The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Aid Society

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Aid Society were awarded £98,000 in October 2023. A collaboration between six regimental associations, their project ‘Infantry Connect’ will leverage a digital community platform to transform the way vulnerable Veterans can connect and access the help they need. The project connects struggling infantry Veterans to a large peer support network alongside a range of support services.

In 2022, the Fusiliers Aid Society (FAS) developed a digital community platform, ‘Fusiliers Connect’ which proved a huge success, with over 1,400 Fusilier members registered, more in-person activity, and higher overall engagement and peer support than was previously seen.

This project builds on the success of the community platform, focusing on developing innovative functionality that changes the way FAS can raise awareness across the community, and transforms how vulnerable infantry Veterans and their families can reach support. The aim was to enable a unified and improved approach to delivering welfare across all regiments.

‘Infantry Connect’ draws members into its digital community because of the combination of social engagement and connectivity opportunities of the platform, which provides access to over 100 regular activity groups promoting exercise and social integration.

The platform will streamline and simplify the signposting pathway to a wide range of welfare support using support module functionality designed to help vulnerable members quickly identify support resources and reach in-person support.

In November 2023 FAS recruited a Digital Community Manager and Welfare Liaison to support the project, bringing a wealth of experience into the team. Between November and January, the design of the Support Module was completed, including developing a number of welfare pathways. The team are now working on populating the content across all support categories.

Fusilier membership growth has increased by 300+ on the app and localised activity in the Northeast has been excellent. FAS have agreement from the Coldstream Guards and Royal Anglian Regiment to join the project, as well as Op Belonging.

Andrew Harris, Assistant Regimental Secretary, The Fusiliers, told us: “Fusiliers Connect has been hugely beneficial to the Fusilier family, including the wider aspects, including spouses, parents and friends. Since launch in April 2023, we have been able to extend the reach and breadth of our communications, and now reach many more of our family with newsletters, notice of events with the ability to enrol through the app, and other relevant information. We continue to enhance the welfare and benevolence aspect of Fusiliers Connect with a set of self-help tools and other advice and guidance all in one place.

The ability for members to communicate within the app has proved popular, as this has none of the addictive and harmful algorithms of many social media platforms. It is also secure. Our membership continues to increase, and we are pleased that a number of other Regiments and Corps have also embarked on their own platforms this will increase the offering to all participants and can drive economies of scale and efficiencies in the future.”