Thrive Together South West

Portfolio Lead: Invictus Games Foundation

The Invictus Games Foundation is known worldwide for its dedication to the international wounded injured or sick (WIS) service personnel and Veteran community, utilising the power of sport and adventurous challenge to change lives and save lives. While their primary work is focused on the Invictus Games, a bi-annual international adaptive sports event, their work goes beyond just the Games and they are once again working with the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust on the Thrive Together Programme (formerly VPPP) to enhance the lives of the Armed Forces community ‘Beyond the Games’.

The Invictus Games Foundation’s previous delivery of the Veterans’ Places, Pathways and People programme (2021-24) focused on mental health and assisting positive transitions from military to civilian life. They are excited to continue this work, now as a part of the Thrive Together programme, to ensure longevity and consistency in support for Veterans and the wider Armed Forces Community in the South West.

The consultation phase highlighted that there is a critical need for a holistic approach to Veteran support in the South West that addresses housing, education, employment, mental and physical health, and family support. There is a rich and complex ecosystem of providers within the region, and are avoiding investments to stimulate or grow new providers with our focus towards established and thriving services.

The Invictus Games Foundation’s approach will aim to increase coordination, facilitate ease of access and continuity of support within networks for the Armed Forces community, while exploring ways to reach underserved groups such as families.

They are also looking to fund innovative projects with trusted partners in the South West, mandating that they look outwards and work collaboratively as part of funding agreements. We will provide a range of training and capacity building programmes to secure the future sustainability of funded partners and wider service providers in the South West, ensuring these networks are embedded and sustained beyond the life of this stage of funding.

The eighth iteration of the Invictus Games has been awarded to the UK and will take place in Birmingham in 2027. They aim to leverage the power of the Invictus Games brand and the spotlight the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 will bring to the UK Armed Forces community to increase awareness of the supported charities in the South West. They will also use our platform to target groups who are currently underserved such as female veterans and LGBTQ+ groups. The build to Birmingham 2027 perfectly coincides with the continuance of the programme and presents a significant opportunity for profound impact.

‘A brighter future for Veterans across the whole of the South West’ will serve as our guiding principle during the programme, as we look to continue the fantastic work from 2021-2024 and ensure that veterans and their families in the South West have access to prompt, tailored, and joined up support to aid them in their recovery and daily lives.

Get in touch

For more information, please contact info@invictusgames.org