Armed Forces Week 2026: The Employers, the Events and the Community Going the Extra Mile

If you're part of the Armed Forces community — serving, veteran, reservist, or family — Armed Forces Week is your week! Across the UK, employers are opening their doors, launching new programmes, and putting real resources behind the community they say they back. Legal firms are offering discounts on services you actually need. Training providers are creating funded pathways into civilian careers. And charities are making sure veterans who've been overlooked for too long, including those affected by the historic LGBT+ ban, aren't left behind.

This isn't just one week of social media posts. These are organisations that have built their commitment into how they recruit, how they operate, and how they treat their people all year round. Here's what some of them are doing right now — and where you can find events near you this week.

Search for Forces-Friendly Employers Supporting Armed Forces Day

Bonallack & Bishop — Legal Support for the Military Community

Salisbury-based solicitors Bonallack & Bishop have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and provide specialist legal support to serving personnel, veterans, reservists and military families across the UK. Their teams regularly assist with wills, powers of attorney, divorce and family law, property transactions and personal injury claims — with a clear understanding of the specific pressures military life brings, including deployments and frequent relocations.

As part of their ongoing commitment, they offer a 10% discount on legal fees to serving personnel, reservists and veterans. Armed Forces Week is, for them, an opportunity to reaffirm that commitment rather than start it.

Fighting With Pride — LGBT+ Veterans and the Closing Financial Recognition Scheme

Fighting With Pride is the UK's LGBT+ military charity, supporting veterans, serving personnel and families — particularly those affected by the historic ban on LGBT+ personnel serving prior to 2000.

This Armed Forces Week, the charity is focused on community connection and individual support, with events, peer outreach and one-to-one casework continuing across their veteran network. But there's also an urgent message: the Government's LGBT Veterans Financial Recognition Scheme is now in its final six months. Eligible veterans — those dismissed or negatively impacted by the pre-2000 ban — can apply for a financial award, but time is running out.

Fighting With Pride is asking organisations and individuals to help spread the word before the scheme closes.

Amey & e50K — Five Years of Move You In Packs

Five years ago, a conversation at Amey became a commitment: that every Armed Forces family arriving at an Amey-managed home should receive a warm welcome and a reminder that they belong to a community that cares.

This Armed Forces Week, Amey and charity partner e50K are marking the fifth anniversary of Move You In Packs — and launching their first five-year impact report. What started as a welcome box has grown into a nationwide initiative, with thousands of packs delivered to military families across the UK, helping ease the practical and emotional challenges that come with relocation, separation from support networks, and the realities of service life.

The impact goes beyond the box itself. Volunteers, military spouses, veterans, suppliers and community partners have all come together behind the initiative — and this week, they're gathering at Catterick Garrison for their largest Pack Day to date, and their first ever two-day event. Want to be part of it? All are welcome — sign up here.

VodafoneThree — Gold Standard, and Raising the Bar

VodafoneThree re-certified Gold under the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme last year, and Armed Forces Week 2026 sees them go further. On 24 June, they're hosting in-person and online events featuring guest speakers Lt Col Mark Luson on leading diverse teams and Sally Orange MBE on adversity and mental health. Reservists are invited to wear uniform to work.

Beyond the day itself, VodafoneThree has extended reservist leave from 10 to 16 days annually, launched an updated careers site featuring veteran stories and suggested pathways, and committed to attending five CTP events per year (up from three). Two onsite events for service leavers and forces families are also planned — Newbury in February 2026 and Glasgow in November. Discounts on products and flexible broadband contracts are available to serving personnel.

The Adecco Group — Making Veteran Hiring Make Business Sense

The Adecco Group is hosting two events to celebrate Armed Forces Week. The first was at their London HQ on 17th June, where clients and supply chain partners looked beyond the Covenant to understand the commercial case for hiring from the veteran and service leaver community. Speakers included Kelly Van Nelson, MD of Serco Defence, and Sam Smith, President of Adecco's Pontoon brand, who shared her own experience of leaving the RAF and moving into a commercial role.

The second event is a company-wide webinar launching Adecco's Guide to Veteran Hiring — a practical resource to help 20,000 associates and colleagues recruit ex-military talent. The Forces Employment Charity will be joining, alongside a serving RAF Squadron Leader.

Emerging Risks Global — A Career Pathway Built for Veterans

Emerging Risks Global (ERG) is an ELCAS-approved, Skills for Justice-accredited training centre and Armed Forces Covenant signatory. Their Crisis Resilience Professional Pathway (CRPP) runs from Level 1 through to postgraduate and doctoral study, giving service leavers a structured, funded route into security and resilience careers — with Enhanced Learning Credits accepted throughout.

