Building Stronger Futures for Older Veterans (external link) is a national project supporting veterans aged 50 to over 100, helping them stay independent, connected, and understood. Age Cymru Dyfed and Age Cymru are working together to make it easier for older veterans to be identified and guided towards the right services at the right time.
Funded through the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust’s Transformational Grants programme, the project has developed a new toolkit-co‑designed with veterans-to help professionals recognise veteran identity, understand veterans’ specific needs, and access appropriate community support. Over the next three years, this work aims to create a clearer, more consistent system that supports older veterans while reducing pressure on the NHS and local councils. The approach will first be tested in Wales before being expanded across the UK.
Progress So Far
The project has already made strong progress. After a comprehensive period of planning, designing, testing, and refining the new e‑learning course, feedback from the NHS, local authorities, the voluntary sector, and veterans has shaped key improvements. Working in partnership with the Fantom Factory design team, the course officially launched on 16 July 2025 at the National Memorial Arboretum.
A Training Resource Built with and For Professionals
Heidi Holland, Training Officer for Building Stronger Futures for Older Veterans, explained:
“Our organisation is delivering a project funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust that has developed a CPD‑accredited, free e‑learning resource designed to help professionals across healthcare, public services and the voluntary sector identify and appropriately support older veterans.
The training focuses on improving awareness of veteran identity and supporting culturally competent care pathways. It is SCORM compliant and can be delivered in a bilingual Welsh and English format.
The course is available to all organisations and is currently hosted on the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance website as an additional learning resource.
Thank you to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust for their continued support through this programme.”
Growing National Interest
Since its launch, interest in the course has continued to grow across the UK. Age UK now host the training on their national platform, as does England’s NHS Veterans Covenant Health Alliance We are hosted across English County Councils in Milton Keynes and the Hampshire constabulary. Several universities across the UK have taken the course Sunderland, Aberystwyth, Leeds, Oxford Brookes, Swansea and Portsmouth to deliver to their Medical and Social Services students
These developments demonstrate a clear national appetite for practical, flexible tools that help professionals better support older veterans.
Looking Ahead
James Glass, (Project Manager) of Age Cymru Dyfed, said:
“Our aim is to ensure all veterans across the UK are Identified, their veteran status is recorded on their medical documentation, and they are assisted as required. Simple steps to enable Stronger Futures for Older Veterans.
Find Out More
Resources for Organisations – Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (external link)
A link to Building Stronger Futures for Older Veterans e-learning training
