Minutes 3 May 2024

Caerphilly Armed Forces Forum (CAFF)

  • 3 May 2024
  • 12 - 2pm – Microsoft Teams

Present

  • Kathryn Peters (Chair) - CCBC
  • Cllr Teresa Heron - Armed Forces Champion, CCBC
  • Heather Delonnette - CCBC Senior Policy Officer
  • Lara Evans - CCBC Policy Officer
  • Mark Hodgkinson - Woodys Lodge
  • Julianne Williams - Forces Employment
  • Lorraine Lees - MOD
  • Sarah Ferguson - Alabare
  • Shelly Jones - CCBC Supporting People
  • Adrian Leslie - British Legion
  • Cpt Stephen Maj Smith - MOD
  • Rob Salmon - REACT
  • Daniel Madge - ABUHB
  • Jinty Morgan - Hire a Hero
  • Simon Frith - Alabare
  • Peter Kellam - Welsh Government
  • Paul Roberts - Poppy Factory
  • Nicola Sharlot - Cornerstone
  • Andrew Clarke - Cornerstone
  • Melanie Archibald - CCBC Education
  • Tom Hall - Blesma

  1. Welcome and Introductions

  2. Minutes and matters arising from 10.05.2023 – the minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record.

  3. Update on the Gwent Armed Forces Liaison Officer post.

Caerphilly CBC has hosted this position for 7 across the five local authorities and the decision was taken that Monmouthshire will be hosting the position going forward. Monmouthshire have the newcoming to their area in 2027 so it deemed appropriate for them to manage the role.

  1. Welsh Government/WLGA Update.

  • KP explained no current update from WLGA but we are waiting on the funding notification for the AFLO post.
  • PK updated that the AFLO post review is underway, there has been a lot of responses so far and more are welcomed, the report will be shared once completed.
  • PK is currently working with the Office of Veterans Affairs on a possible Veteran Bill, and trying to identify devolved areas from that. They are also working on a Women Veterans’ Strategy.
  • PK are in discussions with Reed Recruitment on the next CTP contract and there is a careers transition workshop in Caerphilly in July. The challenge is now maintaining the numbers that are attending.

  1. Employer Recognition Scheme – Gold Renewal.

CCBC is currently renewing our gold award, we have support via Craig Middle (Regional Employment Engagement Director). If anyone is going for renewal or resubmission, he is more than happy to provide advice and support through the process wa-reed@rfca.mod.uk

CCBC are also in the process of applying for the Pride in Veterans Award.

  1. Commemorations for the 80th anniversary of D-Day 6th June

LE and JC have organised a flag raising to mark the D-Day anniversary, the ground floor in Ty Penallta will be used and the Communications Team will also be involved with the event.

  1. Future meeting locations.

KP - These meetings were previously arranged by the former AFLO quarterly sometimes six monthly, there have been a few in person meetings post pandemic. The question of frequency and locations of meetings is discussed.

Cllr Heron – six months would be the minimum.

DM – The frequencies and attendance of meetings has been discussed as health try and attend all authority meetings which is time consuming, the idea of collectively coordinating diary meetings would be helpful.

KP – Agreed this can be a task for the new

  1. Update from partners.

Julianne Williams (Forces Employment) – launches on the 23rd May, any questions please contact JW.

Melanie Archibald (CCBC Education) – Senior advisory teacher for CCBC links with all the schools regarding supporting service children in education, promoting the questionnaire around identifying service children and share any funding that is available to them.

Daniel Madge (ABUHB) – Reestablished their forces lead has moved to another job so currently going through that process again.

Shelly Jones (CCBC Housing) – update given on the number of veterans supported throughout the ranges of housing projects.

Lorraine Lees (MOD) – Regional caseworker for the Defence Transition Services which support service leavers from two years before discharging up until two years afterwards. Happy to present at a future meeting.

Mark Hodgkinson (Woodys Lodge) – a 10-week course being delivered by Event Guard and Scheme, this is the second course they have run (once a week for 10

Paul Roberts (Poppy Factory) – Work within the any veteran who requires assistance gaining employment. They need to be referred by a professional with an agreed goal.

Rob Salmon (REACT) – The humanitarian disaster response organisation, that has mainly ex-military or blue light veterans operating in the UK and overseas. They are always looking for new volunteers.

Simon Frith (Alabare) – An update given on the number being supported, currently full and hoping to increase the number of beds.

Cpt Stephen Maj Smith (MOD) – Every person that leaves the forces has something called ‘transition into the reserve forces’ so everyone is urged to a reserve unit within the local area they are settling down.

Nicola Sharlot (Cornerstone)

Details of next meeting: 10-12pm, 10th October 2024, Ebbw Room Ty Penallta.