Royal Mail, reinventing stamps for the next generations - Updated

Royal Mail stamps are changing, so what should you do with your old stamps?
We’re adding barcodes to all our regular ‘everyday’ stamps. These are the stamps that should be very familiar with you. They feature the profile of Her Majesty the Queen on a plain coloured background. The barcodes will enable exciting new services by connecting physical stamps to the digital world through the Royal Mail app which you can download here.

We’re giving you plenty of notice about this change and any non-barcoded stamps you have will still be valid until 31 July 2023. If you won’t be able to use all of your stamps by that date you can swap them out for new barcoded ones.

Special Stamps with pictures on and Christmas Stamps without a bar code will continue to be valid and don’t need to be swapped out.

For more information and how to ‘swap them out’ visit www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps

Brunei: BFB Car Boot Sale @ G16 Temple Car Park 1st July 2023, 0900 -1500 hrs

Please click the image to enlarge

Car Boot Sale - Books, Toys, Clothing, Accessories, Pre-loved items and more...

Brunei: PCMF - Health Promotion - July

Healthy Eating

A healthy balanced diet is important to maintain good health and can help you feel your best. It also protects you against many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

You should try to eat:    

• ·         At least 5 portions of a variety of fruits and vegs
• ·         High fibre starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice and pasta
• ·         Eat beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein
• ·         Unsaturated oils and spreads
• ·         Plenty of fluids 

Understanding calories

When we eat and drink more calories than we use up, our bodies store the excess as body fat and may put on weight if we continue. An average man needs around 2,500 kcal a day to maintain a healthy body weight. An average woman needs around 2,000 kcal a day to maintain a healthy body weight. These values depend on age, size and levels of physical activity, among other factors.

Water

The Eatwell Guide recommends that people should aim to drink 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day. Water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count.

Children

The best drinks to give children are water and milk. Children should drink whole milk until they're 2 years old. Children should avoid sugary fizzy drinks, squash and juice drinks completely. Children who drink a lot of sugary drinks are more likely to become overweight. The added sugar in these drinks can also damage teeth. 

Please visit these NHS websites for more information or if you would like to talk to a nurse or doctor about your worries, do not hesitate to contact PMCF reception to book through.

Eating a balanced diet - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Water, drinks and hydration - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Centrica Recruitment Webinar Replay

Catch up on the Centrica Recruitment Webinar to find out about their Armed Forces Pathway and vacancies on offer. The presentation commences at 16 minutes, please fast forward.​

Op RESTORE - The New Name for the Veterans Trauma Network

Op RESTORE is the new name for the Veterans Trauma Network.

CLICK HERE​ for full details

Update for Tax Free Childcare for Non-UK National Personnel and Families

For more information, visit the Defence Childcare portal ​(on MODnet), Discover My Benefits or dial in to one of the Wrap Around Childcare Webinars.

To view/listen to the update, please CLICK HERE

One month left to renew for more than 300,000 tax credits customers

Tax credits customers have a month to renew their claim or risk having their payments stopped, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has warned.

The annual deadline is 31 July and more than 300,000 customers who received a renewal pack with a red line across the first page and the words 'reply now' still need to confirm their circumstances for the current tax year to continue receiving payments.​

Please visit this LINK for further information.

HM Prison & Probation Service ‘Advance Into Justice’ Armed Forces Recruitment - Applicant Webinars

Advance into Justice scheduled applicant webinars are listed below.

The webinars are designed to give candidates an overview of the scheme, Prison & Probation roles and service as a whole and answer any questions from the floor and are therefore a good opportunity for anybody interested or thinking about applying.

AIJ Applicant Webinar - 29/06/23 - 10:00-11:00 am

AIJ Applicant Webinar - 13/07/23 - 10:00-11:00 am

AIJ Applicant Webinar - 20/07/23 - 10:00-11:00 am

For further information, please contact advance-into-justice@justice.gov.uk

Afghanistan: Voices of Service

The Imperial War Museums (IWM) and King’s Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR) at King’s College London are seeking 100 participants to take part in a new oral history project on deploying to Afghanistan between 2001-2021. This project is also looking to hear from members of the Armed Forces community if their family member deployed to Afghanistan in the same period.

If you served in Afghanistan with the UK Armed Forces or experienced having a family member deploy, we want to hear from you.

This is an opportunity for you to share your experiences and your thoughts on the subsequent withdrawal of troops in August 2021.

Please click here for the full information sheet.

