BELGIUM: AI Boot Camp - from Zero to AI fluent in one morning! Tuesday 30 June 2026 09:00 - 12:00 CEST

The Inspire to Lead Team are pleased to share that an additional session with the BFBS Academy has been secured. Want to know all about Artificial Intelligence? This course is perfect for you.

The brilliant session will take place on Tuesday 30th June 0900hrs – 1200hrs (CEST) via MS Teams.

If you would like to take part, please contact Zak on Zakia.Yousaf100@mod.gov.uk to secure your space by 16th June.

Places are limited; don't delay, book today!

Information provided by SHAPE HIVE

NAPLES : Where to buy school uniforms

  

 

 

 

 

  

Naples School Uniforms  

 

 

  

School uniforms can be purchased locally, in Naples, but are often cheaper in the UK. The uniform can be worn without logos.  

 

Places to buy in Naples  

 

Use google maps for exact locations and directions.  

 

Uniformi e Divise Napoli, Traversa Nuova Marina no 8 Palazzo Gentile 11 piano, 80133 Napoli  

 

Naples Uniform Store 13020 Livingston Rd, Ste 12 Naples FL 34105 

 

Primark, Centro Commerciale, Campania SS Sannitica 87, 81025 Caserta  

 

 Read more

BRUNEI: Army Library and Information Service (ALIS)

Please click on the image to enlarge.

ALIS. The role of the Army Library And Information Service (ALIS) is to provide information and resources in support of operations, education, training, life-long learning and welfare. To help support the professional development of military personnel in BFB, ALIS Online can still be accessed via Defence Gateway. ALIS Online is accessible by all serving British Army personnel both regular and reserve. It contains a searchable catalogue as well as electronic books, journal articles, audiobooks and links to podcasts. Electronic content can be accessed directly and hard copy books from the catalogue can be requested using BFPO to support professional development.

ALIS Online. Via Defence Gateway Application ALIS – ALIS Online

ALIS SharePoint. ALIS Locations Worldwide

Prince Consort's Library is a specialist military library, providing operational and intelligence support, information services, reference materials, information for Battlefield Studies, Staff Rides and general library support.

Services Central Library provides educational support for the Army and can provide resources for your personal and professional development, including languages, reading list materials and more.

ALIS Catalogue: the complete catalogue of all books, articles and other resources available in Army Library and Information Centres worldwide.

Free Request Service: search the online catalogue​ and click request. Items are sent directly to you wherever you are. Long loans available, no reservation fees or overdue charges.

Course Support: from GCSE to PhD; FS to ALDP ME; covering a wide range of subjects - logistics, management, driving resources, NEBOSH and more. Please contact SCL for more information.

News Updates: weekly news updates covering 37 countries. Sign up for weekly emails containing opinions, information and insight on current affairs. Please contact PCL for more information.

Country Information: information, resources and twice daily RSS feeds are available on current issues and topics for each region or country. Information packs can be compiled from open sources. These are available to units on demand for operational needs and are tailored to meet specific requirements. Please contact PCL for more information.

eResources: access to online resources such as Janes, Ebsco, Stratfor, news resources and access to subscription only websites. Please note: eResources are not available if you access ALIS Online via MODnet. Please use Defence Gateway. This service is only available to Army personnel, ​

Battlefield Studies and Staff Rides: PCL has a wealth of information relevant to Battlefield Studies and Staff Rides including Regimental Histories, Campaign Histories and Post-Exercise Reports (PXRs). Please contact PCL for more information.

Military Studies Library Service (MSLS): MSLS is a current awareness bulletin on military and international affairs. The complete MSLS database is available online through the ALIS Catalogue.

British Army Military Book of the Year (BAMBY):​ an annual competition to determine the best military book of the year, judged by a panel of Army personnel.

If you can't find what you are looking for, click the Ask a Librarian link and the library service staff will be happy to help. Alternatively, contact Services Central Library (SCL) for educational enquiries, Prince Consort's Library (PCL) for military enquiries or your local Army Library and Information Centre.

ALIS Membership. Access to our service is free to army personnel. Please read the Terms and Conditions of Membership. All other ALIS services (except ALIS Online) are​ also available to the wider Defence Community including:

- All military personnel and their families

- Employees of MOD agencies and their families

- UK based civilians and their families

- MOD civilians

Information provided by BRUNEI HIVE.

