SSCE Cymru Journal

The SSCE Cymru journal provides an overview of the activities and events that SSCE Cymru team members have been involved with.

Jun 25

National Armed Forces Day

Monmouthshire County Council

This month, SSCE Cymru had the immense pleasure of attending and supporting the National Armed Forces Day event hosted by Monmouthshire County Council. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks—diolch yn fawr!—to everyone involved in bringing this meaningful day to life. It was a truly collaborative effort and a fantastic example of community spirit and recognition of our Armed Forces and the Service children connected to them.

Jun 25

Bridgend Forces Festival 2025

Bridgend County Borough Council

To celebrate Armed Forces Week, Bridgend County Borough Council, hosted their annual Bridgend Forces Festival at the Bridgend Army Reserve Centre (160 Company REME HQ).

Jun 25

Baglan Primary Schools Forces Fun Day

Neath Port Talbot

On Thursday 5th June, Yasmin, SSCE Cymry School Liaison Officer, was invited along to Baglan Primary Schools Forces Fun day! The children at Baglan had the opportunity to participate in various workshops including craft, fitness and wellbeing activities. It was fantastic to see the little troopers and their parents, members of the community and local authority support the event and participate in the activities. Eve, Baglan’s Service Children School Champion said “Events like this help strengthen bonds within the community and create new links that will continue to grow and support our Armed Forces families in the future.” Well done Team Baglan for providing such fantastic support for your Service children!

Apr 25

Month of the Military Child 2025

During the month of April, we celebrated Month of the Military Child (MotMC), giving us a wonderful opportunity to recognise Service children and young people. It has been fantastic seeing schools, local authorities and SSCE Cymru network members across Wales take this opportunity to celebrate Service children, taking the time to express their appreciation for their unique lifestyle and thank them for their sacrifices. This years’ Month of the Military Child celebrations included activities such as awareness raising assemblies, Little Troopers virtual workshops, dandelion themed crafts and artwork, creative writing and songwriting sessions, Armed Forces themed physical activities, month of the military child banners and lots of purple for ‘Purple up’ day. What a fantastic month it was, SSCE Cymru would like to thank all schools, local authorities and network members across Wales who got involved through holding different activities and events to highlight and celebrate their Service children. Please visit our Month of the Military Child webpage for more lovely photos and details about how schools across Wales celebrated their Service children this year. If you would like us to add your school celebrations to this page, please email your photos and a brief description to SSCECymru@wlga.gov.uk. We look forward to celebrating Month of the Military Child 2026!

Apr 25

Cwm Brombil Service children celebration

Cwm Brombil (Neath Port Talbot)

Yasmin, School Liaison Officer, was invited to Ysgol Cwm Brombil’s celebrating Service children event for Month of the Military child. The day was filled with activities for Service children from Ysgol Cwm Brombil, Ysgol Bae Baglan, Cefn Seson and St. Joseph’s Primary School. The children had the opportunity to participate in various workshops which included bush craft, creating a dream catcher and pebble painting. The school also invited players from RAF rugby team to deliver a session for the Service children. It was fantastic to see all the Service children get stuck into the activities. Thank you so much to Mrs Stanton for organising such a brilliant day!

Apr 25

St Athan Primary School host a Forces Festival

St Athan Primary School (Vale of Glamorgan)

On 'purple up' day, the brilliant team at St Athan Primary School hosted a Forces Festival to celebrate Month of the Military Child 2025. They kindly invited the Service children from other schools in their cluster to come along and join the fun.

Apr 25

Pembrokeshire Service Pupil Promise Workshops

(Pembrokeshire)

On Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th April, to coincide with Month of the Military Child, the first Pembrokeshire Service Pupil Promise workshops took place. The Service Pupil Promise will be a commitment from the local authority to support children from Armed Forces families, ensuring the LA listen to their voices, and strengthen their commitment to the Covenant.

