The Category winners at the Celebrating Forces Families Awards 2025

The award is for a individual or group who are military family members working within the public sector who use their lived experience to help their organisation support the armed forces community.

The Shropshire Council Armed Forces Outreach Project provides vital support to serving personnel, veterans, and their families. Established in 2018 by Shropshire Council, a Gold Employer Recognition Award holder, the project connects individuals with tailored resources for employment, housing, mental health, and welfare.

Operated by a veteran, it collaborates with charities, businesses, and health services to create Veterans Champions and promote awareness. Outreach events across the region
offer safe spaces for support, tackling social isolation and PTSD.

More than 150 individuals access the outreaches each month but there are also numerous enquiries for support. Last year alone, the project had contact with 3,156 individuals across the outreaches and community groups.

Armed Forces Covenant Lead Sean McCarthy said: “To be nominated as a finalist was a real honour but to win the award was something we didn’t expect as it was a strong category.

“We take great pride in supporting our Armed Forces community, we don’t do the work we do to get awards but it’s nice to get some national recognition.

“Although Shropshire Council are the winners we couldn’t do what we do without the support of our Service Charity colleagues, volunteers and the many other organisations we work with. It’s a real team effort.”

The Armed Forces Outreach project is led by a veteran who is also a spouse of a veteran, and the volunteers are veterans too. All have lived experience.