Brunei: Brunei HIVE Notice - Christmas Stand Down

  

Brunei HIVE Notice - Christmas Stand Down

Chit Chat HIVE office will be closed from 18th December 2023 to 5th January 2024.

Mumong HIVE office will be closed from 25th December 2023 to 2nd January 2024.

Emails will not be actioned until our return.

Apologies for any inconvenience.

Please contact your Unit Welfare Team for urgent matters.

Brunei: LPPO - Revised Opening Hours

LPPO

The LPPO revised opening hours effected from Monday, 10th July 2023. 

Army Multicultural Network Conference - Advance Warning

ARMY MULTICULTURAL NETWORK BIENNIAL CONFERENCE – CHURCHILL HALL, ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY SANDHURST - 20 SEP 23

The Army Multicultural Network will hold its biennial conference at Churchill Hall, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 20 September 2023, 0800-1700 hrs. The event is open to all Regular and Reserve personnel, Civil Servants and members of associated Employee Support Networks. The chain of command and unit welfare/diversity and inclusion advisors are equally encouraged to attend.

DCGS will present at an interactive day, sponsored by Commander Home Command, with Guest Speakers Prof David Olusoga and Dr Balissa Green. It aims to provide an informative, interactive, and inspiring forum that provides practical tools to individuals and the chain of command so that we can maximise the talent and potential of all under-represented cohorts, and ultimately make a more operationally effective army ready to fight and win wars on land.

The Conference, themed “Time to Act", intends to build on the significance of the recently published Army Race Action Plan; throughout there will be examples of putting words to action and methodology to close the gap between intent and outcome.

Follow this LINK to register for the Army Multicultural Network Conference 2023.

Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) Update

Please click on the title of the article for further information on the respective topics.

Thousands of parents to benefit from more work coach support

From 24 July 2023, parents of children aged 1 and 2 on Universal Credit will start to benefit from meeting more frequently with work coaches to help them prepare for work.

* Parents with a one-year-old will start to have a work-focused meeting with their work coach every three months instead of the current every six months.

* Parents with a two-year-old will start meeting with their work coach every month instead of the current every three months.

Swifter sanctions on unpaid child maintenance

Parents who fail to pay child maintenance will face tougher sanctions faster, after new laws were passed this week to speed up stronger enforcement action. 

New plans to boost health in the workplace to keep people in work

Plans to boost UK employment through widening access to high-quality health support in the workplace were unveiled this week by the Government.

Tax relief on work expenses: communication resources

Promotional material for employers - posters, help cards and text for employer intranet sites to help inform employees on how to claim tax relief on money they have spent as part of their employment.

One week left to renew your tax credits, HM Revenue and Customs warns

The deadline for tax credits customers to renew their claim is on 31 July 2023. More than 171,350 tax credits customers have until 31 July 2023 to renew their annual claim and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is urging them to not miss out. Customers who received a renewal pack with a red line across the first page and the words ‘reply now’ must respond to HMRC or risk having their payments stopped. Customers whose packs had a black line across the first page and the words ‘check now’ only need to update HMRC if their details have changed

Millions to benefit from new flexible working measures

Millions of British workers will have more flexibility over where and when they work as the Flexible Working Bill achieves Royal Assent 

Get Help With Exam Results Careers Advice

The National Careers Service will be providing exam results careers advice in August. Support is available to both young people and their parents/carers through exam specific content on the National Careers Service website, social media, webchat and by phone.

You can contact the helpline on 0800 100 900 from Thursday 17 August until Friday 1 September 2023, from 8:00 - 20:00 Monday to Friday and 10:00 - 17:00 Saturday. Professionally qualified careers advisers will be available to help both young people and those supporting them with advice on their next

steps after receiving results – whether their results were what they expected or not.

The National Careers Service offer includes:

* Exam related content on the website

* Webchat with an expert careers adviser, accessible via the website

* A free helpline where you’ll be put through to a professional careers adviser in your local area

* Top tips and live Question and Answer sessions run through the service’s social media channels.

Brunei: BFB Coworking Hubs

Please click the image to enlarge

Social Housing Information Session 31st July 2023

Catterick HIVE will be facilitating a Social Housing Information Session following a need being brought to us by the Fijian community and local Councillor. The aim is to upskill those in attendance with the process involved in obtaining and applying for Social Housing.

We have many different agencies attending to support the event and our community.

