Free Festival this Weekend in Bad Lippspinge

Ten different live bands, a medieval and arts and crafts market and culinary delicacies.

A big children's program - on the Pentecost weekend from May 27th to 29th, the Arminiuspark in Bad Lippspringe will once again become a large concert arena. 

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the park festival, visitors can look forward to a top-class, family-friendly programme. And best of all, entry is free.

DIO UK Newsletter

Aurora New Dawn Job Opportunity With the Armed Forces - Remote Working

Job opportunity with Aurora New Dawn:

Domestic Abuse Advocate, Armed Forces (Foreign & Commonwealth).

Please see further details: Domestic Abuse Advocate - Armed Forces (Foreign & Commonwealth), Portsmouth, Hampshire - Forces Families Jobs

SFA Parking Issues

DIO ESG Housing are receiving complaints regards to parking throughout the SFA patches.

We all know that parking within the SFA patches is very tight so we request can everyone please be considerate of their neighbours.

If you have more than one car and have a car please park your second car in the garage. This will allow your neighbours to be able to park safely and by their SFA.

Also please do not, unless visiting someone, drive your car to another area of the SFA patch so you are closer to camp leave your car parked all day. Remember our roads are “Anlieger Frei” = “Resident only” residents that live in that street.

Armed Forces Education Grant

armedforceseducation.org

Link to apply for grants for the education of service children. Grants are means tested. 

Parking in Paderborn is Changing : New App & Sign System

You might be used to seeing notice boards with the number of available parking spaces in most cities. 

Paderborn is taking parking information to the next level. From now on you will find more boards arriving that show live maps with your location.

Around the main roads large maps will now show live parking availability in all of the cities spaces. 

As you get closer to actual parking you will see more detailed local area signs. 

Landlord Gas Safety Inspections (LGSIs) in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) UK Only

DIO and its suppliers are undertaking an important programme of works to carry out Landlord Gas Safety Inspections (LGSIs) across the SFA estate. This programme of works will commence on 22 May 2023 and is scheduled to complete by the end of June 2023.

You will be notified via letter if you are impacted. For families with short notice appointments during the week commencing 22 May 2023, you may also receive a telephone call and email from the suppliers.

Serve and Protect Credit Union: Social Media Competition - May 2023

Serve and Protect CU are running a social media competition to win a £250 Virgin Experience Days voucher!

All participants need to do is follow the three steps outlined in our competition post. Participants can enter on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to increase their chances of winning.

​One lucky winner will be selected at random from one platform. The competition ends at 23:59 on Wednesday 31st May.

Facebook post
Instagram post
Twitter post

Guidance on Service Pupil Premium - Updated 19 May

Updated guidance on the Service Pupil Premium is now on Gov.uk at this link: Service Pupil Premium: what you need to know - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

British Gas Job

 Centrica / British Gas Armed Forces Career Pathway 

To apply: please submit a covering letter and CV to Laura Blair, Head of Centrica & British Gas’s Armed Forces Pathway: laura.blair78@centrica.com. Please quote “British Gas Personal Assistant” in the email title.

Commonwealth War Graves (CWG) Week 20-28 May 2023

This #WarGravesWeek, we're bringing events to more locations than ever before.

Follow the link to find out what's happening in your area, until the 28th May.

Step Together 'Armed Forces Community Programme'

Step Together run an 'Armed Forces Community Programme'.
This supports Personnel on Recovery Duty (PRD).
Also Veterans and their families across the UK to make significant change in their lives.

This is through one-to-one support and active engagement in the local community as a part of their recovery and resettlement.

Visit the Step Together Armed Forces Website

To read the May bulletin please click here (Not available via MODNet)

Confluence Festival Paderborn 2023

 

This free festival  runs from the 26th - 29th May  Between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. mainly international and national top musicians offer concerts on three stages on the Paderquelle from Reggae, Classical to Pop. 

This family friendly festival offers something for all ages including a street food market and a reading festival. 

s. 

GameZone – Super Smash Bros Tournament

Compete with the best Super Smash Bros players in town and reach the podium. Coming on 24th May 

Drop by the gaming room in the Central Library and try your luck! We look forward to you!

The GameZone is aimed at those aged 12 and over who are interested. No library card is required to participate. Registration is requested.

If you have any questions:
Contact form on our website with the subject "GameZone"
or via Instagram: www.instagram.com/stabigram (@stabigram)

The event is part of the "GameZone" series of events. You can find more information about events at the Paderborn City Library at bibliothek.live/Termine

2023 Pader Kultour 2023

This wekend enjoy the free festival along the Pader river.

The Pader-Kultour is on May 28th. Paderborn will celebrate its eponymous origin - The Pader river.

You can walk between the free entertainment and perfromance areas. You will find refreshements to buy and a full meal stand half way along. 

If walking is not for you there is a shuttle bus service running the whole route.

Civvy Street - May 2023 Edition

 

The latest edition of Civvy Street magazine is available here.​

Kids Eat Out for Less this May Half-Term!

Kids Eat Out For Less May 2023 | Day Out With The Kids

Sparkasse Shutdown

 


On April 1, 2023, the Savings Banks Paderborn-Detmold, Höxter and Delbrück merged. 

Due to the pending technical merger, there will be restrictions on the use of the Sparkassen-Card (debit card) for Customers of Sparkasse in Paderborn, Detmold, Hoxter and Delbrück branches.

All other Sparkasse locations are unaffected.

