The Naval Children’s Charity are delighted to announce that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal has accepted the role of Patron

The Naval Children’s Charity are delighted to announce that HRH The Princess Royal is to become our new Patron, following on from many years of Royal Patronage from her mother, Her Majesty The late Queen, who was our Patron for over 70 years.  As we celebrate our Bicentenary, 200 years of supporting Naval children, Patronage of The Princess Royal is of particular significance. 

Her Royal Highness has a long history of supporting military families and promoting the well-being of children. The Princess Royal’s Patronage of The Naval Children’s Charity will bring significant attention to the Charity’s vital work and help to ensure that children of Naval personnel receive the support they need to thrive.

CEO of The Naval Children’s Charity, Clare Scherer said:

On behalf of all at the Naval Children’s Charity we offer our warmest thanks to HRH for agreeing to become our Patron.  The Princess has shown great interest, over the years, into the wellbeing of our families and Her Royal Highness’s commitment to the Charities that she serves is outstanding.  We look forward to introducing The Princess Royal to our team and our children and young people so that they can tell their stories to Her Royal Highness directly.

The Naval Children’s Charity has been helping Naval children for 200 years, this includes serving personnel and veterans of the Naval Service (Royal Navy, Royal Marines, QARNNS, WRNS, Reserves or Royal Fleet Auxiliary). The Princess Royal’s Patronage is a great endorsement of our work helping to make a lasting difference in our children and young people’s lives.

February Newsletter

Dates for your diaries...

As our thoughts turn to spring I’d like to highlight some poignant dates on the horizon.

On March 12th it is Young Carers Action Day and this year’s theme is “Give Me A Break”, focusing on the importance of rest and respite for young carers. Young carers carry a heavy burden of responsibility, leaving them with minimal time for themselves and placing them at a high risk of burnout. It is essential for them to take a break. Research shows that young carers are substantially more likely to experience severe psychological distress compared to their peers who do not have caregiving duties. They require time away from their caregiving roles to rest, rejuvenate, and prioritise their own needs, whether that involves pursuing a hobby or simply enjoying time with friends, just like others their age. If you know a young carer that could benefit from such respite, please do keep checking our ‘Life Chances’ page which will soon have a wide range of different opportunities available, to help our young carers enjoy the break they need in 2025.

And the support doesn’t end there for our Naval young carers, The Nexus Project aims to improve support, resources and access to services for young carers within Armed Forces families specifically. They recognise that issues can be exacerbated due to parent deployments, frequent house moves and living in secure military housing. The Nexus Project works with professionals from Armed Forces support services, young carers services, schools, the NHS, and others to drive change. For more information click here.

Now, imagine a week where we celebrate all the different ways people’s brains can work! That’s Neurodiversity Celebration Week, which will be celebrated from March 17th. This week aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, organisations, and others with the opportunity to recognise the many skills and talents of neurodivergent individuals, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual. Keep your eyes on our website and social media channels to find out more.  If you have a neurodivergent child, then please do contact us to see how we can help you.  There is so much information out there it can be a bit overwhelming and talking it through with one of our team just might find something that can support you, your neurodivergent child and any other children in the family, particularly if you are also struggling with separation through deployment or weekending. We are just a phone call or email away 023 9263 9534 caseworkers@navalchildrenscharity.org.uk

Our bicentenary celebrations are in full swing, and we can’t help but be reminded of our beginnings. We would be delighted to connect with anyone who, in the past, received support in one of our Children’s Homes. If you or a family member spent time with us, we invite you to reach out and share your experience.
If you were lucky enough to have received one of our free Craft Kits, please do get pictures of your ‘Birthday Creations’ into us ahead of the closing date on 14th March. The judging of this competition will be undertaken by members of our Youth Council, and already we don’t envy their job as we have had some incredible entries sent in. Remember, the design could be a birthday card, a collage representing an event from our history or even their own life as a Naval child. With a £200 Merlin voucher up for grabs for the 1st place, don’t miss your chance to win!

Is someone in your household considering University?
Thinking about university… whether or not to go, the financial implications, which course to study, and where – we know there’s a lot for families to consider and young people often have lots of questions. Which is why we’ve teamed up with The Brilliant Club!
Across June & July of this year, The Brilliant Club will be hosting 7 online sessions for Naval young people. Current students will be telling us what university & their subject areas are like, whilst higher education experts will be talking us through topics such as UCAS applications and academic skills.
To make the most of these sessions, we’d like to let them know about topics or questions that our young people would particularly like support with. So, if someone in your house is considering university, please take a minute to pop your thoughts and questions here.

