-
New forum which will ensure the voices of women veterans are
heard on issues such as housing, employment and health
-
New oral history project to improve public understanding and
recognition of the experiences and contribution of women
veterans to keeping the nation safe
-
Projects backed by up to £350,000, part of transformational
new Veterans Strategy which recognises veterans as a national
asset
Female veterans are to be put at the heart of government support,
through a new women veterans forum announced today.
It comes after the Government published the Veterans Strategy
last week, resetting how the nation supports and celebrates those
who have served.
The UK's estimated 270,000 female veterans will also gain better
recognition for their crucial role in keeping the country safe
through a new oral history project. The project will give the
public a better understanding of the vital role women in the
armed forces have played in keeping the nation safe and their
experiences and life before, during and after service.
The initiatives will be unveiled today by Minister for Veterans
and People MP at the Royal
Hospital Chelsea. She previously served in the British Army's
Intelligence Corps, with deployments in the UK, Germany and
Afghanistan.
Minister for Veterans and People MP
said:
As a veteran, I know first-hand the unique challenges women face
in military service and the extraordinary contributions they
make. With women now making up 13% of the UK veteran community,
we need to make sure that they have a strong voice at the heart
of Government.
This government is renewing the nation's contract with those who
serve and have served. Whether it's accessing healthcare, housing
or employment, I am especially proud of these initiatives to
ensure that all women veterans feel respected, heard and catered
for.
The forum will provide a direct channel for women veterans to
raise issues, and share their lived experiences on the topics
that affect them – from housing and health and wellbeing, to
employment and community support.
The initiatives will also complement the launch of a new toolkit
which will help service providers such as charities and health
services to better cater to the needs of women veterans. To sit
alongside the toolkit, the Office for Veterans' Affairs has
funded photography of female veterans, short films and a theatre
production.
The announcements form part of the Government's new Veterans Strategy, the
first in seven years.
Dorothea Barron, former Wren, said:
When I served during the war, we were a group of girls desperate
to do our bit for our country. The camaraderie and sense of
purpose was extraordinary. But after the war ended, we were
simply told to go back to the kitchen – our contributions
forgotten overnight. How different things are today, where female
veterans of the future will have the platform and recognition we
could only dream of. It gives me hope that future generations of
women who serve will never be written out of the history books
the way we were.
