Venue: Council Chamber, Woodhatch Place, Cockshot Hill, Reigate RH2 8EF
Contact: Sarah Goodman
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Welcome and Apologies
Minutes: Chair Saj Hussain welcomed all to the meeting. Apologies were noted as above.
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Minutes of the last meeting and matters arising PDF 186 KB
Minutes: Minutes of the last meeting were agreed.
· Suicide prevention - The Ministry of Defence has endorsed the Zero Suicide Alliance online training package, 20 minute suicide awareness training (zerosuicidealliance.com) which it encourages all service personnel to complete as baseline training. At present that is the only authorised training for defence personnel. · Service children data – will be looked at in detail as part of the JSNA · Police Armed Forces Group –Peter has raised with Home Office – awaiting reply
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Health Update
· Update by Surrey and Borders Partnership Trust on mental health services · Update on the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Minutes: Update from Surrey and Borders Partnership Trust on mental health services
Apologies received from Susan Tilly, update given on her behalf by Peter Bruinvels.
Op Courage – is an NHS mental health specialist service designed to help the armed forces community.
• Kent, Surrey and Sussex Op Courage began a new partnership with Berkshire NHS foundation Trust to form Op Courage South East. • Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust will deliver Op COURAGE in Kent, Surrey and Sussex in partnership with Walking With The Wounded. • Since 1 April 2023 there have been 69 referrals in Surrey, Kent 200 and Sussex 184.
Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)
James Palmer updated the Board about progress of the JSNA. A copy of the slides is attached (Annex 1)
Focus for this year is adding a chapter to the JSNA for the armed forces community. Health, Housing and Education will be included, but also seeking to build in Social Care and Employment as these may soon be covered by the Armed Forces Act.
A Chapter Delivery Group has been formed, with broad representation. Currently looking at data collection plan. MOD will be key to providing data and the group will be seeking assistance from armed forces in Surrey.
It will be a challenge to gather data about those who live in Surrey but work outside.
Action: Richard Moore to meet with James Palmer to discuss how this might be gathered.
It was agreed that the SCMPB should be the owners of this chapter.
Discussion held around the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and the variation in approach by Local Authorities to those who may have received a pay out and then apply for support as it can impact eligibility.
Action: Daniel Mouawad to raise at the Chief Execs meeting and seek to gain a picture of how this is being approached.
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Royal Alexandra and Albert School
A presentation on how the school supports Service children Minutes: Morgan Thomas, Headteacher at Royal Alexandra and Albert School after thanking the Chair for his very public support of the school and Canon Bruinvels for coming in and training all his staff including the Boarding school staff - gave a presentation detailing the extensive work the school does to effectively support the many service pupils who attend.
RAAS is a non-selective, co-educational state boarding school with pupils from across the globe taking pupils from years 3 to 13. Core values – ambition, courage, integrity, respect. Currently has 146 MoD students across all years between ages 7-18 who are an integral part of the boarding community. Ambition of the school to nurture and serve needs of military family. Some of the ways they are currently doing this include:
The school has some space for boarders. If you know of military children who need bursary support do contact the school. Email: katedavenport@gatton-park.org.uk
Action: Richard Moore to contact the school re potential support from HQSE. Action: JSNA Board may approach school to gain insight from service pupils.
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HQSE and Task Force Commander Updates
· HQSE · The Soldier Academy · Irish Guards Minutes: HQSE – Richard Moore:
Richard Moore provided and update on behalf of Col Kenny.
UK support for Ukraine continues with over 32k Ukrainian soldiers now trained. Army continues to lead MOD effort supporting Afghans to settle.
Modernisation of HQ continues. HQSE – provides support to enable the armed forces to live work and deliver wherever it is permanently based in the south east. It also delivers a wide range of activities to support and improve lives of service families. They have an ongoing partnership with SERFCA to support for cadet forces, retains responsibility for UK resilience activities and will be supporting DDay 80.
A key focus is on linking with civic leaders supporting the armed forces community –RM attends all CMPBs and shares / promotes good practice.
UK Engage to Recruit programme to engage with young people continues. HQSE have engaged with a number of schools across Surrey and are looking to work with further with cadets.
Longmoor Challenge Day went well. Thanks were expressed to the Board for their support in promoting the opportunity.
Op Prosper – £2.1 million new funding has been announced by the government to support veterans gain high-skilled, high paid employment.
The Soldiers’ Academy
Update given on behalf of Lt Col Bysshe by Capt Sam Richards
Engage to Recruit is working with numbers of soldiers being trained increasing.
Soldier Academy Build – ongoing. The front gate is now complete. Grand opening of the welfare building will take place in Q3 – will share info with the board in due course. Rest of build should finish in 2030.
Winchester Barracks – closure of the barracks has been confirmed, which will lead to an increase of personnel in to ATC Pirbright in March 2026 – work will be ongoing around housing, schooling etc. It is too early to know which families will be arriving but the team are committed to engaging with SCC and Guildford and Woking BCs to plan ahead as much as possible.
Engagement - Samantha Dyer provided an update. · Ongoing work with local schools including Gordons, Brookwood and Pirbright primary. · Armed Forces Day. Big community event taking place on Pirbright Green. Action: Circulate details · Confirmation of support to local veterans hubs – someone from Pirbright (Samantha Dyer) will go along each month.
