Big Lottery Fund

Summary of the programme

We have now appointed a preferred partnership who will work with us to set up and run the Forces in Mind Trust.

The preferred partnership, led by the Confederation of British Service and ex-Service Organisations (COBSEO) will now prepare a detailed business plan, investment plan and processes for distributing the Trust's funds. These plans will be submitted to us by the end of March 2011. We will then assess them and, if satisfied, will make a grant to establish the endowment.

The aim of the Forces in Mind programme is to support the psychological well-being and successful and sustainable transition of veterans and their families into civilian life.

This programme builds on our previous support to veterans through programmes like Heroes Return and focuses on veterans from more recent conflicts. It will help ex-service personnel who struggle with the transition to civilian life, including those whose psychological well-being affects their quality of life and others around them.

We want to provide long-term help that supports and joins up with the valuable work already being carried out by a range of organisations. We think the best way to do this is to set up a new independent UK-wide Trust and give it £35 million to invest and spend over the next 20 years.

What to do next

• Further details about the programme can be found on our questions and answers page

Contact

For further information please call 0845 4 10 20 30 or email forcesinmind@biglotteryfund.org.uk