Best wishes,

Clare Scherer MBE
Chief Executive Officer, Naval Children’s Charity

Living in Helensburgh – A guide for Young People

This leaflet was created in order to provide young people living in Helensburgh with a guide to their area. Suggestions for this content were gathered from pupils at Hermitage Academy, Helensburgh’s Forces and Me Club and those who attended their Armed Forces Day event.

Christmas Pottery Workshops

We have two FREE Christmas Pottery Workshops coming up...

  • Sat 30th Nov, 10am-midday (ages 6-15) with Fat Clay Pottery in Southsea
  • Sat 7th Dec, 10:30am-12:30pm (ages 8-15) with Poppins Potter in Torquay.

The sessions will give children the chance to get hands on with pottery, be creative and make their own seasonal masterpiece! 

Sessions are run by qualified and experienced instructors who can support the children with their creative processes.

Book your space now

 
 

BREAKING NEWS – for Royal Naval families

In light of the recent decision by the new Government to implement VAT on school fee starting January 2025, we understand that this may create unexpected financial strain for some of our families. To assist those affected, we the Naval Children’s Charity, in partnership with Greenwich Hospital, have established a hardship fund to provide financial support to eligible families.

To be eligible, at least one parent must still be serving, and the child/children must be at a critical stage of their education or have additional needs. Please note that families receiving CEA will not be eligible to apply for this fund.

To confirm your eligibility, you will find a short form here, which will need to be completed. Once you have successfully completed this form, you will be able to download the full application form.

The completed application form, along with the required supporting documents, must be submitted to us by Friday 13th December. Unfortunately, applications that are incomplete or submitted past this deadline will not be considered.

For full details, please click here.

PGL’s multi-activity camp

Time for an adventure at a three night multi-activity camp with PGL!

We have 5 fully funded places available at PGL’s multi-activity camp this October half term. The 3 night DISCOVER! Adventure offers young people an opportunity to experience a whole range of new activities, make new friends and build their confidence and social skills. The camp will take place at Marchant’s Hill, Surrey where activities on offer may include Archery, Climbing, Forest walks, Orienteering, Raft Building, Zip wire and many more!

The dates are Saturday 26th – Tuesday 29th October and the camp is for 11-13 year olds.

This residential camp is all-inclusive, so all activities, food, drink and accommodation are covered. Support with transport costs will also be available for those that need it.

Register your interest here.

Winter Warmth Network

Looking for quick and easy support to help with your energy bills this winter?

Lightning Reach is a free, secure online portal that helps you find and apply for financial assistance – all in one place. Whether you need help covering rising energy costs, making your home more energy-efficient, or affording winter essentials, Lightning Reach is here to connect you with the support you need.

Lightning Reach matches users to over 2,500 schemes from charities, organisations, and councils across the UK, with successful applicants receiving £1,070 on average*.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Fill out a simple profile: In just 10-15 minutes, answer a few questions on the website, and Lightning Reach will generate a personalised list of financial support options available to you.  This includes targeted help with energy bills, home improvements to boost energy efficiency, warm clothing, and essential winter supplies.
  2. Apply for support: Apply directly through the portal to multiple programs without having to repeatedly enter your information. From grants to local council funding, you’ll find everything in one place.
  3. Get support quickly: Lightning Reach streamlines the process, gathering all the information needed for organisations to assess your application, so you can receive help faster.

Lightning Reach uses modern, secure technology to protect your information, ensuring your details and documents are kept safe.

Sign up for Lightning Reach today to see how much you could save on your energy bills this winter.

Visit Lightning Reach at https://www.lightningreach.org/application-portal

Trustee Recruitment

The Naval Children’s Charity supports the wellbeing and development of children and young people from Royal Navy and Royal Marine families (including the Reserves and Royal Fleet Auxiliary), serving and veteran, in recognition of the unique situations they and their families face.

The only one of our Armed Forces to have a dedicated Children’s Charity, our vision is that every RN and RM child and young person has their spirit and talent unlocked, giving them a brighter future and helping them to realise their full potential.

For those in crisis we provide financial grants in support, mental health and wellbeing support and signposting and partnerships to improve the quality of life and address the range of needs our children experience.  In 2023/24 we spent £2.5m on delivering our welfare services, helping over 2,200 children and young people. 

Could you help us to continue to change the lives of our children now and in the future by becoming a trustee?

