Today, the UK Armed Forces are engaged across the globe in conventional operations, countering non state threats, on peace-keeping missions, working with allies, building partner capacity, providing aid and responding to domestic crises. When they are not engaged in these activities they are training to meet them which also takes them away from their relations. In ensuring our defence, many of our service personnel are deployed away from their families for 6 months or more annually. Whilst deployed or on standby, they are required to be at operational readiness 24 hours a day, seven days a week without the luxury of bank holidays or weekends. None of this can be done without the unwavering support of their families and friends who, without their spouses presence, pick up the daily routine. Our families are the backbone of the armed forces community.

2024 will see around 30,000 British troops deployed around the world, with many more supporting them. These selfless military men and women are willing spending precious time away from their partners/spouses and children, to underwrite our security. While armed forces families enjoy healthy lives, these deployments create pressure for all involved, periods of separation and social isolation from family and friends can have a negative impact to the health and wellbeing of the spouses/partners and their children.