Armed Forces Week 2020 begins on Monday 22 June, culminating with Armed Forces Day on 27 June and each day of the week has a specific theme.

Armed Forces Week themes:

• Monday: launch and Global Armed Forces
• Tuesday: Innovation
• Wednesday: Reserves Day
• Thursday: Veterans
• Friday: Cadets

While celebrations and events have now become virtual, there are still plenty of ways you can show your support for the Reservists, Veterans, Service Families and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers within your organisations.

Take on the virtual 13 Bridges Challenge and walk 10 miles throughout Armed Forces Week.

SSAFA’s 13 Bridges Walk was going to be London’s premier event for Armed Forces Day and an opportunity for companies and individuals to show their support for our Armed Forces while raising funds for SSAFA, the UK Armed Forces charity.

Due to the circumstances around Covid-19 we are going virtual! Taking part is easy, simply register(this link takes you to the GivePenny website, and fundraising page will be set up for you!). This event was originally meant to showcase the bridges of London and the amazing work our armed forces do, so why not use your walk to showcase the bridges in your local area or pay your respects by walking to your local war memorial, base or landmark.

Reservists, wear your uniform at home or to ‘work’ on 24 June.

While the office seems like a distant memory and many of us are still working from home, on 24 June celebrate Reserves Day and wear your uniform at home or to ‘work’. Take selfies from your home office or while video conferencing with your colleagues! Remember to tag us in your social posts and use the hashtag #SaluteOurForces.

Join Commander of the Maritime Reserves, Mel Robinson for a Reserves Day virtual update

You are invited to join a 30 minute update this Reserves Day, 24 June, from 11:30am to 12:00pm on Zoom. As well as a thank you to all the supportive employers, this is an opportunity for you to ask questions and receive a real time update from the Royal Navy Reserve. The meeting will be open to all members of the Maritime Reserves and Employers. View the Reserves Day update for employers with the Commander of the Maritime Reserves (PDF, 150KB, 1 page).

Take part in the very first DRM/SSAFA Armed Forces Week Quiz on 25 June

This year Defence Relationship Management is joining forces with SSAFA to deliver a virtual Armed Forces Week Quiz!

SSAFA’s excellent team of volunteers and staff have been working harder than ever during the Covid-19 crisis to continue providing support to the armed forces community. Now is your opportunity to give back to SSAFA by taking part in the virtual Armed Forces Week quiz! At 4:30pm on 25 June we are calling on our Armed Forces Covenant community to get involved! It’s free to take part! Register on the SSAFA website.

Join Scarborough Council in celebrating a virtual Armed Forces Day on 27 June

The 2020 national Armed Forces Day event was due to be hosted by Scarborough Council. While the event unfortunately had to be cancelled, they have worked hard to bring many elements of the day to their virtual event which will shine a spotlight on local and national military veterans, and serving personnel, honouring their unstinting commitment, service and sacrifice. Visitors to the website will be able to view military related videos and personal stories, enjoy images and personal recollections from previous Armed Forces Day events, take part in themed children’s activities and competitions. Visit the Scarborough Armed Forces Day website for more information.

A Leeds man who repeatedly assaulted his partner’s daughter and then attacked another woman’s baby will be jailed for longer after the Solicitor General, Rt Hon Michael Ellis QC MP, referred his sentence for being too low.

Luke Flynn, 27 at the time of the offences in 2017, had been in a relationship with a woman, who had a baby daughter from a previous relationship.

At times during their relationship, the woman had left her baby alone with Mr Flynn. When she noticed that her baby appeared unwell, the woman took her daughter to hospital. The doctors noted her child had extensive injuries, including at least 19 fractures in her arms, legs, and ribs, as well as widespread bruising. These were deliberate injuries which had been inflicted by the offender on at least two occasions.

Flynn was arrested and released on bail. His relationship with the woman ended and he started seeing another woman, who had a severely disabled baby daughter.

In September 2017 Flynn visited the woman’s home and was briefly left alone with the baby while her mother checked on her car. As she reached the car she heard a loud scream and rushed back to the house.

The offender left and the woman noticed her daughter had a red eye and swollen lip. The offender had deliberately attacked the baby, punching her in the face, as well as causing fractures in both legs.

Flynn was arrested again on 14 September 2017. He was found guilty of two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent and one count of actual bodily harm with intent.

On 4 February 2020 Flynn was originally sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment at Leeds Crown Court. Following the Solicitor General’s intervention under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme, the Court of Appeal today increased his sentence to 15 years’ imprisonment.

Speaking after the hearing the Solicitor General said:

The actions of the offender in deliberately attacking and targeting vulnerable children in such a brutal manner are truly sickening. I hope that this increased sentence brings some comfort to the families of the victims and reassures them that justice has been done.

DAOs supplement guidance published in Managing Public Money.

TThis DAO letter is effective immediately and supersedes DAO 05/19. It gives most departments and pension schemes, agencies and trading funds the Treasury’s statutory directions for the format and content of their resource accounts (as part of annual report and accounts), other accounts and trust statements for 2019-20.