Bridgend Forces Festival brings together Service children across the county borough
Wednesday 02 July 2025
The Bridgend Forces Festival returned to Bridgend County Borough last week, to bring together and offer support to Service children and their families.
Service children from primary schools in the borough were joined by the council’s Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Martyn Jones, the Mayor of Bridgend County Borough, Councillor Huw David, while the Deputy Mayor, Heidi Bennett joined secondary school pupils at the event, which was held over two days at the Bridgend Army Reserve Centre (160 Company REME HQ) in Litchard.
Children took part in a variety of fun and engaging activities, including an obstacle course, arts and crafts, fingerprint dusting, forest school sessions, and a pBuzz workshop, while secondary school pupils were also able to explore various aspects of military life in a dedicated military village.
Parents attending the primary event also had the opportunity to speak with representatives from several services who provide help and support for Service children to share their experiences and encourage schools to become more engaged with their Armed Forces community.
“Giving children the opportunity to share their experiences with others who are in similar situations is fantastic, and I am thrilled to see them have fun and make new friends. “This event is an educational yet engaging way for children to learn all about teamwork and build on key skills such as communication and problem solving. “As with any event, financial support is essential, and I would like to thank Supporting Service Children in Education (SSCE Cymru) for their funding, and Centregreat for supporting schools with transport costs. I would also like to thank all the providers who helped us organise such a valuable event, which will undoubtedly benefit many young people in the county borough. “I’m also pleased that we can hold the event at the Bridgend Army Reserve for the first time.”
“To celebrate Armed Forces Week, the brilliant team at Bridgend County Council hosted what has now become an annual Forces Festival over two fantastic days. “The event brought together a total of 182 children from across 20 local schools, including 125 Service children, giving them the opportunity to connect, laugh, and enjoy a wide range of engaging activities. “SSCE Cymru would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Bridgend County Council for your outstanding support — this is a shining example of how a successful bid to the SSCE-Wales Fund can bring local communities together and create lasting memories for our young people.”