Formal thanks were extended to Captain Sam and Sam Dyer for all they have done.
Irish Guards – Capt Paul Cody
Keen to support where possible, but limited capacity as 50% of battalion overseas. Some scope to provide uniformed personnel and weapons at events, also for Irish Wolfhound mascot Shamus to attend. May be able to help with a PTI event within a school.
Action: Paul Cody and Daniel Mouawad to speak regarding Irish Guards and Spelthorne Panel, which are due to meet soon.
Action: Request from Peter for Board to be informed / invited to St Patricks Day event.
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Recognise and Remember
· Plans for D-Day80 https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/d-day-80 and https://youtu.be/poAsxgmT0wE · Armed Forces Week · Veteran Hubs and Saw Mill Minutes: Recognise and Remember No formal meeting in March, but members were encouraged to attend the event at Norbury Saw Mill which provided an opportunity for veterans to work in the Saw Mill. It was a brilliant event and will be a monthly event for veterans held on the first Friday of each month.
Task Group continues to focus on Veterans’ Hubs and support for Armed Forces Champions - providing training and sharing best practice. The next meeting will take place after D-Day 80 and the local elections where new AFCs may be appointed. In will be important to engage and inspire all members.
Plans for D-Day80 / Armed Forces Week
Those events we are currently aware of are attached to the minutes (Annex 2). It was noted that Deputy Lieutenants are keen to support events where possible.
Action: Add and promote the event in Pirbright
Veterans Hubs and Saw Mill
Care homes – discussed again that engagement with care homes and raising awareness of veterans hubs within them would be beneficial. Irish Guards have visited in the past and it has worked well as did last week’s one In Woking where two veterans were brought to the Hub by their care assistants. Action: Saj and Peter to explore this further.
Norbury Saw Mill Second session for veterans held at Norbury Saw Mill on 5 April with good attendance and really positive feedback from the veterans. The staff at the Saw Mill were wonderful.
Action: If Board members would like to attend the Saw Mill please add your details to the following link Norbury Saw Mill Opportunity
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SERFCA Update
Minutes: Apologies received from Col Patrick Crowley – his report was shared on his behalf.
· Budget challenges and change in the delivery of the volunteer estate continue.
· SERFCA Armed Forces Briefing is 4 June at RMAS - invitations to the Board will follow. · Lord Lieutenants Awards – 17 October 2024 at Sandhurst – everyone invited to attend – details to follow at the relevant time.
· Employer Engagement: 144 businesses in Surrey have now signed the Armed Forces Covenant.Employer Recognition Scheme’ Currently processing the next round of nominations: o 73 Bronze Awards o 23 Silver o 17 Gold
· Cadets – annual camp held at Crowborough was a success with a good number of cadets attending, but need more adult volunteers. New commandant – Mike Doyle. The Lord-Lieutenant, Chair and Covenant Lead had attended.
· SERFCA Surrey County Committee – new Chairman Brig Julian Ladd
· Regimental o 1PWRR move from Woolwich to Cyprus in August o 4PWRR is doing freedom parade 8 June in Guildford o 2Rangers still 48% PWRR based at Mychett o They are currently doing some work identifying regimental heritage sites across county including churches and monuments o Action: raise this with Armed Forces Champions as may be something they are able to support in their local area.
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Surrey Armed Forces Conference Debrief, Feedback and Annual Report PDF 253 KB
Additional documents: Minutes: Feedback summary from the conference was shared ahead of the meeting.
Formal thanks extended to Col Bysshe and the team at ATC Pirbright who were so supportive and enabled everything to work so smoothly.
The EDI theme was well received and was dealt with constructively and sensitively. Good balance of speakers and time to network / visit stalls
Action: confirm a date with ATC Pirbright for 5 March 2025
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General Update
· National work and next steps for the Armed Forces Act · Covenant Fund Trust https://covenantfund.org.uk/programmes/ · Armed Forces Awareness Training · Forces Connect app Minutes: Update given by Canon Peter Bruinvels
National work and next steps for the Armed Forces Act The Armed Forces Act is currently under review – the view is it should be widened to cover employment, social care and nationality. Canon Peter will be co-chairing an LGA meeting on 18 April 2024 looking at next stages and will update further at the next meeting.
Covenant Fund Trust - Armed Forces Covenant Trust Website
Service Pupil Support Programme is being promoted in the Surrey Schools newsletter this week. The closing for applications is 8 May 2024.
New round of Force for Change funding stream hasn’t yet been announced.
Armed Forces Awareness Training
Training sessions continue positively in Surrey and also beyond. Peter recently trained 96 people from Early Years in person at Surrey County Council Woodhatch, with a further session on the same day for 26 members of the Adult Mental Health social care team trained in an in person and online session. Two sessions on advocacy provided at SERFCA for silver award holders going for gold and then a major Session at RMA Sandhurst on advocacy and the Gold Awards Association at the Sandhurst Business Leaders Lunch
Forces Connect App
The App continues to expand both in terms of areas covered and people using it. Current downloads now over 33k.
Interface changes are currently underway to enable the app to be used on a desktop as well as a mobile device. An option to select a nation is also being to built-in following the addition of Scotland and potentially Northern Ireland and Wales
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AOB
Minutes: None raised.
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Date of next meeting
10am-12pm Thursday 24 October 2024 Minutes: 10am-12pm – Thurs 24 October 2024. Venue TBC
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