Apr 25

Jacob's Medals - Congratulations to Luke Woodhouse and Rylee Greest!

SSCE Cymru would like to extend heartfelt congratulations to all the incredible Service children and young people who were nominated for this year’s Celebrating Forces Families Awards, held on Friday, 25th April 2025. This year, the awards team collaborated with Jacob Mason, whose father serves in the Submarine Service, to launch the Jacob’s Medal. Every Service child or young person nominated for the Young People’s Award will receive a Jacob’s Medal in recognition of their personal achievements. We're proud to share that two of these medals were awarded to Service children living in Wales.

Apr 25

SCiP Alliance Hub Cymru Development event

(Cardiff)

On Thursday 10th April, in collaboration with the SCiP Alliance team, SSCE Cymru hosted an event in Cardiff which bought together over 50 key stakeholders, educators, policymakers, and community leaders to discuss and strategise on how best to support Service children and their families.

Service children’s quotes

"Being a military child is hard, but it also gets you a lot of new experiences that I wouldn't have experienced otherwise".

Esme-Jane

"For military children they [Mount Street Junior School] do a club called Little Troopers, they've done a Remembrance service, purple up day. We celebrate Holi and Dawali".

Arushi

"My Mum is my parent that is in the Armed Forces. She is a reservist. So when I was younger it was a lot worse, she travelled around a lot. I've lived in the same house my whole life, but she has moved around me. I was in a constant cycle of saying goodbye".

Emma

"My Dad, he's in the Army and he works in the Engineers and he goes away on week days and comes back on weekends"

Emily

"Dad often goes away. It is a bit worrying not knowing where your Dad is going. It does worry me and my sister. Yeah, you just never know when he's coming home".

Joe

"In June or July, my Dad is going away quite far. He's in the Army, he's a chef. Having your Dad gone is so sad."

Josie

"I've lived in many places. So, I was born in Cyprus, after that I've been to Germany, then I went to this place called Stafford. Then another place which is Wales."

Dominic

"I've moved seven times in fourteen years."

Lilia

"Now we've got a forever home. I never have to worry about leaving or how long until I am leaving. I feel like I belong here a lot more, that's always great."

Oliver

"As soon as we get used to a house, you get moved - I’ve been to four schools and moved six times."

Aiden

"I lived in Nepal, then we went to Brunei, then Malaysia."

Ashim

"In my eyes, you have hundreds of friends in different places."

Chloe

"I’m used to moving now and mixing with the children... I’ve done it so many times, it’s just a normal thing now."

Chloe

"It's ok talking over skype and that, but sometimes you just want a hug when Dad is away."

Georgia

"He signed off last week, so he will be done by the end of this year. He’s done 24 years. I find that better because he will be around a lot. He likes watching us playing rugby, so he will get to see us more."

Lewis

"I’ve enjoyed going around to lots of places around the world, it's adventurous and exciting."

Harry

"In my eyes, you have hundreds of friends in different places."

Ieuan

"My mum got a chalk board and it says how many sleeps on it with chalk, every minute it’s getting closer for him coming home."

Mia

"I don’t want him to get promoted... I want him to get promoted but I don’t want to leave."

Oliver

"I might be going to boarding school so that I don’t change schools every few years."

Ryan

"I've been to seven different schools; I’ve not stayed put in one school long enough."

Shana

"He has been away for six months and he is back for two weeks, then he goes away again."

Sianed

"My parents were in the Army. My mum is a like a nurse and my dad went to the war in Afghanistan. I actually didn’t really know what he was doing so I was like, ‘Cool Dad, go there,’ but then I found out and thought, 'Thank God he came back alive.'"

Sanjog

"I’m going to a new place entirely. They don’t know anything about me and that’s a big restart and that’s really good for me."

Piaras

"I moved to Wales because my dad was posted in the Army. I thought I would get bullied and I was shy when you meet new people, but I made some friends."

Dan

SSCE Cymru Journal