The Armed Forces Community Covenant Signatories Panel was scheduled to meet on Monday 29 July 2024 to discuss regional projects, updates from the Ministry of Defence, and support for service children in education. The meeting also included an update from the Swansea Bay University Health Board's Armed Forces Forum and a general update from panel members.

Armed Forces Covenant Regional Project

The panel was scheduled to receive an update on the Armed Forces Covenant Regional Project. This included plans for an art competition for service children and all schoolchildren in Swansea, with themes such as The Art of Being a Military Child and The Art of D-Day. Participants were to be invited to submit pictures, paintings, poems, or short stories interpreting D-Day or the experience of being a military child. The Regional Armed Forces Covenant Liaison Officer, Finola Pickwell, was also expected to provide information on collating D-Day and Armed Forces Day events for a Welsh Government database. Updates were also anticipated regarding the Service Pupil Support Programme, the Major Capital Grants Fund, and the Refurbishment Grants Programme, all administered by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, which aim to support veterans with housing needs. Information on funding opportunities from the Veterans Foundation, with upcoming deadlines, was also on the agenda. The review of the role of Armed Forces Liaison Officers (AFLOs) in Wales by the Welsh Government was to be discussed, alongside the transition from the Community Covenant to the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) and eligibility for the Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Awards.

Update from the Ministry of Defence (MOD)

Updates were scheduled from representatives of the Army and the Royal Navy. Captain Huw Williams was expected to report on personnel deployments supporting government pledges for former Afghan security members and NATO exercises in Germany and Poland. Plans for Normandy 80 commemorations, including support for events in Swansea, Neath, and Port Talbot, as well as the UK commemorative event in Southsea, were to be discussed. The Army regiment's battlefield study in Monte Cassino, Italy, and a D-Day commemoration church service on 9 June 2024 at St Mary's Church were also on the agenda. Further updates were anticipated regarding an event in conjunction with Ospreys in the Community to support local schools and children aged 14-15, and the Swansea Armed Forces Day event on 29 June at the Guildhall. The main focus for the unit was to be Wales Armed Forces Day 2024 and the Wales National Airshow, taking place concurrently on 6-7 July.

Lieutenant Commander Andy Davies was expected to provide an update from the Royal Navy, including ongoing support for Swansea and Wales Armed Forces Day and the Wales National Airshow. The attendance of personnel at the VE parade on 5 May was to be noted. It was hoped that a Royal Navy ship would be based in Swansea Docks for the airshow weekend. HMS Cambria was scheduled to accept and exercise the Freedom of Swansea in September, followed by a march through the city centre. An event at John Chard House was also planned to promote the work of reservists and cadets in Swansea.

Swansea Bay University Health Board, Armed Forces Forum

Steve Spill was scheduled to provide an update on the Swansea Bay University Health Board's Armed Forces Forum, noting that the latest meeting in February had been well-attended. Plans for another coffee morning were to be discussed, following the success of the previous one. The Health Board's continued work towards achieving the gold employer standard was also to be mentioned. Victoria Williams was expected to report on Veterans NHS Wales, including referral numbers, waiting times for assessment and therapy, and efforts to improve links with GP clusters. The benefits of self-referrals compared to GP referrals were to be highlighted, along with the availability of a walk & talk service.

Supporting Service Children in Education Wales

This item was listed on the agenda, with an update to be circulated after the meeting. The SSCE Cymru update document provided further detail on this topic, outlining the organisation's work with schools and local authorities to identify and support service children. This includes maintaining a database of school contacts, promoting the SSCE Cymru e-learning package, and working with education settings to embed support for service children. The document also detailed various funding opportunities available for projects supporting service children in education, such as the Supporting Service Children in Education in Wales Fund, the Service Pupil Support (SPS) programme, and grants from the Armed Forces Education Trust. Information on the Armed Forces Friendly Schools Cymru initiative, which aims to create a positive environment for service children, was also included.

Update from Panel Members

Various panel members were scheduled to provide updates on their organisations' activities. Thomas Hall was expected to speak on behalf of Blesma, outlining the support and services available to veterans and their families. Phil Flower was to provide an update from the Royal British Legion, including details of the D-Day Church Service on 9 June at St Mary's Church and confirmed events for the Remembrance period. Ruth Birch was to report on Fighting With Pride, highlighting Swansea Pride's recent signing of the Pride in Veterans Standard. Christina Christie from SCVS was scheduled to discuss the establishment of a community transport hub to support volunteer-run community car schemes and the need for volunteer drivers to assist veterans in attending the Swansea Veterans Hub.