Military charities Scotty’s Little Soldiers and Families’ Activity Breaks (FAB) work together this summer to support bereaved Forces Families
Scotty’s Little Soldiers is working in partnership with Families’ Activity Breaks (FAB). The two military charities, both dedicated to providing support to bereaved Forces families, will team up this summer, with Scotty’s providing specialist bereavement support to FAB as part of their 2021 camp programme.
FAB members
FAB is a non-public funded, tri-service charity, providing fun and challenging activity camps around the UK for bereaved Military families. Families are eligible if a child is aged up to 19 years old and has suffered the death of a loved one who was serving in the Armed Forces. The holidays offer an adventure for all the family and a welcome break to meet and socialise with others who have experienced a similar bereavement. FAB is underpinned by its volunteers who are serving or retired from the forces inc defence civilians, demonstrating to our families they are not forgotten.
FAB members
Scotty’s Little Soldiers supports children and young people (0 to 25 years) who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces. Scotty’s services include guidance to parents and carers, access to professional child bereavement support, personal education and learning assistance (including grants) and fun activities such as holiday respite breaks and group events. These are all designed to remind the children and young people supported by Scotty’s that they are not alone.
32 bereaved military families will be attending this summer’s FAB camps, which will take place in Coverack in Cornwall and in the Lake District at the end of July and early August. The families will enjoy an adventurous holiday experience within a safe and nurturing environment, encouraging self-confidence, resilience and peer support, whilst having fun. FAB provides an opportunity for the military community to offer practical and emotional support to bereaved families in times of need, and Scotty’s will be on hand to provide specialist bereavement support and guidance to FAB before, during and after their camps.
The FAB camps programme of events includes adventurous activities such as kayaking, archery, high ropes, climbing and mountain walks.
Karen Tait MBE, CEO of FAB, said: “I am delighted that Scotty’s Little Soldiers have agreed to support FAB this year and moving forward. The partnership makes so much sense, a shared end goal of supporting OUR families. I emphasise the OUR because once you are part of the military family you always will be and we are determined to work together to ensure they are all cared for through their bereavement journey.”
FAB mentor, member and volunteer
Lorna Vyse from Scotty’s Little Soldiers, who will be providing specialist bereavement support alongside her colleagues Mark Hawkins and Charlie Houlder-Moat, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working with the team at FAB. We share a common goal to support bereaved Forces families, so to work with them feels like a perfect partnership”.
Lorna continued: “24 of the 32 families attending this summer’s FAB camps are already known to Scotty’s, so this is an amazing opportunity to not only provide our own members and their families with additional support, but also to help other military families who have experienced the death of a loved one.”
Scotty's team: Lorna, Mark and Charlie
Nikki Scott, Founder of Scotty’s Little Soldiers, added: “It’s incredible when the military community comes together to ensure our fallen heroes and their families aren’t forgotten. I’ve always admired the work FAB does and I’m so glad Scotty’s are able to help their team ensure that families attending their camps get the specialist bereavement support they need.”