‘Serving Personnel should follow local Unit/Bde Media Ops guidance before agreeing to participate’

Bula Festival 2023

​Come meet HIVE and Regional Command team at Bula Festival!

For tickets, scan the QR code.

HM Prison & Probation Service ‘Advance Into Justice’ Armed Forces Recruitment – Now Open for Applications

Whether you're in the process of leaving the Armed Forces, a veteran or a Spouse or Legal Partner of a Serving Person or Veteran; Advance into Justice is the opportunity for you. Advance into Justice allows you to take up a rewarding second career within HM Prison & Probation Service, access great resettlement packages, employment benefits, training and progression opportunities. Join us and you'll continue to use your transferrable skills to protect the public and play a vital role in the criminal justice system.

Advance into Justice offers a wide range of roles within both prison and probation environments across England and Wales.

Visit their website HERE

Further information is contained in their booklet HERE​​

Civil Service Weekly News: Special edition celebrating Reserves Day

During Armed Forces Week, we are marking Reserves Day (21 June) with a special themed newsletter celebrating our civil servants who choose to serve King and Country in the Reserve Forces. We also meet some of the recipients awarded honours in the King’s first Birthday Honours List. Whether you’re a reservist, a regular, a veteran, commemorating the Windrush generation or a newly-appointed honours recipient - we salute every one of you!

Also meet civil servants recognised in the Birthday Honours List.

Please click here to read Weekly News

The Poppy Factory - New Families Employment Programme

The Poppy Factory are launching a brand new Families Employment Programme! The programme is designed to support adult family members or carers of veterans with health conditions get back into work, change careers, begin volunteering or improve their current employment situation. The one to one support is offered fully remotely via video call, email and telephone

Brunei: BFBS - BFB's Got Talent 2.0 @ CCCC Friday 7th July 1800 hrs

Tickets are available in Both HiVE Offices

Brunei: BFBS - Cake Competition @ CCCC Friday 7th July, 3 - 5:30 PM

Celebrating the Best of British Cars - passenger rides: Bicester Heritage, Wed 28th June

We welcome any member of the Armed Forces Community to our events, Veteran, Serving, Partner, Spouse or Child of (+18 to participate in passenger rides and minors must be accompanied at all times so may limit parent's ability to passenger ride if they come alone). ​

Veterans' Karting Championships: Round 5 at Coventry, Tues 4th July

Armed Forces Day - Free Meal at Toby Carvery 24 Jun

Please click the link for further details: FREE Carvery for Armed Forces • Armed Forces Day 2022 | Toby Carvery

Serve & Protect Credit Union: Play and Give Challenge

Please click the link for further info: https://linktr.ee/playandgive​

National Cyber Security Centre - Phishing: Spot and Report Scam Emails, Texts, Websites and Calls

​'Phishing' is when criminals use scam emails, text messages or phone calls to trick their victims. The aim is often to make you visit a website, which may download a virus onto your computer, or steal bank details or other personal information.

This link explains how to report phishing attempts, and protect yourself from scammers - CLICK HERE​

Forces Pension Society Brief (AFPS 75/05/15) - Online on 11 Jul 0930

 

This FPS brief will help you to better understand:

• The benefits of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme and what it means for you and your family
• The latest information on key pension policy issues including the AFPS15 remedy (McCloud)
• How to access information on pension entitlements
• Tips to enable you plan your financial future

To Join via Microsoft Teams:

​Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 385 589 375 59

Passcode: ngZa6o

Download Teams| Join on the web

Brunei: LPPO office Closure - Wednesday, 21st June 2023

Please be informed that the LPPO office is closed today Wednesday, 21st June 2023 and will resume on Thursday, 22nd June 2023.

Should you have any issues, please email directly to the LPPO Group mailbox: BruneiGar-CivSec-LPPO-Group@mod.gov.uk

HIVE Supports Armed Forces Day Flag Raising

Our Chester HIVE Information Support Officer had the pleasure of attending the Armed Forces Day Flag Raising Ceremony at Chester Town Hall on Monday 19th June.

Brunei: Emergency Telephone Numbers

Review of offer for serving personnel and their families published

The Haythornthwaite Review of Armed Forces Incentivisation (HRAFI) is an independent review of terms and conditions – the Offer – for Service personnel. It also seeks to determine ways to attract and retain new and next generations out to 2035 and beyond.​​ Click the link below to read the review.

