Op Hearth

26/10/2026

💜 APART NOT ALONE. THE IMPACT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. 💜

To the Armed Forces Covenant Fund — THANK YOU. 🫶

Through your support for Apart Not Alone, OP HEARTH has been able to reach further, build stronger partnerships and make a real difference to military families.

And this is what that investment has helped achieve. 👇

✨ 4 military camps reached — with a 5th coming soon
🤝 57 organisations working together to improve support
💜 890 SEND families supported
🎤 25 events spoken at to raise awareness and advocate for change
🌱 5th year celebrated of our accredited school-age children's programme
🫶 Hundreds of events delivered, bringing families together
🎉 Holiday clubs creating memories and friendships for military children
💬 SEND briefings helping service personnel better understand additional needs
💜 Dedicated events for servicewomen and female veterans
🤝 The development of the Northern Devon Armed Forces Community Forum, strengthening collaboration and advocacy across our community.

But behind every number is a person.

A spouse trying to find their feet in a new posting.
A parent fighting to get their child understood.
A family who feels isolated and finally finds their people.
A servicewoman or veteran who discovers a community where she belongs.

This is what funding makes possible. 💜

And the need doesn't stop here.

We have identified the potential to support a further 1,023 spouses who could benefit from connection, understanding and the right support.

That's 1,023 people who deserve to know they are not alone.

To the Armed Forces Covenant Fund, thank you for helping us build the foundations, strengthen communities and reach families who need us.

Your investment has helped turn commitment into action and connections into meaningful support.

💜 We are proud of what has been achieved. We are grateful for the opportunity. And we know there is still so much more to do.

Because when we support military families, we strengthen the whole Armed Forces community.

Thank you for being part of our journey. 🫶

24/10/2026

Do you have a military child around chivenor? Booking open now! Booking link in comments

24/10/2026

Booking opens monday.. All steam ahead at Op hearth HQ

23/10/2026

Some words don't just touch your heart. They bring back everything you've fought so hard to hold together.

We were sent this poem and asked to share it. Reading it was emotional, because for us, these aren't just words. This is our life too.

Behind Op Hearth are real Armed Forces families. Families who have lived through deployments, missed milestones, school battles, endless appointments and the heartbreak of watching our children struggle while trying desperately to get them the help they need.

We've cried those tears. We've felt that loneliness. We've smiled and told people we're fine when, in reality, we've been anything but.

And sometimes, no words can truly explain just how hard it is.

For a moment, forget that we're Op Hearth. We're military families too. We're still serving, still navigating the challenges and still fighting some of those same battles behind closed doors.

We don't share this for sympathy. We share it because we know there are families reading this who feel exactly the same, and we want you to know that we genuinely understand.

This poem isn't just something we wanted to share. It's something we have lived.

To whoever wrote these words, thank you. They say so much about the battles so many of us fight in silence.

The Battles We Fight at Home.

21/10/2026

We were privileged to hear all about this last week at the big breakfast. The Veterans Charity passion shines through in this toolkit. It will help many! Take a look.

If you are a Veteran or a serving member of the UK Armed Forces and you are facing hardship, please reach out.

We can be there to help with food, energy, clothing, communications, household and travel. Our Veterans Toolkit can also provide great guidance and tools to help you manage your finances and your household with more confidence.

You can be referred or make a self-referral via www.veteranscharity.org.uk/getsupport

19/10/2026

CHIVENOR FAMILIES EVENT

Come and join us this Halloween half term for our uv party. Wear your best party/ rave clothes and use the UV paint provided. This event is for military families. 30/10 3pm-5pm . Booking really limited so book quickly to avoid disappointment! Booking link in comments

18/10/2026

We get alot of people come to us on this topic! Our friends at The Icarus Charity are a brilliant place to head.

🥱Less sleep can leave you short-tempered, anxious, struggling to concentrate or finding everyday situations harder to manage.🥱

For some veterans and serving personnel, switching off at night isn't always easy. Difficult memories, stress, disrupted routines or feeling constantly on alert can all interfere with sleep.

And when sleep suffers, relationships, work and family life can feel the effects too.

