107 members of the Armed Forces community gathered at the Blue Light Hub to celebrate.
Hosted at the Blue Light Hub, these monthly sessions offer a welcoming space for veterans, reservists, serving personnel, and their families to access support and connect with others in the Armed Forces community. Held on the third Wednesday of every month from 10:00 to 12:00, the sessions provide information and guidance on a wide range of services tailored for the Armed Forces community—including healthcare, mental health support, housing assistance, employment opportunities, and much more.
The anniversary event welcomed distinguished guests including Deputy Lord Lieutenant Julia Upton, Mayor James Lancaster, and representatives from Walking With The Wounded, Service Dogs UK, and the Royal British Legion. Local organisations BetKnowMore and AIB Security were also in attendance, both having recently received the MOD’s Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award. AIB Security generously provide an insured driver and minibus service to help veterans without access to transport attend the sessions.
To mark the one-year milestone, 33 organisations came together to celebrate over coffee and cake. Tesco kindly donated bacon butties, while neighbouring Domino’s Pizza served up hot, fresh slices for all to enjoy.
This collaborative initiative is delivered by Milton Keynes City Council, Milton Keynes University Hospital, and Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service—all Gold Award holders under the MOD’s Employer Recognition Scheme.
Johanna “JJ” Hrycak, Armed Forces Covenant Support Officer for both Milton Keynes University Hospital and Milton Keynes City Council—and organiser of the sessions—shared:
“The Hub was created when we realised some veterans needed a single point of access to multiple support organisations. The Walk-In brings these groups together to collaborate and provide better support to our Armed Forces community.
Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service do an absolutely incredible job of hosting the event. They offer a welcoming space, provide reception staff, breakout rooms for private conversations, organise refreshments and parking—and ensure the kettle never runs dry, which is always important when working with the military!
Invitations to partner organisations are carefully curated to ensure the right mix of trusted services is available each month. The Hub has grown quickly, and every session we meet new veterans who didn’t realise just how much support is out there.
As a serving Army Reservist myself for many years, I had no idea of the breadth of available support until I became involved in this work. We’re excited to build on this success and are already looking forward to celebrating our second anniversary. I’m incredibly grateful to both my employers for their unwavering support for this initiative.”
If you’re an organisation interested in taking part in the Walk-In, or a veteran seeking support, please email: armedforcescovenant@milton-keynes.gov.uk or complete the form: Armed Forces Walk-in @ Blue Light Hub
