Help for Armed Forces personnel

Housing

• The Ministry of Defence civilian housing advice for service personnel and families:  guidance about the different options available to armed forces personnel.
• HomeChoice: help in-service Armed Forces Personnel in finding council or partner housing association accommodation.

Reservists

• SaBRE (Support for Britain’s Reservists and Employers): provides help and advice for people who are reservists and for their employers.

Bristol City Council

Armed Forces Personnel who need help from Bristol City Council or NHS can get help from:

• Housing: email hcb.enquiries@bristol.gov.uk or visit Home Choice Bristol
• Schools: email jacqueline.beasley@bristol.gov.uk

NHS

To contact the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group:

Call: 0117 976 6600
Email: BNSSG.contactus@nhs.net

Mental Health support

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership: provides a mental health service for veterans, their relatives and close friends across the south west of England.

Community support

SSAFA: provides lifelong support for forces personnel and their families. This can include practical, emotional and financial support.

Specialist help for transition to civilian life

The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) provides resettlement services for those leaving the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Marines. They provide flexible support from two years before discharge, through to two years after. CTP also operates as an intermediary service for employers wishing to hire Service leavers; this is offered at no cost to the employer.

Military personnel should access the services of CTP through their Chain of Command.

Employers/companies who want to employ Service leavers should contact the Central Employment Team:

Email rightjobsupport@ctp.org.uk
Telephone 0121 236 0058

Family support

Free one-to-one support to ex-service families for up to three months.

Email admin-glos@familylives.org.uk
Telephone 01453 751676

How local people can help

Local people already support the Armed Services community by:

• fundraising
• taking part in Armed Forces Day
• attending homecoming and repatriation ceremonies
• providing practical support to the Armed Forces community particularly individuals and their families.

Future activities could include:

• helping ex-servicemen or women to take part in local activities
• providing training and employment opportunities for those about to leave the Armed Forces or veterans.

The benefits are intended to be mutual, with the local Armed Forces community committed to getting involved in local projects, educational and sporting events.

Who can take part

• individual members of the public
• charities and community groups
• colleges and schools
• businesses such as shops and restaurants
• health service providers
• town and parish councils
• councils

Armed Forces Community Covenant Grant Scheme

The Government has also launched the Community Covenant Grant Scheme to financially support projects, at a local level.

This money from the Ministry of Defence budget totals over £30million over four financial years and will help communities carry out projects.

Anyone with a suitable project that fits the criteria can apply for this grant funding.

Useful contacts

The National Ministry of Defence helpline: 0800 022 3366.

A free national helpline run by the Ministry of Defence. It offers automated options for both in-service and ex-service personnel, their families and widows to use to help find the right people to ask for help and advice. It’s not intended to replace existing sources of advice, but it provides a safety net for those who are completely unaware of what is available.

Veterans Shareline: 01752 816257

A free weekly hour long telephone friendship and support group for injured armed forces veterans.

Combat Stress support helpline: 0800 138 1619 (24 hours)

Email: contactus@combatstress.org.uk

A free national helpline run by Rethink Mental Illness and funded by the Government. It’s been launched to help veterans and their families access expert advice from people trained and experienced in dealing with ex-servicemen and women and their often complex mental health needs

The helpline provides:

• round-the-clock support for veterans
• ways to access mental health support including advice via telephone, text, email and websites
• support to veterans’ families with improved support to help them access mental health services in their local area and
• help in accessing further advice on other social problems affecting veterans, including housing and employment advice.

Samaritans freephone: 116 123

Partner organisations

• University Hospitals Bristol
• North Bristol NHS Trust
• Bristol Community Health
• Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire NHS Clinical Commissioning Group
• Business West
• NHS England
• South West Veterans’ Mental Health Service
• The Care Forum
• Voscur

Reserve forces

• Wessex RFCA
• HMS Flying Fox
• RMR Bristol
• 266 Battery Royal Artillery
• 39th Signal Regiment
• 6th Battalion The Rifles
• 7 Military Intelligence Battalion
• Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers
• Bristol University Officer Training Corps
• Bristol Army Cadet Force
• Bristol Sea Cadets
• Bristol University Royal Navy Unit

Official service charities

• The Royal British Legion
• Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund
• The Soldiers’ Charity
• Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund
• Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Families Association