Army spouse Joanne Gordon was one of the winners in this year’s Soldiering On Awards for her work to improve the lives of fellow carers in the military community.
Jo, a full-time carer for her son, won the family Values Award. She chairs the Forces Additional Needs and Disabilities Forum (FANDF), which has become a vital support network working to improve the lives of families like hers.
The awards ceremony in London was hosted by broadcaster Jeremy Vine and honoured some of the most inspiring members of the military community.
Chief Executive Ren Kapur MBE said: “As we mark our 15th anniversary, we are reminded that service, resilience, and unity are timeless values. This year’s awards pay tribute not only to our incredible finalists and winners, but also to the generations before them, whose courage continues to inspire everything we do.”
Scotty’s Little Soldiers and Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) were joint winners of the Community Impact Award. The military children’s bereavement charity supports young people to fulfil their potential as they grow up. RBLI helps veterans with housing, employment and mental health.
Strength, resilience and innovation
Royal Corps of Signals veteran Laura Gardner, who featured in Army&You during the summer, collected the Business Start-Up Award. She co-founded Purendure with wife Hayley, creating vegan fruit-based energy gels for endurance athletes.
Assistance dog Cocoa has transformed the life of her owner, Afghanistan veteran Archie Douglas, who suffers the after-effects of treatment for a brain tumour. She’s been trained by the charity Bravehound to detect when he’s about to have an attack and to bark for attention. The pair won the Animal Partnership Award.
One of the guests was new Minister for Veterans and People Louise Sandher-Jones who said: “These awards not only celebrate extraordinary achievements but also highlight the strength, resilience and innovation that define our veteran and service community. As Minister for Veterans and People, I am deeply proud of the contribution they make to our society.”
See the full list of winners.