Accrington Stanley Community Trust is pleased to announce that it has secured £23,810 in funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust through its Hidden Voices programme to deliver Stanley Strong: Women Who Served — a dedicated Women Veterans Wellbeing Collective.
The funding will enable the Trust to deliver a year-long programme designed specifically to support women veterans, a group whose experiences and needs are often overlooked. Many women who have served in the Armed Forces report feeling invisible within both veteran services and wider wellbeing provision. Stanley Strong has been developed directly in response to these voices.
The programme will offer weekly, women-only sessions that combine physical activity with wellbeing support. Activities will include football, boxing and yoga, alongside workshops focused on confidence-building, mental wellbeing and personal development. Sessions will be welcoming, flexible and supportive, allowing participants to engage at their own pace in a safe and inclusive environment.
Alongside the weekly sessions, the programme will also include peer mentoring and social activities aimed at reducing isolation and strengthening connections. A key element of Stanley Strong is supporting participants to develop peer-led groups, helping to ensure that relationships and support networks continue beyond the life of the funding.
Rhian Sabatino, Head of Community Engagement at Accrington Stanley Community Trust, said:
“Women veterans have told us very clearly that they often feel unseen and unsupported once they leave service. Stanley Strong is about creating a space where women who have served feel valued, understood and able to connect with others who share similar experiences. This funding allows us to listen to those voices and work alongside women veterans to build a programme that supports their wellbeing, confidence and sense of belonging, both now and into the future.”
The Trust is grateful to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and the Hidden Voices programme for recognising the importance of tailored, community-based support for women veterans. This funding provides an opportunity to listen, learn and work alongside women veterans to create support that genuinely reflects their needs and experiences.
For more information about the Women Veterans Wellbeing Collective or to find out how to get involved, please contact rhian.sabatino@stanleytrust.co.uk