Service Children's Champion

26/10/2026

The first half of the autumn term is complete.

New classrooms. New routines. New friendships. New challenges.

For some Service children, this half term may have included a new home, a new school or a fresh start in a new community.

For others, it may simply have been about finding their feet again after the summer break.

However the term has gone, half term is a chance to pause, recharge and spend time together.

Not every child will have settled in completely.

Not every challenge will have been overcome.

And that's okay.

Belonging, confidence and friendships take time to grow.

So this half term, celebrate the small wins, make space for rest and remember that every family is on its own journey.

To all our Service children and families, we hope you have a happy and relaxing half term.

💬 What's your family's favourite way to spend half term together?

25/10/2026

Sometimes it's easy to focus on the big events in a child's life.

A school move.

A new home.

A parent leaving for deployment.

Starting over somewhere new.

But often it's the people we meet along the way who leave the biggest impression.

The teacher who took the time to check in.

The friend who offered a seat at lunch.

The neighbour who said hello.

The coach who encouraged a child to join in.

The trusted adult who listened.

For Service children, these everyday connections can make a huge difference. They help children feel welcomed, supported and valued, especially during times of change.

As we move through the autumn term, let's take a moment to recognise the people who help create a sense of belonging for our children.

Because sometimes, one person really can make all the difference.

💬 Who has made a positive difference to your child this year? We'd love to celebrate them in the comments.

25/10/2026

This is going to be an amazing event!

Billy Monger is desperate to complete his Race Across the World challenge after cruelling falling short three years ago.

Monger was on the 2023 celebrity edition of the BBC show when a phone call ended his journey early. 💔

The 26-year-old double amputee had joined his sister Bonnie on the globe-spanning challenge and was leading the competition on the final leg into Berlin.

Then came an emergency FaceTime call from his mother and aunt with the devastating news that his father Rob had been in a serious car accident.

The siblings dropped everything and caught the next flight home to be by his side.

"For me and my sister it wasn't a hard decision," he recalled. "At that point you have to be with the people you love and be at home."

Now that his father has recovered, Billy wants all four family members to travel back to Berlin to finish the final leg they missed.

"We would go to Berlin and then do the final part of journey we missed," Billy said.

"It would round off the story a little bit."

The unfinished business comes as the world-record-breaking triathlete approaches the ten-year anniversary of the British Touring Car Championship crash at Donington Park that cost him both legs.

Yet he has refused to let the incident define his life, raising nearly £5 million for charity and winning the Helen Rollason Award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

And today, Billy is launching his own five-part series on YouTube to mentor four disabled children and help them discover sport.

"I've done a lot of charity work, we've had an impact on a lot of people but this felt like an opportunity to do something on a one-to-one basis and to have some form of mentoring and see the change while they learn about themselves and have some fun as well."

24/10/2026

The Festival of Remembrance for North Yorkshire's Service children is such a special project to manage. It is important that each year it brings together Service children and their friends from across the county for what will hopefully be special moment for all those who attend. This year, I have visited 25 schools since the start of term to create self-portraits and there are 355 of them now on display Ripon Cathedral. This equates to just 10% of the actual population of Service children in the North Yorkshire Council region. If you happen to be in Ripon please do take some time and pop in to the Cathedral to take a look.

Royal British Legion

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

24/10/2026

What makes you feel at home?

For many military families, the idea of "home" can be complicated.

Home might be the place you're living now, the place you grew up, or somewhere you've not lived for years but still hold close in your heart.

For Service children, home isn't always about bricks and mortar. Sometimes it's the people, memories and connections that travel with them wherever they go.

A favourite bedtime routine.

A family tradition.

A trusted friend.

A familiar voice on the phone.

A place where they feel safe, accepted and valued.

While military life can mean moving from place to place, the things that help us feel at home often stay the same.

Because home isn't always where you are.

Sometimes it's who you're with.

💬 When you think of "home", what comes to mind first?

🏡 A place? ❤️ Your family? 🤝 Friends? 🌳 A community? ✨ Something else?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

24/10/2026

Behind every thriving Service child is a network of people who care.

Parents and carers helping children navigate change.

Teachers creating welcoming classrooms.

Friends offering a smile or a place to sit.

Youth leaders, coaches and volunteers providing opportunities to connect and grow.

And organisations such as the Service Children's Network, creating spaces where those who support and work with Service children can connect, share experiences and discover new approaches.

No single person can do it all, but together we can create the sense of belonging that every child deserves.

Military life may bring unique challenges, but when families, schools and communities work together, Service children are better supported to flourish.

Every conversation, every act of kindness and every opportunity to connect helps build a stronger community around our children.

Because belonging isn't created by one person.

It's built by all of us.

💬 Who has made a positive difference to your child this year?

24/10/2026

For many Service families, home can mean different things at different times.

It might be the quarter you're living in now.

It might be the place you grew up.

It might be the friends you've met along the way.

For Service children especially, home isn't always a single place on a map.

Home can be the people who make us feel safe.

The friendships we carry with us.

The communities where we feel welcomed and valued.

Military life may take families to new places, but the sense of home we create through relationships, memories and belonging can travel with us wherever we go.

Because home is about more than where you live.

It's about where you feel you belong.

💬 When you think of "home", what comes to mind first?

24/10/2026

Military life can sometimes mean spending time apart from the people we love.

Whether it's deployment, training, exercises or other commitments, separation can be a reality for many Service families.

People often assume that children get used to it.

But just because a child has experienced separation before doesn't mean it becomes easy.

Some children openly share how they feel.

Others keep their feelings to themselves.

Some may seem unaffected one day and struggle the next.

Every child responds differently.

The important thing is that children know it's okay to talk about who they miss, how they're feeling and what helps them stay connected.

A phone call, a message, a photograph, a shared memory or simply talking about someone can make a big difference.

Missing someone is a sign of connection.

And connection matters.

💬 What helps your child stay connected to people they miss?

21/10/2026

If your child is aged 6-16 years old and attends schols in and around Catterick Garrison and could do with meeting new friends, gaining more confidence and learning new skills then this is the place for them! The Service Children's Community Choir is a fabulous place where children and young people can sing and have fun together so why not give it a try? Now is the perfect time to join as tonight they will begin to prepare for their Christmas concert 'A Christmas Cracker'. For more info visit servicechildrenscommunitychoir.co.uk

Le Cateau Community Primary School Leeming RAF Community Primary School Richmond Methodist Primary and Nursery School Cambrai Primary School Wavell Community Primary School Carnagill Primary School Hipswell Church of England Primary School St Mary's RC Primary and Nursery School Richmond PT Childcare fans