Oxfordshire military children to be supported with workshops

The interactive sessions, organised by Oxfordshire County Council and charity partners, will aim to help children share their experiences and emotions linked to the challenges of having parents in the military.

These challenges include frequent relocations, changing schools, and periods of being separated from their parents due to operational deployment.

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for children, education, and young people's services, said: "These workshops are designed to encourage service personnel children to share their lived experiences, to ensure they are both recognised and celebrated.

Councillor John Howson (Image: Newsquest) "I hope the interactive format will strengthen each child’s sense of identity and help them thrive at school."

Each workshop will have a different theme, explored through discussion, writing, drawing, movement, and mindfulness.

The first event, set to take place on October 2 at RAF Benson’s youth centre, will be an arts day organised by the county council and charity Never Such Innocence.

It will use song writing, poetry, speech writing, and weaving to help children better understand their identities.

Around 80 secondary students from Burford School, Icknield School in Watlington, UTC Oxfordshire, St Birinus School near Didcot, and John Mason School and Fitzharrys School, both in Abingdon, will attend.

The following day, the Millennium Amenities Centre in Carterton will host an interactive workshop run by the county council and tri-service charity Little Troopers.

Presented online by TV broadcasters Katie Thistleton and Frankie Vu, the workshop will explore the topics of wellbeing and mindfulness.

Louise Fetigan, founder of Little Troopers, said: "It’s fantastic to see Oxfordshire County Council being so proactive when it comes to supporting service children in the area.

"Our aim as a charity is to ensure that all schools – no matter how many service children they have on roll – recognise the challenges military children face and are well-equipped to provide tailored support to these children whenever they might need it."

The event will be attended by key stage two service children from Caldecott Primary School in Abingdon, St Kenelm’s CE Primary School near Witney, and St Peter’s CE Primary School in Alvescot, near Bampton.

The final workshop, at Oxford’s Story Museum on October 4, will see 50 children taking part in a session aimed at improving their English attainment and motivation skills.

Pupils will attend from Benson C of E Primary School, Burford Primary School, St Christopher’s CE Primary School in Langford, Crowmarsh Gifford CE School, and Stephen Freeman Community Primary School in Didcot.