Consultancy has supported events, fundraising and a mentoring programme, thus ensuring the employees who are service partners, have flexibility to remain employed and supported when relocating or through periods of deployment.

meet the judging panel

Sarah ClewEs

HEAD JUDGE

Chief Executive officer Naval Families Federation

Kevin Gartside

Head of Military & veterans outreach, Barclays

Neil 'Jacko' Jackson

Director, Defence relationship Management Team

Heledd Kendrick

Founder & CEo of recruit for spouses

Maria Lyle

Director of the rAF Families Federation

Collette Musgrave

Chief Executive, armies families federation

Maggie pedder

2022 Family volunteer of the Year Award winner

Lt Gen

Sir Nicholas pope

KCB CBE

Chair, cobseo - The Confederation of Service Charities

professor Janet

Walker oBE

Emeritus professor of Family policy, Newcastle university

For Further information please visit: www.celebratingforcesfamilies.co.uk

cff event team

Chair of the CFF Awards Event Team and Programme Manager and Trainer for the Supporting the Unsung Hero free business start-up programme.

Families Programme Coordinator for the Forces Employment Charity.

Co-chair of the CFF Event Team and is the Devolved Administrations Policy Manager and Employment Lead for the Naval Families Federation.

Runs Design Jessica and created The Milspo Business Network.

Founder of Career Pursuit CIC and Helen Massy Medical & Health Writer LTD.

Head of the Army HIVE service.

The Hub Development and Liaison Lead for the Military Coworking Network.

ritchie

Employment and Training specialist at the Army Families Federation.

Jess Sands

Linzi Jenkinson

Lee Johnston

Helen Massy

Nikki peterson

sarah walker

vicky Brindley

Lucy

Joins us from Royal Navy Family and People Support, Engagement and Communications.

Jo Gower

CEO of X-Forces Enterprise. Head of Communications at BFBS.

Martin Wing Mikaela Harley

The Spousal Employment and Overseas Support Policy Advisor at the RAF Families Federation. Head of the RAF HIVE Service.

Chris is the founder of Totally Keen Creative and also the founder of the Male Military Spouse Network, MMSN.

Susan Gee Nerys Bell BEM

chris Keen

contributors

All businesses used here are owned by family members or veterans from within the Armed Forces community:

SUZIE STANIER Suzie Stanier Business Solutions: www.suziestanier.co.uk

HANNAH HUBBLEDAY Hubble Creative Agency: www.hellohubble.co.uk

LIZ HART Money Bee: www.money-bee.co.uk

LEE MOWLEM Remarkable Pixels: www.remarkablepixel.co.uk

AL TOPPING Extreme Exposures: www.altopping.com

HELEN HOLT Helen Holt Photography: www.helenholtphotography.com

CHRIS KEEN Totally Keen Creative: www.totallykeen.com

The live stream of this event is being produced by Stream Punk: streampunk.productions