We are seeking two trustees to join us in Autumn 2024 for an initial term of three years: one trustee with experience of Digital/IT and one to support Finance/Funding to support our growing programmes by helping the Charity in developing new income streams.  Experience of RN service is an advantage.  Both roles are voluntary, however reasonable out-of-pocket expenses will be paid.

For more information about the role please download the information pack below or contact Jo McEvoy, Head of Finance on jo.mcevoy@navalchildrenscharity.org.uk

The closing date for applications is 4th October 2024.

Interviews will be held Oct 24 (TBA)

We welcome applications from all candidates who meet the essential criteria for the role irrespective of their background, community, industry or protected characteristics. 

We operate safer selection practices, and this will involve the successful candidate being required to have a Disclosure and Barring Service check.  We reserve the right to close this campaign early if sufficient applications are received. No agencies please.

Trustees Information Pack

Summer Holiday Advice & Tips

For many children, the summer holidays can be a very exciting time of the year providing a sense of freedom and opportunity. With the usual routine on hold, and school and homework a distant memory, the summer holidays present an opportunity to have fun, get out and about and spend quality time with friends and family making new memories. Whilst the summer holidays can be one of the highlights of the year for children, it is important to acknowledge that the long school break may not bring everyone infinite joy, particularly parents and caregivers who have to juggle work, life and all the practical challenges the six-week holiday presents!

CHALLENGES AND TIPS:
CHALLENGE: Arguably the biggest challenge of the summer holidays is childcare! Trying to source suitable and affordable childcare and keep everyone happy for the duration of the summer can feel like a very daunting task. Add to the mix a bit of parental/ caregiver guilt and it can quickly feel very stressful and overwhelming! For our families based in Scotland, we are mindful that the school holidays start in June and end in mid-August. Therefore, managing childcare can be particularly difficult as most holiday periods in Naval establishments will follow the English school holiday system.

TIP: PLAN AHEAD. It may sound simple, but preparation and teamwork are key!

  • Utilise some of your annual leave in the summer to allow you to spend some uninterrupted quality time with your children. If you are a two parent/ caregiver household, it can help to split your leave to reduce childcare costs although we acknowledge that this can impact on spending time together as a family.
  • Speak to family and friends in advance of the summer to see if you can help one another out with childcare.
  • Be proactive in looking for summer clubs and camps (e.g. Kings Camp). These are often in very high demand and places go very quickly as such, it is crucial that you start proactively looking in advance of the summer! It is of note that often your local authority will run groups and clubs throughout the summer some of which will offer provision for children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND). Local churches will also run groups through the summer. However, these may not be clearly advertised so you may have to do some digging! In addition to this, your local naval base may run some groups throughout the summer.
  • It is always worth speaking with your child’s school to see what provisions they offer throughout the summer.

CHALLENGE: Keeping your children entertained and yourself sane! Regardless of how much you love and adore your children, there is no disputing that the summer holidays are long and can be an emotional rollercoaster for both you and your children. Some days you will thrive, other days you will just survive and that is ok! For our serving families who may not have local family support or may be facing the summer with a deployed parent, finding the motivation and enthusiasm needed to entertain your children day after day can be very difficult. For children with special educational needs disabilities, we are mindful that the summer holidays can be a challenging and overwhelming time. Lots of provisions now run SEND sessions which can reduce some of the external stresses and make activities more accessible and enjoyable for children with additional needs. These sessions are worth looking into and utilising if they apply to your family.

TIP: Plan ahead, reach out and do not be hard on yourself! Even a quick trip to the park can be enough to break the boredom and let your children burn off some energy and if you are struggling, do not be afraid to reach out. We understand that the demands of service can exacerbate the stress of the summer holidays so do not suffer alone. Reach out to friends and families or, if needed, speak to one of our caseworkers who are always at the end of the phone!

CHALLENGE: The summer holidays are costly! Whether you are having to fund additional childcare, pay for days out or spend more money on groceries, your finances often take a big hit! Parents and caregivers often put a lot of pressure on themselves to give their children a “summer to remember” and these feelings can be exacerbated by the echoes of blissfully unaware children shouting, “I’m bored” or “it’s not fair that we can’t do…”! Social media can also add on additional pressure with parents/ caregivers feeling they are not living up to a perceived expectation.


TIP: Keep things simple and manage your children’s expectations. You cannot do it all and it ok for your children to feel bored at times!

