Veterans on the Edge - GL12 Area

14/06/2026

Very nice location and a discount for the Veterans attending, add in lovely food and great company, this looks like it will be a good move for the Thornbury Veterans Breakfast.
2nd Saturday of the month from 0900hrs.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our inaugural Veterans Breakfast at Tesoro Lounge this morning. 🇬🇧☕

It was a privilege to welcome 31 veterans, along with family members and supporters, for a morning of good food, great conversation and community spirit.

We’re proud to be partnering with Thornbury Veterans Support Group to host these monthly gatherings, providing a welcoming space for veterans to connect and support one another.

A special thank you to John & Dee Black and the Thornbury Veterans team, and to Loungers Co-Founder Jake Bishop for joining us to mark the occasion.

We’ll be doing it all again on Saturday 11th July at 9am, and on the second Saturday of every month thereafter.

12/06/2026

Join us at the South Gloucestershire Armed Forces Reception, proudly sponsored by Leidos and the Royal British Legion.

Following the Armed Forces Day parade, we invite all veterans, serving personnel and their partners to come together for an afternoon of networking, recognition and celebration of our Armed Forces community.
📅 Saturday 20 June
📍 Page Park, Staple Hill
⏰ Following the parade

Places are limited, so register today and join us in recognising the service and sacrifice of those who serve and have served.

https://www.southglosafd.com/

11/06/2026

The Bristol Memorial Woodlands Annual Remembrance event at the was as moving as ever. Held each year on the second Wednesday of June, it’s a special event that brings reflection, friendship and a shared commitment to honouring all those who have lost their lives or been injured in the service of our country since the end of the Second World War.

Our Veterans on the Edge community joined local veteran groups, serving personnel from the REME, Lyneham, and 9 Regt RLC, Hullavington, and colleagues from the Police, Fire and Ambulance services. Cadets from both military and emergency services also took part, representing the future with real pride as well as children and young people from local schools ans colleges.

The Wotton and Charfield RBL standards were present alongside with around 12 others from other RBL branches, Emergency Services, RAFEA and the Aden Veterans, who led the parade with the Gloucestershire RBL Standard. The service was led by serving Padres and our local Lord Lieutenant’s.

This year, it was brilliant to see so many currently serving personnel. Their presence, and their diversity, helped bridge the gap that can sometimes exist between generations of service. It genuinely lifted my heart.

We also met potential new members of VotE moving into the area, which is always a joy for our growing community.

Proud of our community. Proud of our service. Proud of the bonds that keep growing.

09/06/2026

Well done to Stroud District Council for working hard towards meeting the needs of the Military Covenant. Hope many other councils follow as there seems to be a lot of disparity in help available and willingness to engage.

Great news for local veterans 🏠

We’ve secured £225,000 to bring six long-term empty council homes back into use, creating safe, affordable housing for local veterans.

The project will include five flats and one bungalow, which will be fully adapted for accessibility. All homes will be upgraded to modern, energy efficient standards and will stay as a long-term housing option for veterans in our district.

Around 90 veterans are currently on our housing register, many waiting for one-bedroom homes. This project will help meet that need and support those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Veterans moving in will also receive tailored support, including help with settling into their new home, access to health and wellbeing services, and links to employment and community support.

Work is expected to begin soon, with veterans moving in later in the year.

Thank you to SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity/SSAFA Gloucestershire for their help with the application.

05/06/2026

We also have our Breakfast tomorrow morning from 0930hrs in The Swan Hotel in Wotton if anyone wants to join us, even just for a coffee or tea, you will be more than welcome.

They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old, age will not weary them, nor the years condem.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning.

We will remember them.

03/06/2026

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of those who lost their lives today in the Helicopter crash in Devon.

02/06/2026

Across two weekends, one at the end of March and one at the end of May, we brought together more than 40 military veterans from all three services, along with local community members and blue light services veterans, to rebuild the dry stone wall at St James, Churchend, Charfield.

People joined in different ways, from short sessions to full days and full weekends. The work was all carried out under the direction and supervision of a professional dry stone waller, himself an Army veteran, Andy Docherty, we rebuilt over 20 metres of wall using traditional heritage craft. Many thanks to funding from the Veterans' Foundation for supporting this initiative.

We were also joined by several veterans from the local open prison who were able to take part as part of their rehabilitation and on licence. We approach this with dignity and care because everyone deserves the chance to reconnect with purpose, teamwork and community.

We repurposed the stone from the old wall, cleared back invasive greenery and made the area safer and easier for the Friends of St James Church Charfield group to maintain for years to come.

One of the veterans in the justice system said something that captured the whole spirit of the project.

“It is great how the local veterans community is supporting us. I feel seen in a way I haven’t for so long. It gives me a sense of hope.”

The stones will stand for years, but the sense of belonging built around them will last even longer.

Highly recommend giving dry stone walling a try, especially when you need a mental break from life and some fresh air in your lungs.

Huge thanks to the Friends for their amazing cakes which kept the energy up for the task all over both weekends.

01/06/2026

Huge thanks to The Wotton Directory for giving us space in their monthly mag to highlight the community we are building and hopefully reach a few more people would could benefit from joining us.

Have you read the article? Would love to hear your thoughts on it

28/05/2026

Looks to be a fantastic event for all connected to the Forces. Who is going? 🙌🏼

📅 One month to go 🌳

There’s just ONE MONTH until Gloucestershire’s only official Armed Forces Day celebration comes to Stratford Park in Stroud on Saturday 27 June.

Join local veterans, families and the wider community for a free day of entertainment, activities and opportunities to show support for those who serve and have served.

Expect live performances from the Innsworth Military Wives Choir, Cheltenham Pipe Band and Jim’s Jive, alongside stalls and displays from the Armed Forces, veterans’ organisations, emergency services, local Scouts, Cadets and more in the district's largest public park.

📅 Saturday 27 June
⏰ 10am to 4.30pm
📍 Stratford Park, Stroud
🎟️ Free entry

Save the date and come along for a fantastic family day out 🤍