Shropshire to celebrate its Armed Forces community

The council-organised Shropshire Armed Forces Family Fun Day at Shrewsbury Castle offers a day full of family-friendly activities, which also allows visitors to show their gratitude towards Armed Forces personnel both past and present.

The event will take place between 11am and 3pm and is free.

Throughout the day, there will interactive activities for all the family from local emergency services, service charities, Shrewsbury Male Voice Choir, refreshments, Fort Boxing, Shropshire Tennis, vintage military vehicles plus much more. Visitors on the day will also have free access to the Soldiers of Shropshire Museum.

Also there on the day will be The Royal Hospital Chelsea and a small number of the Chelsea Pensioners. The Chelsea Pensioners are the iconic faces of the UK’s veteran community. Some 300 army veterans live at The Royal Hospital Chelsea today, including those who have served in Korea, the Falkland Islands, Cyprus, Northern Ireland and World War II. Others may not have served in campaigns, but all understand what it means to be a soldier and the potential sacrifice that it entails.

As well as hosting the family fun day, which is being supported by Wace Morgan solicitors, there will be other offers to benefit both serving personnel, veterans and their families at the council’s leisure centres and those run by its partners on Saturday 29 June and Sunday 30 June (2024).

These include:

All of Shropshire Council leisure facilities will be offering free access for serving personnel, family members and veterans.

Shropshire Community Leisure Trust is providing free taster sessions for gym and swim for serving personnel, family members and veterans.

Leisure facilities run by Halo Leisure have free access for serving personnel, family members and veterans.

Teme Leisure will be giving free access for serving personnel.

Serving personnel will need to show their service card. Some veterans may have a veterans badge or an ID card to qualify.

Both Shropshire Council and Wace Morgan are holders of the Gold Employer Recognition Scheme Award and have been recognised for their respective efforts to provide exceptional support to the Armed Forces community.

Sean McCarthy, Armed Forces Covenant lead for Shropshire Council, said:

“The family fun day will give the Armed Forces Community the opportunity to spend time with their family and enjoy a range of free activities. This year we will be joined by a small number of Chelsea Pensioners, this is the first time they’ve attended our event and I’m sure lots of people will want to come and speak to them.

“As well as the family fun day, some of our leisure facilities will be offering free access to their facilities.

“Armed Forces week is something that Shropshire Council have always supported, we want to show our Armed Forces Community that we appreciate what they do for us. We will also be celebrating Reservists Day on the 26 June in the Square in Shrewsbury”.