Get Safe Online - Do You Know What Your Children Are Doing On-line This Summer

The Summer Holidays are here. With your child spending so much time on a relatively unregulated internet, please take the time to help them recognise and avoid online harms - check out the Get Safe Online leaflet HERE​

Click here to read more

If Your Child is Aged 13 or Over Click Here

If Your Child is Aged 10 to 12 Click Here

If Your Child is Aged 6 to 9 Click Here

If Your Child is Aged under 5 Click Here

Protecting Grey Matter

Brunei: BFBS Viewing Equipment Agreement

BFBS VIEWING EQUIPMENT AGREEMENT

1.BFBS has provided you with satellite receiving equipment including a BFBS Set Top Box, Viewing Card, CAM Module, remote control, connecting leads and, where applicable, satellite dish or similar (hereinafter referred to in any combination as the “Equipment”).

2. The Equipment is loaned solely for personal use by you and your dependants and only at the registered address. It belongs to BFBS and must be returned promptly when requested, at the end of a tour, posting or on March-out. It must not be disposed of, sold, lent, hired, given to any third party or taken with you. Failure to return the equipment when required, may result in a charge or conviction on your military record.

UK Tri-Service Families Continuous Attitude (FamCAS) Survey Results 2023

Tri-service results from the annual families continuous attitude survey can be found HERE​

Brunei: BFB Quarterly Newsletter - Edition 3

To access the latest edition of BFB Quarterly Newsletter Click here 

Anderson Education - UK Schools Directory 2023 - 24

Considering Boarding Schools?

Anderson Education offers free, impartial advice tailored to your individual needs, to help to understand the process and the financial implications, CEA and school specific discounts available.

The director is available online at the following link;- https://www.andersoneducation.co.uk/lib/forces-directory.pdf 

Considering Boarding School options - Anderson Education can help

Considering Boarding Schools?

Anderson Education offers free, impartial advice tailored to your individual needs, to help to understand the process and the financial implications, CEA and school specific discounts available.

The director is available online at the following link;- https://www.andersoneducation.co.uk/lib/forces-directory.pdf

Brunei: Disturbance Expenses Survey - Please take a few mins to complete this survey

Scan the QR Code or Click the link for Survey https://forms.office.com/e/PPsFaJwX26

The survey will be live until COP Fri 21 Jul 23. AF Rem are looking to increase the Disturbance Expense (DE) through an increase in costs of relocating to and recovering from an overseas assignment. The review includes both SP and family moving into SFA and SP moving into SLA.

Want to become a wizz at Microsoft Office? 9th Aug

Brunei: AWS Community Support - Summer Programme 2023

Please click here for Booking Form Summer Programme 2023. 2023 Summer Booking Form

Jerudong Park Family Trip

To join, please click this link - https://forms.office.com/e/QKw30j0gqD

Please Click Here for Family Consent Form

Please click here for Annual Registration: 2023 Annual Registration Form.

To join AWS BFB Community Facebook group - Join BFB Facebook group

Chit Chat Calendar - Chit Chat Community Centre

Mumong Community Centre Mumong Community Centre
View powerpoints of all sessions - All AWS CS Activities/Sessions

Brunei: Mumong Patio Bar - Opening times

Brunei: NAAFI Bulk Issue Store Opening times

If you would like to make a purchase from the Bulk Issue Store before 1500 hrs, please speak to a member of NAAFI staff in the main shop and they will happily assist.

Brunei: 1RGR PRI Shop Opening Times

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The Independent Review of UK Government Welfare Services for Veterans

On 2 March 2023, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) jointly commissioned an Independent Review of UK Government welfare services for veterans. The review was to investigate the role, scope and breadth of UK Government welfare provision for veterans, including by the MOD under the Veterans UK banner.​

The review can be read HERE​

Little Troopers Update - Therapy Programme

 Little Troopers Therapy Programme: new video series for parents

The charity, Little Troopers, has launched a new online video series for parents as part of its tri-service Little Troopers Therapy Programme.

Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, the Little Troopers Therapy Programme is for military children who are struggling with the unique challenges that military life can bring and would benefit from professional therapy and support.

Now available on the Little Troopers website, the three short videos feature qualified therapists from The Owl Therapy Centre as they explore the topics of deployment, moving home and school, and nurturing resilience. In each video the therapists explain the emotions that children might be struggling with and how their behaviour might change at home and in school, before offering practical information and advice for parents. Each video comes with activities that families can print-out and complete together to help encourage conversation about military life, as well as showing families new coping techniques that they can use during stressful periods of change and uncertainty.