This disruption will stop the following services:

•  cash deposits
•  withdrawals 
•  card payments in retail 

In addition, the account statement printers and self-service terminals are not available. Online banking and the Sparkasse app cannot then be used either. 

If necessary, please provide yourself with cash in good time or pay with your credit card. After this weekend, all our services will be available to you again as usual. 

Further information

Old Town Festival in Lippstadt

Cancelled due to last year's tornado damage. The people of Lippstadt are looking to bounce back this year. The town hosts a four day festival of music, food and fun events in the old town.

21 LAD Are Fund Raising For Mental Health Awareness

This year the 21 LAD are running a virtual 10k to raise awareness of mental health this years focus is anxiety. 

Something we all probably struggle with from time to time, so if you would all be so kind to donate a little towards the REME Charity and help raise awareness, that would be very kind.

Use this link to donnate

Service Community Information on Universal Credit and Other DWP Benefits

 

Tax Credits are Ending

Tax Credits are ending and are being replaced by Universal Credit - claimants will be notified when they have to reclaim

Migration notices will be issued to all Tax Credit claimants over the next two years. Claimants will need to take action to ensure their benefits do not stop.

For further information please click here​

Mental Health Awareness Week

All this week we want to talk about anxiety and the things that can help.

Find out more about the week and how you can get involved here: Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 | Mental Health Foundation.

​

Schloss Neuhaus Beer Festival 2023

Schloss Neuhaus hosts a highlight event this week. The 2023 Beer Festival opens on Fathers Day and runs until Sunday evening.

You will find over 100 Beer varieties, Meat on a stick, Schnitzel, vegan and vegetarian food. DJ's and cover bands with rock & Pop from the 70's to 90's.

Each day a DJ will start the afternoon with party tunes. Rock and pop cover bands take over for the evening sets.

The weather is looking best for Saturday and Sunday. The number 11 bus runs regularly from Thuner Weg and Mastbruch

The festival opens at 1100 and closes at 2300, for Sunday 1900 is the finish time.

Tax Credits are ending and are being replaced by Universal Credit - claimants will be notified when they have to reclaim.

Migration notices will be issued to all Tax Credit claimants over the next two years. Claimants will need to take action to ensure their benefits do not stop.

For further information please click here​

Service Community Information on Universal Credit and Other DWP Benefits

click on images to enlarge

My Forces Life Art Competition 2023 – Take part for a chance to WIN books and art materials

https://www.readingforce.org.uk/my-forces-life-art-competition-2023/

Free financial webinars from Serve and Protect Credit Union

Click here for details of upcoming free webinars around financial resilience, cost of living support, budgeting and borrowing.

Huggable Heroes

  

Wraparound Childcare (WAC) Monthly Q&A sessions May, June & July 2023

Want to know more about Wraparound Childcare?
Join the WAC team for a Q&A session.

Personnel and partners can join any session by using the links:

18th May 2023 14:30 – 15:00

26th June 2023 10:30 – 11:00

12th July 2023 12:30 – 13:00​

Remember, you can find the WAC FAQs at Discover My Benefits: Army, RAF, Navy or Marines.

Young Minds: Support for Parents

We know parenting isn’t always easy. Although it’s often amazing and rewarding to watch your children grow up, and to help them learn to be independent, it can also be really hard work. It can feel especially hard if your child's mood and behaviour seem different and you're not sure why, or what you can do to help.

​We have lots of practical advice and tips on supporting your child​.

Click HERE​ for further information.

May Edition of the Quest Magazine is out now.

May Edition of the Quest Magazine .

DIO Service Family Accommodation Newsletter : Families First Issue 6

DIO Service Family Accommodation Newsletter : Families First Issue 6

Further info on SFA - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/defence-infrastructure-organisation-service-family-accommodation​

Armed Forces Pension Scheme: Retrospective Remedy Public Consultation

The MOD public consultation is open until 29th May 2023 and views are encouraged from affected* Serving Personnel and Veterans. The consultation can be found here.

The consultation provides an explanation of the remedy policies and the legislation which are required to be in place by 1 October 2023 to deliver the 2015 Remedy.


A recording of the consultation member briefings that took place throughout March 23 is available on YouTube and is complimented by an additional recording on Divorce and Dissolution of Civil Partnerships & Rejoiners also available via YouTube.

​For more information on the 2015 remedy, please visit Gov.uk or the 2015 Remedy on Defence Connect Page.


*potentially Armed Forces pension scheme members who were in Service both on or before 31 March 2012 and on or ​after 1 April 2015, with any break in service of less than 5 years.

NAAFI Fund - Round 4 Now Open for Applications

Follow the link on how to apply - Round 4 - Now Open - NAAFI

Defence Connect (Defcon) – Defence Accommodation Policy

Our Defcon page will be external from 1 May 2023 giving access to family members and partners as well as Service personnel.

Over the course of the next year, we will update the page with the latest information and announcements on Defence Accommodation Policy.

Each member will receive a push notification email when announcements and changes are made to the page.

How to sign up:

* Click the link -

MS Form - Defence Accommodation Policy Defence Connect Page Application Form

Sway Link - Defence Accommodation Policy External Defence Connect Page (office.com)

* Complete the MS Form/ Sway Link

* Click the link on your confirmation email

Once members receive access to the Defcon page, they can opt to download the JIVE app to access defence connect.

The MOD Guide for Service Personnel 'Flexible Working and You'.

The MOD Guide for Service Personnel, 'Flexible Working and You' was updated on 28 Apr 23. Please click HERE​ to access the new version.