  • Ask your child to tell you one or two things they would like to do over the summer. Their answers may surprise you and it always helps if you and your child can be on the same page when it comes to activities!
  • Look into and make use of any voucher schemes that may be on offer in your area. Often supermarkets and brands will run voucher schemes which can be used to fund what can be very expensive days out, this is a handy way of keeping costs down.
  • Often food, drink and parking can really increase the price of a day out. Taking your own food and drink and parking slightly further out can help reduce costs.
  • Utilise the perks of the Defence Discount Card – if you don’t have one, get one!
  • Look at online resources – the money saving expert website is a great resource and provides lots of information about how to maximise your money throughout the summer. Local authority websites are also a good resource and will often list what activities they have on throughout the summer and will also list where children can get free or heavily discounted food and drink, so this is also worth a look.
  • For our families in Scotland, you have some beautiful scenery and historic sites to explore, including but not limited to Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle, Edinburgh, and Glencoe. All of these are accessible via public transport and with Scots Rail’s “Kids for a quid” ticket, up to four children can travel for just £1.00 return each with an adult. This is available all year round and can make exploring with your family great value for money. In addition to the discounted train travel, all young people aged 22 years and under who reside in Scotland can travel on the bus free of charge with their Young Scot of NEC card, both of which can be applied for online. The Young Scot card also enables young people to access discounts on days out, food and drink so is worth looking into if you haven’t already!
  • The Edinburgh Fringe is held annually in Scotland’s Capital – this year’s event runs from 2nd August – 26th August and features a variety of performances which are suitable for the whole family, some of which are free/ low cost. This event can be a great day out for the family but be warned, it does get busy, and Edinburgh is known for its cobbled streets and hilly terrain!
  • Check out our website for information on our life chances programme. We have various activities running throughout the summer for a range of ages and abilities which may be of interest to your child!
  • Follow local social media accounts for inspiration as to what is going on in your local area but remember, social media accounts only give a snapshot of someone else’s life so don’t put additional pressure on yourself.

CHALLENGE: The Weather! The good old British weather has a reputation for ruining the best laid plans and this can cause headaches during the summer holidays! For our families based in or visiting Scotland, I am reliably informed by Allison, our Scottish outreach worker, that Faslane Naval Base located in the West of Scotland is indeed the wettest part of the UK and therefore a brolly is always essential!


TIP: Always ensure you have a “wet weather plan” that you can fall back on. A craft box is always handy to have within easy reach during the summer. Sensory play, board games, puzzles, fort and robot building out of old cardboard boxes can also provide hours of entertainment on a rainy day with children. Play dates, sleepovers with friends and movie nights at home can also provide some much needed joy on rainy days!

ACTIVITIES
It is important to remember that days out do not always have to be costly and extravagant. Of course, it is nice to treat your children to a day of fun at the zoo or the theme park. But often for children, the uninterrupted quality time they get to spend with their parents/ caregivers and friends is what makes the summer holidays priceless.  With this in mind here are some fun activities our caseworkers have done with their children during previous summer holidays:

  • The paddling pool is always a winner – no matter what the age, and it doesn’t have to be huge or expensive. Just be aware of safety and don’t leave the little ones unattended. An umbrella over the paddling pool for sun protection is vital. All the bathroom and other toys are great in the paddling pool, and I often used a combination of water balls, water guns, buckets and the hosepipe also provide hours of endless fun for free.
  • My daughter and I used to go for a walk in the woods. I used to take a picnic with us and we would build a den out of branches. Once the den had been built we would have a picnic in it with her teddy.
  • My children and I would visit the beach to “skim stones” trying hard not to hit the submarines underneath! We would also keep a diary of what we did and send Dad an email or family gram to keep him updated on the fun we were having.
  • We would often go to the beach. We would park further away and walk to the beach to avoid car parking costs. I would take food and drink with us – I would freeze a bottle of squash which not only kept food cool, but also meant we had a cold beverage to drink throughout the day! We wouldn’t go to the ice-cream van because it would cost a fortune. Instead, I would stop on the way home and get us a McFlurry.
  • We would make miniature pizzas and regularly bake – for the pizzas I would buy savoury muffins. I would cut them in half and put tomato puree on them. My daughter would then chop up all the ingredients and make the pizzas and I would them grill them.
  • I would take my son to the cinema. Often the cinema would have offers on tickets during the summer which I would make the most of. I would take sweets and popcorn with me to keep the costs down.

Other activities:

  • Bike rides
  • Go to the local park/ adventure playground – take a picnic
  • Join the local library – they often have reading challenges for children to get involved with
  • Geocaching – children can partake in treasure and scavenger hunts using their mobile phones.

Most importantly, remember to have fun!