Agency and Agility: Incentivising people in a new era - a review of UK Armed Forces incentivisation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Brunei: School Children Visit (SCV) UNACCOMPANIED MINORS (UNMIN) Service

SCHOOL CHILDREN VISIT (SCV) UNACCOMPANIED MINORS (UNMIN) SERVICE

1. Royal Brunei Airlines no longer offers an UNMIN service from BWN – LHR (via Dubai) return flights for children over 12 years old. Where there are no airlines offering an UNMIN service, the parent should, in the first instance, contact the Movement Control Centre (MCC), who will advise on alternative options for travel.

2. The UNMIN service should be employed for children between 7 and 12 years of age within the SCV contract. Children aged over 12 may, on their parent’s authority, travel unescorted unless otherwise stated by the airline. Where the MCC is satisfied that no UNMIN service is available parents can either request to the lowest cost of one of the following options:

a. Reverse SCV. This entitlement is for one parent only, for each of the 6 annual school holidays and is per family, rather than per eligible child.

b. A publicly funded return flight, and if flight timings preclude travel in one day, overnight subsistence, for one parent to travel and collect/return their child(ren) by the most economical route.

Tom Harrison House, Liverpool: Female Veterans Workshop on 28 Jun

Tom Harrison House is a Liverpool-based addiction recovery project for military veterans, reservists, emergency services personnel, and their families. The centre opened in June 2014 as a response to the fact that there was no military-specific addiction service in the country for veterans. Anchored in the principles of honour, hope and healing, an evidence based sensory and wellbeing model of care, support, therapy and education creates a highly effective restorative environment for beneficiaries.
To view the Tom Harrison House information booklet, 

please click HERE [insert Google Drive link to brochure attached] or visit https://tomharrisonhouse.org.uk/

THH Information Booklet.pdf

Non UK Live Q&A Session - 10th July

What: Pers Svcs are hosting a Non–UK focused live Q&A session that will be hosted on MS Teams.

When: Mon 10 Jul 13:30-14:15

​Who: The session is aimed at;

          - Non–UK Sp and their families
          - Members of the Multicultural Networks
          - The CoC
          - UWOs and Welfare Staff
          - Unit administration staff

To join the session on MS Team​:
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YWY3MTlkZjItNWUzNS00ZDA2LTkxN2YtZGYyZWFkNDA4ODRk%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22be7760ed-5953-484b-ae95-d0a16dfa09e5%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%225e0aeaf9-21ad-46c8-b110-24b0dd9bcc45%22%7d

Armed Forces Covenant Trust Fund Consultation - QR Code Poster

QR codes should be scanned from non-MOD personal devices only

Are you planning on using Wraparound Childcare from autumn term 2023? Have you applied for a TFC account?

The Wraparound Childcare (WAC) scheme provides funding to eligible Service parent(s) for up to 20 hours per week of before and after school childcare during term time only.

Funding for WAC is designed to assist working Service families with the cost of before and after school childcare and to allow partners to get back into work (or for both partners to potentially work more hours).

If your child is under 4 years old or you are a civilian, find out what childcare support is available to you on gov.uk.

Setting up your Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) account

Families planning to register for WAC from autumn 2023 can apply for their TFC accounts now, to avoid delays in claiming when the WAC registration is open for autumn term 2023.

What you need to know:

- TFC accounts can be opened by either the Serving or non-Serving parent.

- The childcare provider must also have a TFC account and be able to accept TFC payments.


- Read the full eligibility criteria for the TFC accounts, this can be found at Tax-Free Childcare - GOV.UK. Sign up for a TFC account now

Who is it for?

- Regular or FTRS (FC) Service personnel serving in the UK or overseas unaccompanied

- Service parents with children aged 4 to 11 years old who live at home and attend school or are home schooled in the UK.

- Service parents with children attending before and after school care during term time. Check if you are eligible and read the FAQs

How do I Register?

To register for WAC funding, you need two things in place:

- a Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) account must be in place for each child that you want to claim WAC funding for, which either parent can set up.

- Your child(ren) must be registered on JPA.

Service Personnel will be able to claim up to 80% (within capped rates) of WAC costs back through JPA in addition to the remaining 20% being paid directly into the TFC account from HMRC, when funding is transferred to the account.

What you need to know:

- No claims can be submitted prior to the TFC account being activated and until the Service parent has been registered for WAC.

