40 military children from Oxfordshire schools came together in Carterton this week for a special charity workshop.
Organised by Oxfordshire County Council, in collaboration with the tri-service children’s charity, Little Troopers, children who have parents serving in the British Armed Forces gathered from St Kenelm’s CE Primary School near Witney and St Peter’s CE Primary School in Alvescot to take part in the interactive event at the Millennium Amenities Centre.
Presented online, by TV broadcasters, Katie Thistleton and Frankie Vu, the day included games, drawings, movement, mindfulness and other fun activities, which encouraged the children to explore the unique challenges they sometimes face, such as being separated from a parent due to an overseas deployment or military exercise, as well as frequently moving home and school. The children came away with tips and tools to help them better navigate periods of challenge and change at home.
Louise Fetigan, founder of Little Troopers, added:
“It’s fantastic to see Oxfordshire County Council being so proactive when it comes to supporting service children in the area. Our aim as a charity is to ensure that all schools – no matter how many service children they have on roll –recognise the challenges military children face and are well-equipped to provide tailored support to these children whenever they might need it.”
Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, attended on the day and commented:
“These workshops are designed to encourage service personnel children to share their lived experiences, to ensure they are both recognised and celebrated. I hope the interactive format has strengthened each child’s sense of identity and will help them thrive at school.”
The workshop was funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust as part of Oxfordshire County Council’s long-term commitment to supporting service children across the county.
Little Troopers is a registered charity supporting all children who have a parent or parents serving in the British Armed Forces. The charity has a dedicated Little Trooper at School programme, which was created to give all schools easily accessible resources to support military children in the classroom.
For more information, please visit: www.littletroopers.net.