For Armed Forces Week, ERG is offering a dedicated discount on the CRPP to the Armed Forces community, alongside free guidance on funding and career pathways. They also partner with the Royal Marines Charity and Association.

SA Safety Ltd — Where Veterans Aren't a Policy, They're the Team

SA Safety Ltd provides confined space rescue and working-at-height services across UK defence and maritime sites, including HMNB Devonport. Around 40% of their operational team are veterans — not as the result of a quota, but because the qualities that make someone effective in that environment are the same ones the military builds: calm under pressure, situational awareness, the ability to trust the person next to you.

Veterans at SA Safety fill roles from rescue operator through to instructor and assessor. They're a proud Covenant signatory, and Armed Forces Week is, in their own words, a moment to say that out loud.

Phoenix Heroes CIC — Golf Day for Veterans this Armed Forces Week

Founded by British Army veteran Gary Stockton in 2018, Phoenix Heroes CIC is a Colchester-based Community Interest Company using outdoor activities to support veterans through the challenges of military-to-civilian transition. Fishing, football, allotment gardening — the focus is on community, purpose and mental wellbeing, bringing veterans together in environments that help them reconnect and recover.

This Armed Forces Week, Phoenix Heroes are organising a Golf Day at Notley Golf Club on Saturday 27th June — with The Pub in Braintree hosting everyone afterwards for food, drinks and celebrations.

It's exactly the kind of event Phoenix Heroes do best: built around the belief that getting veterans outdoors and together is one of the most effective forms of support there is.

Compass Group UK & Ireland — Feeding the Forces Community, Then and Now

Compass Group has roots going back to the Second World War — originally founded to feed workers in wartime factories. Today they operate at over 5,000 sites across the UK and Ireland, from schools and hospitals to military bases and iconic sports venues, with tens of thousands of employees.

They're proud to be a Gold Forces Friendly employer and notably the 1,000th signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. Their Armed Forces Employee Network actively works to attract, support and retain veterans, reservists, military spouses, families and cadet volunteers across the business.

This Armed Forces Week, Compass is running a nationwide programme shining a spotlight on the people behind the uniform. Activity includes an afternoon tea with their leadership board for network, charity and recruitment partners, veteran engagement sessions, and recruitment workshops delivered with the Forces Employment Charity. Teams across the country are also encouraged to run their own local events throughout the week.

FDM Group — Spotlighting Reservists and Supporting the Transition

FDM's Ex-Forces Programme is marking Armed Forces Week with a packed schedule of activity. On Reserves Day, they're spotlighting their reservist consultants — sharing individual stories that showcase the contribution those personnel make both in their civilian client roles and within the Armed Forces.

On 25 June, FDM will be at the Career Transition Partnership Careers Fair, connecting with service leavers and explaining how their programme supports the move into civilian careers. The same day, they'll be participating in the Forces Friendly Employers' Best Practice Forum, working alongside other employers to develop better approaches to veteran support in the workplace.

FDM is also attending the Forces in Business Awards, where three of their consultants have been shortlisted as category finalists — a strong reflection of the talent the Armed Forces community brings to the business.

Engage & Prosper — Career Confidence and Community Support

Sharon Kennedy comes from a long line of military service and sits on the Northamptonshire Committee of the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF) — the Army's national charity providing lifelong support to soldiers, veterans and their families when they need it most.

This Armed Forces Week, the ABF's Lamport Hall Summer Reception takes place on Friday 26 June 2026. By kind permission of the Trustees, guests will enjoy exclusive access to the Grade I listed Lamport Hall and Gardens in Northamptonshire, with refreshments, guided tours and a charity auction raising vital funds for the ABF.

As Founder of Engage & Prosper, Sharon's North★STAR Career Compass and Career Confidence Collective programmes support individuals to identify their strengths, build confidence and navigate career decisions — particularly valuable for veterans, reservists, military spouses and young adults from military families.

To mark Armed Forces Week, Engage & Prosper are offering 10 complimentary North★STAR Career Compass Discovery Sessions on a first-come, first-served basis for serving personnel, veterans, reservists and military family members. Armed Forces community members will also receive a 20% discount on selected coaching programmes and Career Confidence Collective memberships throughout 2026.

Teleplan Forsberg — Supporting a Year-Long Deployment

During Armed Forces Week, Teleplan Forsberg is highlighting its ongoing commitment to supporting reservists and veterans within its workforce.

One employee is currently preparing for a year-long reservist mobilisation on Operation TOSCA — the UK's contribution to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. Teleplan Forsberg is fully supportive of their deployment and proud of the important role they will play in promoting stability, supporting humanitarian efforts and contributing to long-term peace.

The company provides paid leave for annual training commitments, as well as time for mobilisation and deployment — ensuring reservists can fulfil their military duties without professional or financial disadvantage, while gaining valuable experience in complex and challenging environments.

