SHOW your support for our Servicemen and women past and present by hosting an Armed Forces Day event this summer, with funding available to support the festivities.
This year the celebrations will fall on Saturday 28 June, when a major national event will be held in the city of Stirling, Scotland.
From tea parties and parades to big band concerts and civil war military re-enactments, more than 340 events took place across the UK in 2013; many were made possible through funding from the MOD and all enabled the public to show their support for soldiers and their families.
Why not apply for funding from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to host an event? A maximum of £10,000 is available per application, providing that the MOD funding accounts for no more than 50 per cent of the total cost.
Numerous bids for a few hundred pounds are granted each year to assist smaller events. Interested? Apply by 28 March for a chance to receive help with funding your event.
Rear Admiral Simon Williams, Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel & Training) and Defence Services Secretary, said: “I am delighted that the MOD can offer funding for local communities in the UK who wish to show their support and convey their thanks by holding an Armed Forces Day event.”
Councillor Tom Fox, Leader of Scarborough Borough Council which received funding for their celebrations in June 2013, added: “Last year, with the help of MOD funding, Scarborough hosted a fun-filled Armed Forces Day attended by 30,000 people.
“It was a fantastic day with parades, displays and even the spectacular Red Arrows, all in honour of our Service personnel and the sacrifices they make. We have already applied for funding for 2014, and urge others to do the same.”
Find out more at www.armedforcesday.org.uk where a range of ideas and items to help you get the most out of your local event can also be found.