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Welcome to our December Newsletter

November was an exciting month, highlighted by the launch of the Female Veterans Toolkit and our nomination for an HSJ Award. We’re thrilled to share some key insights and updates in this month’s edition.

To everyone who follows and engages with us on social media — thank you! Your support, shares, and encouragement mean so much and help us spread the word about our work.

As the festive season gathers momentum, we’ve loved collaborating with other military charities through our Advent Calendar social media posts and the Female Veterans Festive Quiz. It’s been a wonderful way to celebrate community and connection, and to spread some Christmas cheer.

19th November marked a special milestone and the last phase of our programme - the launch of the Female Veterans Toolkit at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The toolkit was shaped by the lived experiences and insights of over 800 female veterans and 50+ support organisations. It stands as a testament to collaboration, resilience and the power of shared experience - sharing examples of best practice and addressing areas that fall short.

The launch event was a fantastic day, bringing together an extraordinary community of veterans, supporters, and partners. Heartfelt thanks go to the inspiring keynote speakers: Ali Brown from the Women’s Royal Army Corps Association, Minister for Veterans and People Louise Sandher-Jones MP, Anna Wright, CEO Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, Anisha Worbs from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, Nicky Murdoch from NHS England’s Armed Forces Health Team, and Alice Knight-Driver from The Drive Project, along with her team of courageous and authentic female veterans. Their words and stories captured the spirit of the day; one of empowerment, unity, and progress.

Gratitude also goes to everyone who attended and to every individual and organisation that has supported this programme over the past two years. This achievement belongs to the entire community that believed in the vision and helped bring it to life.

To explore the Female Veterans Toolkit and learn more about its purpose and resources, visit https://covenantfund.org.uk/female-veterans-toolkit/

We were thrilled to be shortlisted for the Military and Civilian Health Partnership Award at the prestigious 2025 Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards. This year’s awards attracted more than 1,250 entries from across the health sector. With only 245 projects and individuals making it through to the final shortlist, the competition was incredibly tough, demonstrating the impressive scale of talent, commitment, and impact across the NHS and wider healthcare landscape.

Our shortlisted entry surrounding the development of our toolkit, was selected following a rigorous judging process and has been recognised as a standout example of excellence in healthcare delivery. We didn’t win the award, but just being shortlisted was an achievement in itself. The awards ceremony took place the day after the toolkit launch, so we ended the week on a high and with a sense of achievement and motivation.

Every like, share, or comment really helps with getting the word out about our toolkit. We understand that some people may be sceptical or want to understand why women who served are getting alternative treatment - our FAQs can be accessed here.

Link to our Facebook page here.

Link to our LinkedIn page here.

We’ve doubled our LinkedIn following over the past year and quadrupled our Facebook following - do share our pages with anyone you think will benefit. Although our work focuses on supporting organisations and not directly female veterans themselves, we do share any events, courses, or other opportunities which any women who served may be interested in.

Do you work with or support female veterans?

We're excited to be launching a series of training/awareness sessions in 2026 to help organisations make the most of the Female Veterans Toolkit. Whether you want a quick overview or in-depth quality improvement support, we've got you covered:

• Learning Lunches - discover the toolkit basics

• Bitesize Sessions - tailored online guidance for your organisation

• Face-to-Face Workshops - half-day deep dive into specific areas of service improvement

All sessions can be adapted to your organisational needs.

Dates coming soon, but if you want to be the first to book, drop Ria an email stating which type of session you’re interested in.

rialuke@fvtp.org.uk

As the year draws to a close, our sincere thanks goes out to everyone who has supported this work over the past two years. The dedication, collaboration, and encouragement from across the community has made this all possible.

Wishing all female veterans, partners, and supporters a joyful and peaceful Christmas. This season is a time to reflect on connection, gratitude, and shared purpose - the very values of the Female Veterans Toolkit. May the holidays bring calm, renewal, and inspiration for the positive year ahead.

Here’s to a bright 2026 filled with opportunity, growth, and continued collaboration. The launch marks only the beginning. Most of our time in the new year will be spent developing the training and empowering organisations to make themselves an example of ‘what good looks like’ for female veterans accessing support.

We look forward to continuing our journey with you in the New Year.

Merry Christmas everyone!

From Liza, Stacey and Ria