Service Children's Progression Alliance Impact Centre Listening Tour: UK-Wide and online dates May-Oct 2026

Over the next few months, the Service Children’s Progression (SCIP) Alliance are hosting over 30 events across the UK to conduct discussion groups on the topic of evidence mobilisation.

These will be an opportunity for anyone working with Armed Forces families in any professional roles (education, health, local authorities, activity centres, youth groups) to discuss what they think works for supporting Service children, how we know this, and how can evidence be mobilised better.

Find out more about the Tour see here:

https://www.scipalliance.org/events/impact-centre-listening-tour


To express interest in joining in person or online: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/1UqyhEfx72


Written submissions are also available here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/903HRrCff7


Or hear a 45 second ‘walk and talk’ from the research lead: https://youtu.be/jpVOnBuU6l8

SHAPE: Little Linguists at SHAPE House, Starting Monday 11th May, Every Monday

Starting Monday 11th May a brilliant new session for Parents and Little Ones. If your petit enfant is due to start a local nursery and you want to get ahead of the game in the language department, join Debbie at SHAPE House.

This is a great intro to basic French words and phrases ideal for the nursery school environment.

WHAT: Little Linguists
WHEN: Mondays, 11:00-11:30, starting Monday 11th May
WHERE: SHAPE House

HOW MUCH: FREE

Information provided by SHAPE HIVE

BELGIUM: Inspire to Lead 'Everything You Want to Know About AI', Thursday 18th June 2026, 09:00-13:00 - Virtual Session

The next session in the Inspire to Lead Calendar is 'Everything You Want to Know About A.I.'

This will be an online Teams workshop running from 9am to 1pm CEST. It is open to all members of the UK Armed Forces community.

Places are limited so will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Sign-up with Zak to secure your place on Zakia.Yousaf100@mod.gov.uk

An attendance certificate will be issued on completion, should you wish to record this as CPD time.

Information provided by SHAPE HIVE

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust: Supporting service children to thrive - a new round of the Service Pupil Support Programme now open.

Supporting service children to thrive: a new round of the Service Pupil Support Programme now open

Service life can bring unique challenges for children and young people. Frequent moves, disrupted learning and periods of separation can all add up - and they can affect how children feel, learn and achieve.

Delivered on behalf of the MOD’s Armed Forces Families Fund, the Service Pupil Support programme (SPSP) funds practical, evidence-led projects that respond to these challenges and strengthen educational outcomes for service pupils. With a new round of funding now open, the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) are inviting schools and local authorities across the UK to apply, so more service pupils can get the right support to feel settled and succeed at school.

Scotland: Moving to Scotland? Need to know about Special Educational Needs and the support available?

Moving to a new country and education system can be a worrying and busy time for families with a child with additional support needs.

Enquire is the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning.


Providing easy to understand advice and information about additional support for learning legislation and guidance for families and professionals.

Enquire

Defence Infographic – Primary School Offer Day information and support for Service families

To support Service families with further information on Primary School place offers, Defence has provided this infographic.  A PDF version with accessible hyperlinks is at this  LINK

BRUNEI: RAF HIVE Activity Book - Pick up your copy from the HIVE offices

 

RAF HIVE has generously donated Children’s Activity Books to BFB. Copies are available for collection at the HIVE offices. 

These books are suitable for children up to 8 years old. We hope you will have some fun doing the puzzles, colouring in the pages and finding Biggles all through the book.

There is a 'chuff chart' in the centre pages so that you can mark off the weeks until your Service Person returns and some letter pages that you can use to write to your deployed Service Person. 

Information provided by BRUNEI HIVE.

BELGIUM: Language Centre Courses for Summer and Autumn and Parent-Toddler Classes

 SHAPE Language Centre Summer and Autumn Sessions....

If you fancy learning a new language whilst here at SHAPE, the Language Centre is a great shout. With options of French, Spanish, Italian, German and Russian on the table, you can really widen your horizons!

The Intensive Summer Session for Beginners French is a popular option and a fab introduction or refresher before kicking off the Autumn session.

The GSO Language Fund for British Military Personnel and their Spouses will give you some money back too! What's not to love?

