Thousands of schoolchildren will learn more about the British nuclear testing programme thanks to a £70,000 grant from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA). Another £34,000 grant will bring

hundreds of veterans together at reunion events, and others from the nuclear test community will receive wellbeing grants thanks to new government funding.

As set out in the Veterans’ Strategy Action Plan, the government is ensuring veterans’ contributions to public life are recognised. In 2022, the government announced a suite of programmes to recognise the contribution of British nuclear test veterans. This includes an oral history project to memorialise the experiences of nuclear test veterans, medallic recognition, and a fund to support and commemorate their contributions.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Rt Hon. Johnny Mercer MP, said:

This government is committed to commemorating the contribution of nuclear test veterans and their families, and making sure their stories are passed on for generations to come.

These grants will not only support this veteran cohort, but will also help thousands of children across the UK to understand the role the nuclear deterrent programme played in maintaining national security.

I urge as many schoolchildren, veterans and local communities as possible to get involved in these fantastic programmes over the coming months.

Remember Together: Nuclear Test Veterans, is being delivered by Big Ideas, an organisation that works with schools and local communities. Four films featuring interviews with nuclear test veterans will be co-produced with secondary schoolchildren from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Secondary schoolchildren across the UK will be invited to a digital schools events day in October, where they will be encouraged to creatively respond to the films. Community groups across the nation will also be invited to come together to remember veterans’ contributions to the nuclear deterrent programme.

Dr Virginia Crompton, CEO, Big Ideas said:

We are honoured that Big Ideas has been awarded this important work by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs. The stories and service of nuclear test veterans are part of our shared history. But they are not well known. The Remember Together: Nuclear Test Veterans project, puts the veterans and their experiences front and centre.

Short films in which school children interview nuclear test veterans will be co-produced with young people to bring the power of intergenerational storytelling to the heart of the project. Inspired by the films, over 2,500 people from community groups and secondary schools will be invited to take part in digital and community-led events bringing people across the UK together to remember this shared history.

The Nuclear Community Charity Fund, which supports the health and social needs of the nuclear test community, has been awarded £70,000. The grant will fund a two-year pilot to distribute small grants which supports independent living in England and Wales. The organisation will also bring local nuclear test veterans and families together.

Ian Hall, Chairman, Nuclear Community Charity Fund said:

The NCCF is delighted to benefit from the OVA funding which will facilitate the delivery of an essential pilot of our Community Care Check programme. We will be reaching out to a cohort of 150 veterans, checking their situations and delivering support directly to them and their families. We will also be bringing beneficiaries together, increasing interaction and fellowship within our community of nuclear test survivors.

LABRATS, an organisation that supports nuclear test veterans, is being awarded almost £30,000 to run two annual veterans reunions. These five-day retreats will be held in 2023 and 2024 in Weston-Super-Mare, with each hosting over 100 veterans and their families. The reunions will allow veterans to meet as a community, discuss their experiences and combat loneliness.

Alan Owen, Founder, LABRATS said:

We are extremely grateful to the Office for Veterans’ Affairs for funding the All-Tests Reunion for two years. This reunion is extremely important for the health and wellbeing of the nuclear veterans and their families. The future of the event is now secure. The accompanying historical, educational video will be made available royalty free for anyone to view and use for educational and awareness purposes.

The OVA also recently announced a £250,000 oral history project, led by the University of South Wales and University of Liverpool, to collect the life stories of over 40 nuclear test veterans. These will then be accessible to the public at the British Library. Photo by Mohammed abushaban, Wikimedia commons.