Attention! Your chance to thank our armed forces plus what veterans can get

Shropshire Council will be marking Armed Forces Day on on Saturday June 29 while a similar event will be organised by Telford & Wrekin Council on Sunday, June 30.

Telford's Armed Forces Family Day is set for Broadoaks Playing Field, in Donnington from 11am to 4pm with plenty of activities and entertainment for all the family including sports, crafts, live music, military groups and cadets plus much more.

Armed Forces Family Day is a family fun day for the whole community and is a chance to show support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community: from currently serving personnel to Service families, veterans and cadets.

It also marks the culmination of a week of celebrations, beginning on Monday June 24, when the public show their support and appreciation for the Armed Forces community and includes Reserves Day (June 26), which provides the country with an opportunity to recognise the reserve forces.

The local event hosted by Telford & Wrekin Council culture and events team will include circus skills, historical activities, Civil War Re-enactment display, Roar Martial Arts, donkey petting area, crafts, wheelchair basketball, character walkabouts, food and drink vendors plus local groups and military organisations.

Mickey Bushell MBE Paralympic Gold Medallist will also be at the event with his very own challenge for visitors to compete in.

Parking is available adjacent to the site and there is no charge to park or to go in to the event.

Shropshire Council is celebrating its Armed Forces community on Armed Forces Day on Saturday, June 29.

The council-organised Shropshire Armed Forces Family Fun Day at Shrewsbury Castle offers a day full of family-friendly activities, which also allows visitors to show their gratitude towards Armed Forces personnel both past and present.

The event will take place between 11am and 3pm and is free.

Throughout the day, there will interactive activities for all the family from local emergency services, service charities, Shrewsbury Male Voice Choir, refreshments, Fort Boxing, Shropshire Tennis, vintage military vehicles plus much more.

Visitors on the day will also have free access to the Soldiers of Shropshire Museum.

Also there on the day will be The Royal Hospital Chelsea and a small number of the Chelsea Pensioners.

The Chelsea Pensioners are the iconic faces of the UK’s veteran community. Some 300 army veterans live at The Royal Hospital Chelsea today, including those who have served in Korea, the Falkland Islands, Cyprus, Northern Ireland and World War II.

Others may not have served in campaigns, but all understand what it means to be a soldier and the potential sacrifice that it entails.

As well as hosting the family fun day, which is being supported by Wace Morgan solicitors, there will be other offers to benefit both serving personnel, veterans and their families at the council’s leisure centres and those run by its partners on Saturday June 29, and Sunday June 30.

These include:

All of Shropshire Council leisure facilities will be offering free access for serving personnel, family members and veterans.

Shropshire Community Leisure Trust is providing free taster sessions for gym and swim for serving personnel, family members and veterans.

Leisure facilities run by Halo Leisure have free access for serving personnel, family members and veterans.

Teme Leisure will be giving free access for serving personnel.

Serving personnel will need to show their service card. Some veterans may have a veterans badge or an ID card to qualify.

Both Shropshire Council and Wace Morgan are holders of the Gold Employer Recognition Scheme Award and have been recognised for their respective efforts to provide exceptional support to the Armed Forces community.

Sean McCarthy, Armed Forces Covenant lead for Shropshire Council, said: “The family fun day will give the Armed Forces Community the opportunity to spend time with their family and enjoy a range of free activities.

"This year we will be joined by a small number of Chelsea Pensioners, this is the first time they’ve attended our event and I’m sure lots of people will want to come and speak to them.

“As well as the family fun day, some of our leisure facilities will be offering free access to their facilities.

“Armed Forces week is something that Shropshire Council have always supported, we want to show our Armed Forces Community that we appreciate what they do for us.

"We will also be celebrating Reservists Day on the June 26 in the Square in Shrewsbury.”