GIVS has an active proposal and all suggestions and comments will be considered in order to evolve our ‘GIVS’ Document and reach the aim of our county, which is to have a "Gloucestershire Integrated Veterans' Strategy” GIVS Active Proposal PDF .

Building and strengthening Networks between civilian and military Organisations  / Charities for the welfare betterment of Veterans, Military Service personnel and their families for in Gloucestershire with the following Organisations / Projects:

1. Gloucestershire NHS Veterans Champions & Mental Health »
2. Gloucestershire County Council - Gloucestershire Suicide Prevention Partnerships »
3. Gloucestershire County Council - Armed Forces Covenant »
4. Combat Stress & Veterans Hub in Churchdown »

Attending NHS coordination meetings with other civilian and military organisations to share the same aims in building and strengthening Networks and access for Serving Military Personnel, Veterans and their families with the NHS in Gloucestershire

For example:

• Raising Questions about the services being offered from the newly merged Glos NHS at its ZOOM AGM
• Raising Awareness of the military organisations that could be of support via Networking with Glos NHS

Attending GCC coordination meetings with other civilian and military organisations who share the same aims in building and strengthening Networks and access for Serving Military Personal, Veterans and their families with the GCC including the Armed Forces Covenant in Gloucestershire.

Additionally, advocating and building Networking with Civilian and Military Originations with regards to the Support of the Gloucestershire Statutory Councils for the Armed Forces Covenant via the GCC & GIVS meetings.

Attending Gloucestershire Suicide Prevention Partnership (GSPP) coordination meetings with other civilian statutory, voluntary and military organisations who share the same aims in ‘Reducing Suicides’ in Gloucestershire including awareness of Combat Stress (Veterans' Mental Health Charity) Veterans mental health and Young People’s mental Health.

For example:

• GIVS highlights the need of Military Personnel, Veterans and their Families who have diverse needs due to the different impacts on their careers compared to their civilian counterparts.
• Giving presentations to the GSPP on the Military Charity ’Combat Stress’
• Raising awareness of the Veterans' Homeless Accommodation in Gloucestershire ‘Imjin House’ with the charity called Alabare »

4) Combat Stress:

The founder of GCN and lead for the GIVS Project, Christopher Auker-Howlett », is a volunteer for Combat Stress (military Mental Health charity) and provides information on the services that Combat Stress » offers and supports people with fundraising for the charity.

For example:

• Giving presentations to statutory and voluntary civilian organisations in Gloucestershire
• Supporting individuals and raising funds for Combat Stress from GCN community events
• Networking between Combat Stress, statuary and voluntary originations in setting up a monthly, day time, Veterans Forces Hub ( FHUB » ) based in Churchdown, offering social contact to help counter loneliness
• Offering ‘free First Aid for Mental Health ’ training and hosting support organisations to attend the Veterans Hub (FHUB »), including Royal British Legion, Armed Forces Covenant Information and Army Families Federation etc
• ‘First Aid for Mental Health’ courses (FA4MH ») are funded  by a £1,000.00 grant gratefully received from Tewkesbury Borough Council  Covid-19 Emergency Fund.