Skills developed through reservist service, including leadership, adaptability and teamwork, support personal development and, on return, strengthen the business as a whole.

Teleplan Forsberg also actively advertises roles on military and veteran platforms, encouraging reservists and veterans to join the organisation — supporting a smooth transition into civilian employment while enabling the business to benefit from the experience, discipline and expertise that military personnel bring.

Heads Resourcing Group — One-to-One, Unpaid, and Personal

Paul Wood, Army veteran and Director at Heads Resourcing Group, is an ambassador for The Forces Transition Group and offers individual, unpaid job search coaching to senior ranks, officers, spouses and military families. That means CV work, civilian positioning, and direct introductions to employers — not a one-off initiative during Armed Forces Week, but an ongoing personal commitment.

Military Coworking Network — Eight Hubs, One Community

The Military Coworking Network exists for spouses, partners and adult family members of past and present military personnel. With eight coworking hubs across the UK — plus one in Akrotiri, Cyprus — and a free online community running weekly events including virtual coworking, masterclasses and social evenings, the Network keeps military families connected and working, wherever they're posted. Hub membership is £30 per year. All online events are free and this Armed Forces Week they want everyone to know about them!

Bath Spa University — Funded Courses for Partners and Forces Leavers

This week, Bath Spa University wants the Armed Forces community to know about two fully-funded short courses for partners of serving personnel — an online Agile Project Management course (October 2026 and 2027) and an in-person Digital Marketing and Entrepreneurship programme in Wiltshire (Spring 2027). Both are free, funded through the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust's AF3 Supporting Partners programme.

BSU also runs Skills Bootcamps for forces leavers, having already helped more than 100 individuals upskill through partnerships with the Forces Transition Group and Coherent Training.

Armed Forces Week Events Across the UK

From Guernsey to Glasgow, communities across the UK are marking Armed Forces Week with parades, services, family days and more. Here's a snapshot of what's on — and there's plenty more on the map!

Plymouth — 27 June | Plymouth Armed Forces Day returns to Plymouth Hoe for one of the UK's largest Armed Forces Day celebrations. The day runs from morning through to late evening with military displays, vehicles and equipment, parades, live music and a packed arena and stage programme. Highlights include the Junior Field Gun Tournaments, a BBMF flypast over Plymouth Sound, performances from the Military Wives Choir, Plymouth Youth Symphony Orchestra and Armed Forces Choir, plus evening entertainment running until 10:30pm. The Strength of Spirit Rehabilitation Triathlon on 25 June — where recovering service personnel and veterans compete in swimming, biking and rowing at Tinside Lido — is also not to be missed. Armed Forces Week kicks off with a flag raising at the Guildhall on Monday 22 June. Full programme at plymoutharmedforcesday.co.uk

Whitley Bay, North Tyneside — 27 June | The North Tyneside Pipe Band leads a parade of veterans from the roller park to the cenotaph at The Links for a wreath laying service from 10:30am. Afterwards, everyone is welcome at the Whitley Bay Comrades Club for refreshments and cadet sporting activities including First Aid, Shuttle Run and Rowing Machines. Free and open to all.

Aldershot & Farnborough — 27–28 June | This year's national Armed Forces Day event, with a military parade, arena displays, live music and free activities for all ages. The biggest event in the calendar.

Sunderland — 26–28 June | A full Armed Forces Weekend with parade, entertainment and activities for all ages across the last weekend of June.

South Tyneside — 21–27 June | Now in its 21st year, South Tyneside's Armed Forces Day is a beloved fixture — drawing veterans, residents and the biking community from across the region.

Aberdeen — 27 June | A parade of serving personnel, veteran associations, cadets and pipe bands moving through the city centre from Albyn Place to Castle Street from 11am.

Edinburgh — 20 June | 'The Big Day Out' at the historic Craiglockhart Campus — a site with deep significance for veterans — hosted by Scotland's Veterans Wellbeing Alliance.

Barnsley — 20 June | A veterans' breakfast, parade through the town centre, and a sky-high tea party in the Lightbox. Free and family-friendly.

Stockton-on-Tees — 20 June | Military displays, performances and community stories on Stockton High Street, with a focus on amplifying local Armed Forces voices.

Portsmouth — 20 June | Armed Forces Day on Southsea Common with displays, stalls from veterans' charities and military organisations. Free entry.

Weymouth — 20–22 June | A full weekend of events honouring serving personnel and veterans, with activities across Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Bletchley Park — 27 June | Free entry on Armed Forces Day for all present and past UK, Commonwealth and US military personnel — a fitting thank you at one of the most storied sites in British military history.

Find events near you → https://www.armedforcesday.org.uk/ 

Images: ©UK MOD Crown Copyright