The Standing Joint Force Headquarters (SJFHQ) is usually based in Northwood, London and is now operating across a further two temporary locations in Lithuania and Latvia, with UK liaison officers in Denmark, Estonia, Finland and Sweden.

The deployment, which is at the invitation of the host nations, will see around 180 UK personnel working near Vilnius in Lithuania and in Riga, Latvia. It coordinates military activities from and between JEF nations in the Baltic Sea region at a time of heightened focus on regional security and cooperation. The deployment was agreed by all ten JEF nations at a meeting of JEF Defence Ministers at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire in March.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

This vital deployment demonstrates our defensive partnerships within the ten nation alliance of the Joint Expeditionary Force.

The JEF represents a shared commitment with like-minded counties for the security and stability of Europe at this pivotal time.

JEF nations have a common commitment to democracy, security and stability, with a geographical focus on the Baltic Sea region, the High North and the North Atlantic. The UK is the framework nation for the JEF, working alongside partners Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

The partnership is designed to complement NATO, with the potential to deploy worldwide. The current deployment involves over 220 personnel, from the UK and other JEF nations, including specialists in cyber, space and information operations.

Commander of the Standing Joint Force Headquarters Major General Jim Morris said:

The men and women from across our UK Armed Forces and our JEF partners are supported by experts from across government and academia and are well prepared for this deployment which comes at a critical time for European stability.

The security of the Baltic Sea region has never been more important and this deployment demonstrates our collective resolve to maintaining that security.

Over the past decade, the numbers of first-time entrants to the youth justice system have fallen by 81%. It would be easy for ministers and the public alike to assume that there wasn’t a need for investment. I am so pleased that the government has insightfully delved beyond the headline success of the youth justice system to understand the complexity of the system and has today announced an uplift in the core youth justice grant alongside additional funding targeted at early intervention.

The reality behind the current small numbers of children in the system is a more complex picture. Youth justice services (YJSs) are working tirelessly to support children without them having to be cautioned or sentenced to receive help. These children may not be counted as ‘first time entrants’ but there is significant work being done to support them and their families, and to keep communities safe by helping them to not reoffend.

Those children who do receive a sentence will often be those with a longer history of offending, or a child who has committed a serious crime. We know these children have multiple needs, including mental health, communication and substance misuse. These children require more substantial intervention and support.

Alongside the need to intervene early, YJSs are tackling the after-effects of the pandemic: children who have missed out on a full education and other opportunities; children with additional experiences of trauma; and services who provided so much during lockdowns, are very much in need of, and deserving of, our support.

All of this work, of course, cannot happen without investment, which is why I am so pleased that the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced that central government spending on YJSs will exceed £100m this financial year.

As part of this budget there will be an uplift to the youth justice core grant and ring-fenced funding for early intervention and I am excited to see what YJSs can do with this opportunity.

With additional investment comes additional responsibility and the Youth Justice Board will be working closely with services and the MoJ to drive up performance and ensure this investment results in outcomes for children and communities. This will include updating the terms and conditions of our grant and reviewing the formula we use to distribute funding to ensure we level up the investment across England and Wales.

We will continue to keep youth justice services and forum members updated on our progress against these activities via the usual channels, including the youth justice bulletin.

More information about the funding announcement is on the MoJ’s website.

35 projects across England will be given a share of £500,000 funding to help commemorate Windrush Day 2022 which marks the outstanding contribution of the Windrush Generation and their descendants.

This year’s projects will focus on bringing communities together – across different ages and ethnic backgrounds – to commemorate, celebrate and educate their local area about the contribution of the Windrush Generation and their descendants across the country.

Thousands of men, women and children moved from the Caribbean to the UK in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. These individuals are known as the Windrush Generation after one of the ships that sailed from the Caribbean to England in 1948, the MV Empire Windrush.

Today there are about one million people of Caribbean descent living in the UK.

Funded projects for 2022 include:

Tilbury on the Thames – to coincide with the unveiling of the Windrush Monument on 22 June at Waterloo 180 people – including some who arrived at Tilbury on the original Windrush sailing – will sail from Waterloo Pier to the dock where the MV Empire Windrush originally docked in Tilbury, ending at the Walkway of Memories by Evewright funded in 2021.

Inspiring Audio Ltd – Working with children in Nottingham, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol and London, the project will produce 10 free podcasts exploring both history and social context of their Windrush Generation relatives. Online activity resources will be made to support each programme.

National Maritime Museum in Greenwich – will deliver a one-day festival named ‘DESCENDENTS’ to embrace multiple aspects of British Caribbean life, from music and dance to food and storytelling.