If you have little ones that you would like to introduce to the French Language, then these Parent and Toddlers classes could be just the ticket.

For more information pop into the Language Centre in Building 211 or drop them an email on languagecentre@shapemwb.be

Information provided by SHAPE HIVE

Introducing the Continuity of Education Allowance advisory helpdesk

A new team is ready to help you with questions about Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA).

Moving around for your work in the Armed Forces can make it hard to keep your children's education on track. This is where CEA comes in – helping your children stay settled in education, even when Service life means your family must move.

BELGIUM: Recruit for Spouses Online Portal offers support for military spouses, partners, serving members and veterans

Recruit for Spouses (RFS) is a multi-award winning social enterprise which supports military families to overcome barriers to employment and wellbeing.

They have an Online Portal that holds wellbeing resources, offers CV Reviews & free career coaching and hosts workshops & masterclasses.

If you are seeking employment, training or support with your next step, why not check out the opportunities they offer?

EMAIL: info@recruitforspouses.co.uk

WEBSITE: https://www.recruitforspouses.co.uk/

Information provided by SHAPE HIVE

Month of the Military Child: Poetry and Art Competition 1 Apr -1 May

Has your child entered the Month of the Military Child competition yet? It is a great time for young people to share a poem or piece of artwork! All participants receive a beautiful, personalised certificate and winners will have their work published and be invited for a special award ceremony in London!

Visit neversuchinnocence.com/month-of-the-military-child to learn more or enter the competition.

Month of the Military Child: April 2026

BRUNEI: BFB Libraries - Children's Library Closed For Renovation

For more information, please visit our INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK pages or send an email to BruneiGar-Lib-Mailbox@mod.gov.uk

Information provided by BRUNEI HIVE. 

Armed Forces Education Trust: Supporting Service Children in Education

The Armed Forces Education Trust is a charity working for children and young adults whose education has been compromised or put at risk as a result of parents’ past or current service in our Armed Forces. The grants given make a difference to young lives, helping improve their educational opportunities or supporting special skills or talents.
To find out more please visit: Home - Armed Forces Education Trust

BFBS Launches First-Ever AI Skills Programme Exclusively for Military Partners

BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service) has officially launched its AI Skills For Military Partners programme, an innovative course designed to help military partners build practical digital skills, expand career opportunities, and strengthen employability in a fast-changing, tech-driven world.

The programme, delivered through BFBS Academy, blends self-paced online learning with monthly live evening webinars and four one-off in-person workshops to be held in Cyprus, Catterick, Blandford, and Edinburgh. Fully funded by a £66,884 grant from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, the programme is tailored specifically for the needs of the armed forces community.

BELGIUM: SSAFA's Chat HV is back for 2026

Following a successful trial in SHAPE and Sennelager last year, SSAFA are relaunching their Chat HV Programme. This is an innovative approach to supporting military families across the world by providing them with parenting support throughout its various stages, in the form of informal education sessions and peer support.

Face to face sessions will be help in SHAPE, Sennelager, Naples and Gibraltar with online sessions taking place in Kenya and Canada, however these are also available for families from anywhere in the world to attend.

Once a month they will be hosting an online drop in session called Let’s Talk which although facilitated by a Health Visitor, will be fully parent led with them having the opportunity to ask any questions or raise any concerns they might have.

SSAFA are aware of the unique difficulties serving families face when it comes to building support networks including being able to support their child’s development whilst also navigating living in a foreign country with the knowledge that they could be moved several times before their child is old enough to start school.

These sessions were received well during 2025 so they are excited to bring them into 2026 and beyond.

Information provided by SHAPE HIVE

BELGIUM: Do you have Secondary School Age Children? Please Read...

Do you have a child of Secondary School Age, either at British School of Brussels or a British Boarding School? Have you received this letter to your Belgian home address?

If so, if they are at BSB, please complete the following section, sign it and email/drop the form to Host Nation Liaison Officer Nadia in the Community Office:

If you have received the letter and your child(ren) are at Boarding School, please complete this section, add proof of registration at the school for this academic year and sign the form, then email/drop it to Host Nation Liaison Officer Nadia in the Community Office:

If you have any questions, do pop into the Community Office and chat to us.

Information provided by SHAPE HIVE