- You cannot currently pre-register your 4-year-old child(ren). Your 4-year-old child(ren) must have started school full-time before they are eligible for the WAC scheme. More information on how to register your child for WAC from autumn 2023 will be available soon.

Tools and Resources

You can claim WAC in five steps – to follow these steps and find supporting resources visit: * Discover my Benefits Army, RAF, Navy or Marines * Defence Childcare Portal on defnet or Defence Connect

Any queries?

Personnel and Service families can email the WAC team at PEOPLE-AFFS-WAC-FRO-mailbox@mod.gov.uk.

Brunei: 29th RGR Birthday & The coronation of HM the King Charles III celebration @ Garrison Sports Complex, 16th June 2023, 1400 - 1900 hrs

29th RGR BIRTHDAY AND THE CORONATION OF HIS MAJESTY THE KING CHARLES III CELEBRATION

BFB Members and Families are all welcome.

POC for Food Ticket is CSgt Yuwaraj Gurung (CQMS Sp Coy), mobile no. 8220257. 

Food price is BND $10 for Adults and $5 for Children above ten years.

&

1RGR Wives' Committee also selling Momo, Selroti, Aludum & Chutney

as follow:

Cookhouse - 1200 - 1330 hrs

Garrison Sport Complex - 1400 - 1600 hrs

Serve and Protect Credit Union - June Webinars

22 Jun 23, 1400 hrs: Boost Your Credit Score | Eventbrite

23 Jun 23, 1400hrs: Managing the Cost of Living | Eventbrite

Fri 30th Jun 23, 1400hrs: Budgeting & Spending | Eventbrite

For the full Serve & Protect program on Eventbrite click HERE​

Life Skills Briefs: Gambling Related Harms - 19 & 23 Jun

These briefings are open to Service Personnel and their partners/family members.

19 Jun 23
1030-1200
Microsoft Teams meeting - Click here to join the meeting

23 Jun 23

1330-1430
Microsoft Teams meeting - Click here to join the meeting

ABF Soldiers' Charity - Operation Bletchley 1st-31st July

Calling all Secret Agents ... We need you to take on Operation Bletchley: Your Codebreaking Challenge.

Your mission is to cover 50* miles on foot, travelling from Bletchley Park to the Churchill War Rooms in London and crack the codes as you go. With brand new codes to crack for 2023, are you up for the challenge?

Your mission starts on 1 July 2023, and you have until midnight on 31 July to crack the codes and deliver the final message to Winston Churchill before your time runs out. ​

Find out more HERE​

Forces Employment Charity: Free Google Digital Marketing & E-Commerce Course

Interested in a digital career? With the Google Certificate you get trained from subject-matter experts at Google, using tools and platforms like Canva, Constant Contact, Google Ads, Google Analytics, Hootsuite, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Shopify, and Twitter!

What are you waiting for? Sign up at forcesemployment.org.uk/EM3 and learn for free!

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust want to hear from you

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (The Trust) has launched a summer consultation and they want to hear from you!

The Trust wants to ensure the funding they provide reaches those who need it most and makes a positive impact on the challenges currently affecting the Armed Forces community.

From 2024, the way the Trust distributes Covenant Fund monies will change and they want your help to plan the best use of this funding over the next three years. While the four key themes of the Covenant Fund will remain the same, how the money is distributed can be tailored to meet the needs of the community.

Throughout June and July, the Trust will be offering lots of opportunities to have your say.

The Trust’s summer consultation is your chance to help shape their three-year plan. They want to hear from people within the Armed Forces community as well as those working to support them. You can complete the consultation via their website and share your views about what you think the Trust should focus on over the next three years.

If you only have a few minutes to spare, you can still have your say by getting involved with their sister campaign, Tell Us One Thing. To make it as easy as possible for you to contribute, during June you’ll have the opportunity to answer one question each week and tell the Trust just one thing about the Armed Forces community.

Sonia Howe, Director of Policy at the Trust said: “We really hope you’ll take part in the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust's consultation this summer and tell us about the challenges you see for the Armed Forces community, now and in the future.

We had a fantastic response to our last consultation in 2022 which helped to shape the programmes that we are running this year. We now want to know what we should do over the next 3 years.

Your views and ideas are so important in helping shape our future funding programmes; so that we can ensure that our funding makes the biggest difference.”

