Nikki's September in a Nutshell
As Autumn draws in, Scotty’s Little Soldiers founder, Nikki, shares an update on the events of the past month, including Scotty’s Team Day, attending the Royal Tank Regiment Homecoming Parade and our support for young people effected by the death of Her Majesty The Queen.
Hello,
Like all of you, I’ve spent much of the last few weeks mourning the death of Her Majesty The Queen. I remember when my son, Kai, was little and Lee would point to her face on coins and bank notes and say: “That’s my boss.” He was so proud to serve under her and I know countless more servicemen and women feel the same way.
For me personally, watching such a military-heavy funeral and all the crowds gathering to pay their respects caused my own memories of Lee’s funeral to resurface. Kai and Brooke have also been hugely interested in the Queens funeral and asked lots of questions, but they’re not the only ones. We found that the funeral has sparked many of our Members to ask about their own parent’s funeral. These conversations can be really tough, but they’re also very positive, as children benefit from knowing about their parent and having their questions answered – we just need to make sure that, as adults, we provide that information in a clear and age-appropriate way.
Because of this, we’ve been putting some extra support in place to help our children and young people who may be struggling. I want all our members to know that we’re always here for them whenever they need us.
Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022)
Suicide Awareness Week
During September, it was also Suicide Awareness Week – an important date for us, as a quarter of Scotty’s Members and Springboarders have experienced the death of a parent through suicide.
We understand that it is absolutely heart-breaking to share such devastating news with your children, but they have a right to know what happened as it is part of their life story. Clear and honest information given in age-appropriate language can really help a child put the puzzle pieces together and start to understand what happened.
Lorna, our Childhood Bereavement Specialist, wrote a blog on the impact of suicide on children, which we shared with our families. Please be aware that the blog contains discussions about suicide and its impact on bereaved families which some readers may find upsetting.
Scotty's Team Day
In September, Scotty’s held a Team Day at the Robertson Barracks in Swanton Morley. It was a brilliant day and a great opportunity to learn more about military life and focus on the charity’s plans for the future. We were given a tour of the barracks, got to see armoured vehicles, and had the chance to speak to some really interesting and inspirational servicemen and women about their life, career and why they wanted to join the Armed Forces. The team were even given their very own PT session – my legs are still aching!
As a military charity, I think it’s so important that we continue to immerse ourselves in the military community. Lots of charities, especially as they grow bigger, can lose sight of the people and communities they’re supporting, and I want to make sure that never happens to Scotty’s. Having the opportunity to see first-hand what life is like for the men and women who serve our country feels like a really special way to reaffirm everything we’re doing and make sure we never stray too far from our roots.
The Scotty's team at Robertson Barracks
Royal Tank Regiment Homecoming Parade
Of course, our roots stem from Lee and his service in the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, which is why getting to attend the RTR Homecoming Parade last month was such an honour. Because the regiment is always moving around, days like this don’t come about very often and being able to be part of it meant a lot to me. Seeing so many Tankies get together and have a laugh made me think of Lee’s time in the Army and everything Scotty’s has done in his honour since he died. One representative from the RTR even said Scotty's is "in our DNA," which really drove home just how big an impact our support and Lee’s legacy continues to have.
See you next time!
Nikki
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Lee in Iraq
