Spooktacular fun for families of veterans
Wearside children from veterans’ families enjoyed a spooktacular fun-filled event at the Beacon of Light which culminated in making pumpkins to use on Halloween.
Veterans’ families also had the chance to make ghoulish Halloween t-shirts and scary biscuits of witches and ghosts. With Remembrance Sunday only days away, families also made their own poppies and a ‘Lest We Forget’ display in the entrance to the Beacon of Light.
The half-term event was run in partnership between SAFC’s official charity, the Foundation of Light, and Veterans in Crisis Sunderland.
Business Development Manager, Paul McLoughlin, himself a veteran of 14 years in the army, said: “The initiative is about getting veterans’ families together.
"They all have a shared experience of what it’s like to have a loved one serving away from home and the difficulties they may have been through.
"These sort of events are really important so families don’t feel isolated and can share problems which they may have experienced. It’s been great to see the children making the pumpkins and everyone laughing, smiling and interacting.”
For Paul it was also an opportunity to identify any families who may need additional support.
He added: “It can be extremely difficult for some people to adjust to life outside the forces. Some of the things people have witnessed can affect them for the rest of their life.
"This is also a chance for me to see if there’s anything I can help families with.”
With funding from the Armed Forces Covenant, the Foundation of Light has been involved with delivering support programmes to veterans’ families since Easter 2020. This half-term has seen 20 families from across the city taking part.
Head of Sport and Wellbeing, Liz Barton Jones, said: “Sunderland has such a high proportion of veterans and this is an opportunity to bring them together to take part in a range of activities.
"We are really proud to be working in partnership with Veterans in Crisis and I think it’s important to recognise what families go through and the job carried out by our Armed Forces.
"The families all seem to have enjoyed making the pumpkins and the other activities.”