Make your voice heard

The consultation runs from 12 June to 31 July 2023. You can complete the consultation by visiting the Trust’s website www.covenantfund.org.uk

Keep up to date with funding opportunities

For the latest updates and announcements on each of these Covenant Fund programmes, and any other funding opportunities the Trust has available throughout the year, sign up to their e-newsletter via their website www.covenantfund.org.uk

Advance into Justice - Prison Officer Recruitment for Service Leavers & Veterans

‘Advance into Justice’ Prison Officer Recruitment for Service Leavers and Veterans - Register Your Interest HERE​

BFPO EU Postal Update - June 23

 

In January 2023, BFPO informed customers of important changes when sending mail and parcels via the BFPO system to European Union member states as part of the European Union Import Control System 2 requirement. It’s important to note that these changes are not unique to BFPO mail and will be applied to all worldwide mail.

Please see here for more information.

The main change to BFPO customers sending items to EU locations is the introduction of Harmonised System Codes which need to be included as part of the business to customer/e-commerce item customs declarations. As a basic rule, businesses who send international mail should already be including Harmonised System Codes as part of their item data declarations and from the 01 July 2023 any items addressed to EU locations that do not have mandatory data fields completed will be at risk of being delayed or even returned.

For Service Families:

The inclusion of Harmonised System Codes as part of the customs declaration requirement for Private BFPO Customers, posting items over a Post Office Counter remains undecided and BFPO will provide updates once these are confirmed by Royal Mail.

At this stage private customers are encouraged to read guidance on how to identify Harmonised System Codes which they may need before visiting their local Post Office to add to customs declarations.

Information regarding Harmonised System Codes and how to look them up can be found here and BFPO customers can also view Royal Mail guidance on international mail customs declarations here, which also includes a video guide on how to complete customs declaration forms.

JSP 534 - Tri-service resettlement manual - Updated June 2023

JSP 534 - The Tri-Service Resettlement Manual has now been updated - see HERE for full details.

Broadband boost for military staff and their families

Better broadband is on the way for military personnel and their families. Teams across Defence have already improved broadband speeds and reliability for Service Family Accommodation (SFA). Working hard with industry partners, they’re ensuring everyone has access to high quality broadband. To read the full article, click HERE.

How can SFAs report a slow download speed issue?
​
We’re still making improvements and need your help to deliver the best service. If you’re a resident in SFA and suffer from poor download speeds, we’d like to know. Please take a screenshot of your speedtest and let us know the time and day of the reading. Send this to ukstratcomdd-cis-fc-brdbnd@mod.gov.uk.

SSAFA: Become a Community Connection Champion

#ConnectionMatters is the theme of this year's #LonelinessAwarenessWeek, and the wonderful groups and events that SSAFA's Community Connection Champions host are a chance to connect with others. Bowling, walking groups and art sessions - there's so much happening! If you are interested in becoming a Community Connection Champion, you can find out more here https://www.ssafa.org.uk/community-connection-champion

X-Forces: Self-Employment Discovery Virtual Workshop - 6 July

Click here to find out more about X-Forces and the opportunities available to you

Brunei: Are your belongings in transit? HIVE Mumong have some basic kitchen items you can loan...

With thanks to generous donations from our community, HIVE have a number of kitchen items which can be loaned to those with belongings in Transit. Making life in the kitchen a little easier! 

Pans, knives, mugs, plastic cups and children's plastic crockery and cutlery, along with chopping boards and egg cups! 

Just pop to the HIVE Mumong Office between 0900-1300 M-F to sign out the equipment for as long as you need! 

Brunei: BFB Education Learning Centre - Courses for SP & Spouses

BFB Education Learning Centre

Courses for SP & Spouses:

ICDL Course

This is a self-paced course that needs to be completed in a year once enrolled. Students can practice at the Education centre and get access to diagnostic test before sitting for the exam.

ICDL Level 1 - £82.56

ICDL Level 2 - £109.44

IGCSE

IGCSE First Language English evening classes will be running from 12th June - 28th September from 1800 - 2000Hr at Garrison Education Centre.

To enrol for the classes please contact on WhatsApp at 8772084 or Tutor at Education Centre.

Prices:

For Service Personnel - $96 BND

For Spouse - $120 BND

ELCAS: Enhanced Learning Credits...

 

There are two types of Learning Support funds available for those working in the MOD

The first is Standard Learning Credits (SLC) up to £200 per year (use it or lose it) and the second is Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) up to three lots of £2000 (subject to qualifying criteria depending on length of service).

To find out more about ELCAS, how you apply and to search course providers, head to the website: ELCAS - Enhanced Learning Credits Administration Services