SPVA supports Armed Forces Day

The second annual Armed Forces Day will be held this Saturday, June 26. The day provides an opportunity for the nation to show its support for the Armed Forces Community with events being held across the country, with the national event hosted by Cardiff.

In the latest SPVA podcast, Don Goldie and Clare Ellis discuss the latest Armed Forces Day news and interview Cardiff Council Leader Councillor Rodney Berman, on what is planned for the national event. Cardiff has a full day of activities planned from a parade, a concert with performances from The Soldiers and Only Men Aloud to a fireworks display closing the event.

SPVA staff will also be attending some of the Armed Forces Day events, providing information and advice. We’ll keep you updated on where staff will be, via the SPVA Twitter page. You can follow SPVA on Twitter here.

If you want to get involved or find out about an event near you; visit the official Armed Forces Day webpage.

Only Men Aloud will be performing at the National Event

Latest issue of Veterans WORLD now available

Veterans WORLD raises awareness of help and advice available to veterans and their families

The latest issue of Veterans WORLD is available online. 

Veterans WORLD is the SPVA external publication, issued thrice-yearly to advisers who meet the public on a daily basis. With an estimated 4.8 million veterans living in the UK, it's guaranteed that they will meet veterans using their services.
Veterans WORLD is a good resource tool, highlighting the help, advice and support available to their veterans and families. This could be anything from a service provided by an ex-Service organisation, an MOD housing initiative to a grant provided by a charity.
There are other 18,000 advisers on our free distribution, from Citizen Advice Bureaux, Resettlement Officers, ex-Service organisations to Local Housing Officers. If you work in an advisory role, then you should consider applying for copies.
The latest issue, number 16, includes a front-page story on Armed Forces Day 2010, an update on the Armed Forces Community Welfare Pathway roll-out and how a flying charity helped a disabled veteran reach for the sky.

Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans

Conservative MP Andrew Robathan (pictured) has been confirmed as Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans.

A veteran himself, Mr Robathan served in the Coldstream Guards from 1974 to 1989 before leaving to pursue a career in politics. He served throughout the world and attended the Army Staff College, Camberley. Mr Robathan volunteered to rejoin the Army, January - April 1991, and served as Chief of Staff of the Prisoner of War Guard Force in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait.

SPVA embraces Social Media

Don Goldie and Clare Ellis, the SPVA podcast presenters

Podcasting is a really good way to get information to the Armed Forces Community (Service personnel, Veterans and their families) and the general public. Here in SPVA, we launched our regular programme of podcasts in February this year.

We've already released podcasts on the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme Review and The Ilford Park Polish Home. The podcasts are available from our Social Media Hub. If you prefer, they can be downloaded from iTunes. The link can be found on the Hub.

We are also on Twitter, so you can also follow our tweets.