🥱If you're regularly struggling to sleep, don't just put it down to being a poor sleeper. Talk about what's keeping you awake.🥱

At Icarus, we provide free, confidential online mental health support for veterans, serving personnel and military families.

Real conversations make a difference.

www.icaruscharity.org

11/10/2026

OP HEARTH – YOU DON'T HAVE TO FACE RELATIONSHIP DIFFICULTIES ALONE

Military life can put additional pressure on relationships.

Deployments, separation, postings, moving home, parenting, finances and the challenges of everyday life can all affect couples and families.

If things are becoming difficult, you don't have to wait until your relationship reaches breaking point to ask for help. ❤️

One of the organisations we recommend is Relate who provide professional relationship and marriage counselling.

And importantly for our Armed Forces community, there may be funding available for eligible military families, depending on which Service you belong to.

⚓ Royal Navy & Royal Marines families can access relationship support through the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and Relate.

🪖 Army families can speak to the Army Welfare Service about relationship counselling.

✈️ RAF families can access funded relationship counselling through the RAF Benevolent Fund and Relate.

Not sure where to start?

OP HEARTH can help you find the right place to begin.

You don't have to have all the answers. Sometimes taking that first step and talking to someone can make a real difference.

And if you simply need someone to talk things through with, SSAFA Forcesline offers free and confidential support to the Armed Forces community.

🌿 OP HEARTH
You Serve. We Support. Together We Thrive.

📩 Get in touch if you need help finding the right support.

10/10/2026

💚🇬🇧 OP HEARTH – SUPPORTING MILITARY FAMILIES WITH SEND 🇬🇧💚

Being a military family can bring plenty of change — new postings, new schools, new communities and sometimes having to start again.

For families supporting a child or young person with SEND or additional needs, those changes can feel even more challenging.

At OP HEARTH, we want Armed Forces families to know that you don't have to navigate it alone.🌿

We can help families connect with information, support and opportunities around:

🧩 SEND & additional needs
🎓 Education and learning
💚 Wellbeing and mental health
👨‍👩‍👧 Family support
🤝 Community & friendship
🌳 Accessible outdoor activities
🔥 Forest School, bushcraft & nature-based activities
📚 Learning & development opportunities
🔗 Signposting and connecting families with other services

We understand that one size doesn't fit all

Some children thrive outdoors. Some need smaller groups, additional support, flexible approaches or simply a safe place where they can be themselves.

That's why we're passionate about creating inclusive opportunities where children and young people can build confidence, develop skills, make friends and experience success in their own way. 💚

And for parents and carers, sometimes having someone who listens and understands can make all the difference.

🇬🇧 If you're an Armed Forces family supporting a child or young person with SEND, OP HEARTH is here for you.

📩 Get in touch to find out more about the support and opportunities available.

🌿 OP HEARTH
You Serve. We Support. Together We Thrive.

09/10/2026

🇬🇧🌿 MEET THE OP HEARTH TEAM 🌿🇬🇧

Behind OP HEARTH is a team of people who are passionate about supporting Armed Forces families, building community and creating opportunities for connection and wellbeing.💚

Today, we’d like to introduce you to the people helping make OP HEARTH happen…

👋 Shelley

Shelley is a military spouse of 20 years , a mum to 2 boys and a slightly quirky springador called rosie. Her back ground is military send law with over 16 year military SEND advocate experience. She recently qualified as a youth worker specialising in military young people. She advocates for the military community daily and will never stop being a voice.

👋 spouses, family and send lead and operations manager

Together, we’re working to create a welcoming community where Armed Forces families can:

🌿 Connect with others
💚 Improve wellbeing
🤝 Find support
📚 Access learning opportunities
🔥 Get involved in outdoor activities
👨‍👩‍👧 Enjoy family events
🇬🇧 Connect with their military community

We know that one size doesn't fit all, which is why OP HEARTH works with families to understand what they need and help connect them with the right opportunities and support.

And sometimes, it's simply about having someone to talk to and knowing you're not alone.💚

We’re looking forward to introducing you properly to the team over the coming weeks!

👇 Have you met any of the OP HEARTH team yet? Say hello in the comments!

🌿 OP HEARTH
You Serve. We Support. Together We Thrive.