​For more information and to watch the videos, visit www.littletroopers.net/little-troopers-therapy-programme

Brunei: Jerudong Park Playground & Water Park - Garrison Rate

 Garrison Rate 2023 - Please show I.D card to gain this discount

For further information CLICK HERE

Brunei: Jerudong Park Playground - Hotel & Playground Combo Deal

Jerudong Park Playground & Qing Yun Resthouse

Combo Deal

For Further details, please contact +673 2611777 or email at sbd.marketing@jpcc.com.bn

Regional Command (HIVE & Family Support) Non-UK National Support

Pinnacle Group Free Coaching & Mentoring

Wraparound Childcare (WAC) eligibility criteria has been expanded from Autumn term 2023

FTRS (all commitment types) and personnel Serving overseas unaccompanied voluntarily with family remaining in the UK will be eligible to claim from autumn 23 (so long as other criteria are met).

​Check Discover My Benefits for more information over summer via the relevant link for each Service Discover my Benefits Army, RAF, Navy or Marines

The Wraparound Childcare (WAC) eligibility criteria has been expanded from Autumn term 2023. This expansion allows for the following:

1. All eligible Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel (i.e. Home Commitment and Limited Commitment in addition to Full Commitment who are already eligible)
2. All eligible Service personnel Serving overseas, separated, with the family and childcare provider remaining in the UK (i.e. voluntarily separated in addition to involuntary separated who are already eligible).

This means that, as long as all the other WAC eligibility criteria are met, personnel in the above categories will be eligible to register and claim for WAC from autumn term 2023.

Service personnel that want to register for WAC from the start of the autumn term 2023 cannot register until the autumn term. The current registration process does not allow for registrations for the next academic year. More information will be shared over the summer. Please keep an eye out for further details on the WAC Portal on defnet and Defence Connect.

New programme to fund research into challenges facing Armed Forces families

 www.covenantfund.org.uk

Op Fortitude

Click here for the Referral Form riv.org.uk/opfortitude

Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) - Veterans' Adjustment Passports

New Adjustments Passports will support hundreds of sick and disabled Armed Forces leavers’ to start and stay in work, delivering on a key Government priority to remove barriers to the labour market and grow the economy.

The scheme, announced by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Ministry of Defence on Tuesday 11 July, will help those leaving service with an injury, disability or health condition move more smoothly into employment.

Find out more HERE​​

Brunei: The Art of Meditation - Online 18th - 20th July, 7:15 - 9:15 PM

Open University - Opening Access to Higher Education for AF Personnel and Open Learn FREE Courses

The Open University (OU) are proud of their relationship with the armed forces and more than 1,500 service personnel and their dependents are currently taking advantage of OU career and personal development opportunities available for the defence community.​

To find out more about this and FREE Learning ​(Open Learn)​Courses that are available, please CLICK HERE​.

Veterans' UK: Unclaimed medals - can you help us shape our services?

If you have previously served in the armed forces (or have a relative that has) with an unclaimed medal, we would like to speak to you.​​​​

Find out more HERE​

Serve and Protect Credit Union – Fixed Term Savings Account (5% Return)

New and existing members can benefit from a 12-month fixed rate savings account which guarantees a return of 5% AER. The account will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis and is available for a limited period. The closing date for applications on Thursday, 27 July 2023*.

Moving forward the credit union will be aiming to launch similar Fixed Term savings products on a quarterly basis as we respond to market rates.

Key features for the Fixed Saver include:

​- Deposit between £1,000 and £10,000

- Fixed term of 12 months

- Receive a guaranteed return of 5% AER

- Savings are protected by the FSCS up to £85,000

To learn more about the Fixed Saver, visit: https://www.serveandprotectcu.co.uk/save/fixed-saver

*Please note – due to limited availability S&P CU reserve the right to withdraw the product early depending on demand.

Defence Children's Services: Education Advisory Team (EAT) (UK)

Please CLICK HERE to view this useful leaflet online.

Alternatively, please visit the Defence Children's Services website: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/defence-children-services-dcs​

Brunei: Cleaning Campaign on Tuesday, 11 July 2023 8 - 11 AM at Jalan Maulana

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Blind Veterans UK

Please CLICK HERE to read this month's update.

AFCFT - Veterans' Mobility Fund

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust are pleased to announce a brand new, highly specialist grant programme – the Veterans’ Mobility Fund. This fund is for an experienced Charity who will act as a Lead Organisation, providing onwards grants to veterans with physical disabilities via an externally delegated grant scheme.​

Full details can be found HERE​.