Peterborough City Council – will hold a celebratory programme that both raises awareness and celebrates, the long-term legacy of the Windrush Generation in the city. Including a dominoes world record championship, curry cook off, family activities, Caribbean music, and a dynamic education programme.

Bristol Reggae Orchestra – will create a unique choir and orchestra to celebrate the Windrush generation and their descendants. The project will include reggae artists directly connected with the Windrush generation who will perform with the local community and will lead to the creation of a Windrush choir.

Caius House in Wandsworth will be bringing together the local community with Caribbean elders teaching young people how to cook traditional dishes to be served at its cultural event on Windrush Day.

The Huddersfield African Caribbean Cultural Trust will bring together people of all ages to learn how to play the steel pan. Huddersfield has a history of steel pan musicians bringing their skills and knowledge to the UK during the Windrush years. Windrush Day will host an event for learners to showcase their new talent and tell the story of the history of steel pan.

Windrush Day will also see the unveiling of the National Windrush monument at a star-studded event at Waterloo Station. The Monument will be a permanent tribute to the contribution of Caribbean pioneers in communities across the United Kingdom.

The project is being overseen by DLUHC and led by the Windrush Commemoration Committee (WCC), chaired by Baroness Floella Benjamin DBE.

A livestream link will be posted on the Windrush Commemoration Committee website on the day. Alternatively, the public can join at the Southbank Centre where a large screen will be streaming the ceremony directly, followed by Caribbean food, music, and entertainment until 7pm on Windrush Day.

Please visit the Windrush Commemoration Committee page to find out more.

All projects will deliver an event or activity on National Windrush Day on 22 June and must conclude by 31 December 2022.

The Windrush Generation

1. Windrush Day marks the anniversary of the arrival of MV Empire Windrush at the Port of Tilbury, near London, on 21 June 1948. However, passengers disembarked a day later 22 June 1948 – hence why this has come to be known as Windrush Day.

2. The arrival of the Empire Windrush nearly 73 years ago marked a seminal moment in Britain’s history and has come to represent the rich diversity of this nation.

3. Those who arrived on the Empire Windrush, their descendants and those who followed them have made and continue to make an enormous contribution to Britain, not just in the vital work of rebuilding the country and public services following WWII but in enriching our shared social, economic, cultural, and religious life.

4. Overcoming great sacrifice and hardship, the Windrush Generation and their descendants have gone on to lead the field across public life, in business, the arts and sport. Britain would be much diminished without their contribution.

Windrush Community Funds and Schemes sub-group of the Windrush Cross-Government Working Group

The Grant Scheme is overseen by the Windrush Community Funds and Schemes sub-group made up of community and government representatives. The group provides advice to Government and helps to ensure that winning bids meet the objectives and requirements of the Grant Scheme.

• Stanley named a city as the Falkland Islands becomes the first ever Overseas Territory to win competition for city status
• A record eight winners selected for city status as part of June’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations
• First crown dependency to win civic honours as Douglas becomes the first and only city on the Isle of Man

A record number of locations have won prestigious city status through a competition, as part of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The competition to receive civic honours was last run ten years ago to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and this year for the first time ever the competition for city status was open to applications from the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, with the Falklands’ Stanley and Douglas of the Isle of Man among the winners.

Eight places won the royal honour this year ahead of the Jubilee weekend, the highest number of awards in a single competition:

• Bangor, Northern Ireland
• Colchester, England
• Doncaster, England
• Douglas, Isle of Man
• Dunfermline, Scotland
• Milton Keynes, England
• Stanley, Falkland Islands
• Wrexham, Wales

The Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours Competition required applicants to demonstrate how their unique communities and distinct local identity meant they deserved to be awarded city status. They were also required to highlight their royal associations and cultural heritage.

For the first time, the competition was open to applicants from Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, with the Falklands’ Stanley and Douglas of the Isle of Man among the winners.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay said:

I am delighted that a record number of locations have been awarded the prestigious city status as part of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations.

What was clear to me during the process of assessing each application was the pride that people felt for their communities, local cultural heritage and the Royal Family.

As we celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s colossal contribution to society, I am thrilled that we are able to recognise some of the many places that make Britain great.

It is also incredibly reflective of Her Majesty’s global outlook and years of international service that applicants from the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies have been selected as winners for the first time.

I look forward to the world coming together to show our pride and gratitude to Queen Elizabeth II on the Jubilee weekend.

The competition for city status has taken place in each of the last three jubilee years, with previous winners including Chelmsford, Lisburn and Newport.

Winning city status can provide a boost to local communities and open up new opportunities for people who live there, as is the case with previous winners Perth and Preston where residents have described how their success contributed to increased national and global standing, putting them on the international map as a place to do business.

