Serving Suffolk Families, Past & Present
Suffolk has a long history of supporting its Armed Forces Community.
Funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and the Veterans Foundation, Suffolk Family Carers is proud to be part of this support through its Serving Suffolk Families, Past & Present project.
We know that family carers from the Armed Forces Community face similar challenges to other family carers, but we also recognise that armed forces service, whether current or previous can add a different dynamic to life- It can also open up other routes for information and support.
Our Serving Suffolk Families Team works with those from the UK Armed Forces community in Suffolk, this includes those currently serving and their families, (including single accompanied, couples, dispersed families and those on deployment), those who have previously served and their families, reservists and their families. Also, those who did their National Service.
The connection to the UK Armed Forces can be with the family carer or the person being cared for.
Our Serving Suffolk Families team can offer:
- Emotional and wellbeing advice
- Advice with practical issues
- Signposting to other agencies and teams within Suffolk Family Carers if relevant.
Importantly, the team would like to find out from you, what you need support with, and how we can work together to achieve that.
Our team can offer support by telephone, email, online meetings or sometimes in person in the community. We also attend events at our local UK Armed Forces bases and out in the wider community.
“Much of the project’s work focuses on raising awareness and helping people become informed about the rights, entitlements and services that are available, including information about The Armed Forces Covenant. In our experience, many family carers who are from the Armed Forces are reluctant to seek help, and many, especially those who completed their national service, do not realise they are considered a veteran.”
The Dandelion is the official flower of armed forces children. The plant puts down roots almost everywhere, just ask a gardener! The dandelion is resilient, and survives in a broad range of climates.
Experts say that children from armed forces families are well-rounded, culturally aware, tolerant, extremely resilient, and aware their education doesn’t only come from school.
Meet our Team
If you are living in Suffolk, and are part of the UK Armed Forces Community, past or present and have a caring role or you are caring for someone who is part of the community please take a few minutes to register yourself with Suffolk Family Carers
Helpful Links and Organisations
The Covenant is in place to help members of the Armed Forces community have the same access to Government and commercial services and products as any other citizen. It can provide support with education and childcare, healthcare, housing and accommodation, employment and financial service.
Op COURAGE is an NHS mental health specialist service designed to help serving personnel due to leave the military, reservists, veterans and their families.
Veterans’Gateway can provide help 24/7 across housing, mental wellbeing, finances and more.
The Royal British Legion is the nation’s leading Armed Forces charity providing care and support to all members of the British Armed Forces past and present and their families in the following areas: care and independent living, physical and mental wellbeing, financial and employment support and local community connections.
Provide support to the Armed Forces community in the following areas: joining civvy street, military families, older veterans, welfare and benefits, disability support and mental wellbeing.
Supporting Armed Families worldwide
Support for RAF families and personnel
Advice and support to empower Royal Navy & Royal Marines Families
To help veterans and ex- uniformed services personnel who are struggling in any way to get the support they need and find their place in the world
A bespoke drug and alcohol service offering confidential advice and support to current and ex HM Forces personnel and their families, across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire.
DMWS provide a high-quality medical welfare service to those who have and continue to serve the nation including treatment for mental health issues such as PTSD, alcohol and drug abuse, help finding safe housing and meaningful employment.
Help and long term support for bereaved military children.
Blind Veterans provide rehabilitation, training, practical advice and emotional support to veterans regardless of how or when they lost their sight. They help blind veterans regain their independence and live the life they choose.
The Ripple Pond support adult family members of physically or psychologically injured British Armed Forces personnel and veterans.
It’s a new scheme being trialled in conjunction with Greater Manchester Police. Its aim is to reduce the risk of harm to service veterans, reservists and currently serving members of the armed forces who go missing by enabling swift access to key information that can help the police find the person more quickly.
For carers of people who may be at risk of going missing (e.g. due to a mental health, learning disability or dementia) the Herbert Protocol is the collation of key information about the person in advance, which can be given to the Police immediately in the event of them going missing, to save valuable time.
An HM Armed Forces Veteran Card is a way to prove that you served in the UK Armed Forces. The card can make it quicker and easier to apply for support as a veteran.
For serving members of the Armed Forces or veterans, advice on what benefits, grants or other financial support may be available to you and your family including a benefits calculator
Defence Discount Service is home of the Defence Privilege Card, the official MoD discount service for the Armed Forces, Veterans and Armed Forces Community. Discounts available both online and on the high street.
The foundation tries to provide a support network for bereaved military families, veterans’ families and serving military families and be inclusive of recent terrorist actions. It also supplies respite care in the form of retreats located around the UK
Serving Suffolk Family Updates
Month of Military Child
April is an important month for our Serving Suffolk Families team as they celebrate the children and young people from Armed Forces families, many of who are also young carers
Suffolk Charity receives grant award to support local UK veteran and ex-service caring community.
Suffolk Family Carers is delighted to share news of grant funding from the Veterans’ Foundation. The funding received will enable the charity to continue to offer an information, advice, guidance
Do you have an unclaimed Veteran’s pension
As part of the campaign to encourage Veterans with unclaimed pension benefits to come forward the Forces Pension Society has asked our Serving Suffolk Families team to help identify anyone
