Purpose

To request approval for the submission of an
application to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust of up to
£300,000 for a three-year portfolio of projects and research
to support military families facing service-related
separation.

Decision

Approval has been given to commence the grant
application to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.
Decision made in consultation with Assistant Director-Resources and
Executive Member for Health and Adult Services.

Reasons for the decision

In summer 2025, North Yorkshire Council
successfully submitted an Expression of Interest to the Armed
Forces Covenant Fund Trust for their ‘Apart, not alone’
Local Impact grant. The aim of the grant is to provide support for
serving families facing challenges caused by service-related
separation. The Council have now been invited to submit a full
application. This is for a 3-year, £300,000 programme of
work, in partnership with North Yorkshire Sport. The programme
comprises:
• Activities to build and strengthen community
connections
• Emotional wellbeing training to better equip people to
deliver peer support in their community
• Nature-based/sports activities for returning service-people
and their families that will be used to support reintegration
• Development of a suite of resources specifically for young
people in military families informed by insights of young people in
military families in North Yorkshire
• Action research to develop understanding of how to support
military families facing separation
A decision will be made by the funders in Spring 2026, with an
anticipated start date of Summer 2026.

Alternative options considered

HDRC North Yorkshire has identified this
funding call as an excellent opportunity to bring resources into
the council to support its objectives. There are currently no other
funding calls open which would support the delivery of the proposed
programme of work.