Research shows that Perth, which was granted city status in 2012 as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, has reaped the full benefits, with the local economy expanding by 12% in the decade it was granted city status.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said:

City Status is a huge accolade and I congratulate our eight brilliant winners. This competition showcases the best of Britain and the Overseas Territories and will act as a lasting legacy of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The winner of the competition for Lord Mayoralty status was also announced today, with Southampton winning the coveted award. The city’s newfound status entitles the Mayor to be known as the Lord Mayor and has been granted to three cities as part of previous Jubilee Civic Honours competitions: Chester (1992), Exeter (2002) and Armagh (2012).

Applications were opened last year and almost 40 locations from across the UK and beyond put forward their bid to become a city. The applications, which were asked to follow a clear structure were subsequently evaluated by a panel of experts and Cabinet Office ministers, before a recommendation was put to Her Majesty The Queen.

‘Letters Patent’ will now be prepared which will confer each of the awards formally and will be presented to winners later in the year.

Medical aid donations from the UK to Ukraine will reach more than 11 million items in the coming days, helping save tens of thousands of lives.

A fourth tranche of aid left from across the UK during the last week, carrying:

• 4.2 million doses of medicines – including painkillers and antibiotics that are critical for treating infections caused by battlefield trauma and limited hygiene facilities
• 1.5 million items of other supplies – including PPE and respirators

The 5.78 million items in the latest deliveries more than double the 5.29 million items donated in the first three tranches, taking the total to 11.07 million.

Nearly 16 million people are reported to be in need of humanitarian assistance within Ukraine, with access to care badly needed for those in cities worst hit by Russian attacks like Mariupol and Irpin.

The latest supplies are being sent in direct response to a request from the Government of Ukraine. They will provide treatment for people injured in the brutal and intentional Russian attacks on civilians across Ukraine, as well as help the government prepare for potential future threats.

The UK Government will continue to work closely with Ukrainian Government officials to tailor our support and target supplies to reach those most in need. This will include further donations of both new and NHS ambulances in the coming weeks to bolster frontline life-saving efforts in Ukraine.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said:

The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with our Ukrainian friends. As the medical emergency inflicted by Russia escalates, we have responded with life-saving medical supplies where they are needed most.

As one of the largest humanitarian donors, Britain will continue to help care for those bravely resisting Putin’s vile aggression until Ukraine succeeds.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said:

Russia’s unprovoked and illegal attacks on Ukraine have created a medical emergency, with Putin targeting healthcare facilities like maternity units, hospitals, and ambulances.

The UK’s support for our friends in Ukraine is unwavering, giving medicines and equipment they desperately need, which has saved tens of thousands of lives.

Thank you to the NHS in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland for stepping up and donating vital medical supplies.

From the outset of the crisis the UK has helped Ukraine deal with its intensifying medical emergency. Earlier tranches of aid included items such as medical equipment, drugs for surgery, wound care packs and bandages.

The UK is also donating specialist equipment to treat spinal cord and brain injuries and help provide rehabilitation. This is donated from the UK Emergency Medical Team, which is on standby to deliver medical aid in global emergencies. It will help boost the capacity of a national rehabilitation centre in Ukraine, freeing up bed space in hospitals to accommodate other critical cases.

The additional shipments of medical aid have been drawn from donations from across the UK, including NHS England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with NHS Wales contributing more than 1 million items to the latest tranche of aid.

Health and Social Services Minister, Eluned Morgan for the Welsh Government said:

Wales stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and we will continue to offer any practical support and humanitarian assistance that we can.

In addition to the funding we have given to the Disaster Emergency Committee and medical supplies we previously sent to Ukraine, this latest tranche of medical supplies includes a further 49 pallets from Wales of respirators, gloves and dressings to directly help the medical response and life-saving efforts in Ukraine.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• This latest donation comes as part of a wider package of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, including £220 million to provide medical supplies and basic necessities on the ground, and a rapid donation of food supplies to save lives and protect vulnerable people. This includes support through the UN, the Red Cross and NGOs, including Disasters Emergency Committee and UK-Med.
• Some of the significant items sent to Ukraine so far include:
  • over 3,000 adult resuscitators
  • around 255,000 wound care packs
  • over 550,000 sterile needles
  • over 50,000 packs of bandages
  • around 1,800 pieces of equipment for ventilators
  • over 75,000 cannulas
  • around 6.8 million doses of medicine – including antibiotics and painkillers
  • around 1.1 million packs of gloves
  • 28,000 FFP3 masks
  • 13 newly procured and donated NHS ambulances to replace those damaged in the conflict