News

March Round-up

International Women’s Day

On International Women’s Day, I was delighted to see the launch of the Female Veterans Transformation Programme, which aims to improve visibility and support for Servicewomen and women veterans by delivering long-term, systemic change within veteran-facing organisations.

This is an important move, aligned with the findings of my Anything But Uniform Report, to address under-representation of women veterans and ensure that their specific needs are embedded in veteran support services. I’ll be following the Programme’s progress with great interest.

You can find more information about the Female Veterans Transformation Programme here.

Commonwealth Day

Monday 11 March marked Commonwealth Day – a day to celebrate the Commonwealth Service personnel, veterans, and their families who are crucial to the fabric of the UK military and valued members of our veteran community.

As this report by Anglia Ruskin University’s Veterans and Families Institute highlights, non-UK Service personnel and veterans can face unique challenges in areas such as citizenship and visas, career progression, and cultural belonging.

Year round, we must be conscious of these challenges, and I will continue to drive forward the recommendations in my Anything but Uniform report that the value and needs of this group are better recognised.

Mountbatten Festival of Music

I enjoyed an outstanding evening at the Mountbatten Festival of Music as a guest of RMA - The Royal Marines Charity. Highlights included the Corps of Drums playing with Iron Maiden's Niko McBain and  hearing from inspiring Royal Marines and Royal Navy veterans who competed in the Invictus Games. Funds raised from these concerts go to the Royal Marines Charity and the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity, which provide invaluable support for the RM and RN family.

Celebrating Veterans in the Business Community

The Scottish Ex-Forces in Business Awards, recognises the achievements of veterans in the business world as well as those businesses who have committed to recruiting and supporting the veteran community. It was a pleasure to meet and celebrate all of the finalists and winners, including Advocate of the Year, Professor Geri Matthews-Smith, who is Director of the Centre for Military Research, Education and Public Engagement at Edinburgh Napier University.

Earlier in the day, I attended the Joining Forces conference – a stimulating day of collaboration hearing how forces-friendly employers can make the most of the talent pool that is the veteran community. It was a great opportunity for all attendees to share good practice and make valuable connections.

Perth and Inverness

It was a pleasure to travel further afield to hear from members of the veteran community in Inverness and Perth and Kinross .

I dropped in at the Military Wives Choir’s workshop day in Pitlochry – an uplifting day bringing together 90 women from the military community, including Servicewomen, veterans and family members. With a warm, friendly atmosphere, inspiring coaching and joyful singing, the positive impact for members is clear.

I also visited SSAFA Perth’s Inside Out exhibition, showcasing art by veterans from Perth and Castle Huntly prisons. The works were being sold in aid of SSAFA, which supports the whole Armed Forces community including veterans in prison and their families outside.

In Inverness, I met with veteran prison officers and prisoners in HMP Inverness to hear about their experiences as part of engagement for my next thematic report – Veterans and the Law - as well as speaking to members of the Highland Armed Forces & Veterans Community Covenant Partnership who shared some of the challenges and initiatives going on in and around the Highland capital.