Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and former British Army soldier, the Rt Hon Johnny Mercer MP, is supporting a campaign by Scotty’s Little Soldiers, the charity for bereaved military children and young people, calling on the British public to take Scotty’s Pledge ahead of Armed Forces Day (24 June) and show their support for children who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.
Mr Mercer said,
“We owe it to our fallen servicemen and women to support the families they have left behind. I was therefore delighted to sign the Scotty’s Pledge, backing their mission to support 1,000 bereaved British Forces children every year by 2030, ensuring the memory of those who sacrificed so much for us lives on.”
Mr Mercer has shared a video in which he speaks about the need to support bereaved British Forces children and their families, and the importance of the work that Scotty’s Little Soldiers do for the military community. Taking the Scotty’s Pledge is as simple as heading to Scotty’s website and completing a short form pledging support to bereaved military children and young people.
The charity was founded by war widow, Nikki Scott, in 2010, after she saw the devastating impact on her own children when their dad, Corporal Lee Scott, was killed in Afghanistan.
Scotty’s founder, Nikki, said:
“By taking the Scotty’s Pledge, we’re sending a clear message to bereaved military children: you aren’t alone and you haven’t been forgotten. The death of a parent is a traumatic time for any child, but being a bereaved military child comes with its own unique set of challenges. Armed Forces Day is such a poignant time for all our members, and a time some of them may find very difficult. Taking the Scotty’s Pledge to support bereaved military children is completely free, only takes a second, and is a great way to show bereaved military children that we’re here and we care.”
Scotty’s Little Soldiers provides specialised support for military children and young people aged 0-25 who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces. Scotty’s offers its members health and well-being support, connection to a unique military community, outstanding development opportunities and the chance to smile again.
The death of a serviceman or woman has a profound impact on their child throughout their life, with their grief re-emerging in different ways over the years. Without adequate support, challenges faced following their parent’s death can spiral out of control. They may experience anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, challenges in education and intense feelings of isolation and loneliness. They can also experience displacement if forced to move away from the military community they have grown up in, greater emphasising the negative feelings they may already be experiencing.
Scotty’s are currently providing bereavement support for over 600 military children and young people, but hundreds more are not getting the support they need. Scotty’s are on a mission to be supporting 1,000 bereaved British Forces children annually by 2030, providing them with access to a unique and supportive military community, and the chance to smile again. Thousands have already registered their support for Scotty’s mission, and everyone can help by sharing the hashtag #ScottysPledge
Head to the Scotty’s website and take the Scotty’s Pledge to support bereaved military children:
