BRUNEI: Garrison Thrift Shop - Volunteer Opportunities – Thrift Shop Manager

Volunteer Opportunity

1. Thrift Shop Manager

Receive $200 per month + Gain Valuable Experience

We’re currently looking for reliable and motivated individuals to join our Thrift shop team as Manager and Accountant. These are flexible volunteer positions with a monthly stipend of $200, and it’s a fantastic opportunity to build your CV while making a difference in the community.

Brunei: Help is at Hand

This week is the start of the men’s Football World Cup. This should be a time of excitement and community. But for too many people, it’s a time of fear.

DIO: Subscribe to receive Defence Homes email updates

Defence Infrastructure Organisation are pleased to share that the Defence Homes website now offers a subscriber service, delivering Families First newsletter and the latest housing news updates straight to your inbox.

DIO are keen to keep Service personnel and their families connected with everything happening across Defence Homes.

Follow this link to sign up today.

NAPLES: Claiming your VAT back from Amazon UK on all orders addressed

 

Did you know you can claim UK VAT back from Amazon orders that have been delivered to the Naples BFPO 8 address?

Time Limit: Your refund request must be received by Amazon within 3 months of the supply/dispatch of the goods. 

How to Claim Your VAT Refund

1. Place and receive confirmation that your Amazon order has been dispatched.
2. Send email to vat-refund-requests@amazon.co.uk
3. Ensure your request includes your order number, your email address, and your full billing address

Below is a basic draft email for you to copy and edit.

Good morning 

I would like to claim the VAT back for my recent orders please.
Order Numbers:-

I am currently based overseas serving with NATO and am entitled to receive goods for my personal use from the UK FREE of VAT.

The orders have been addressed to:

YOUR NAME

NAPLES
BFPO 8

BF1 2AB

Please let me know if you require any more information to support this request.

Kind Regards

Your NAME

Information provided by NAPLES HIVE

GSO Chaplaincy Summer Newsletter

 

To read the latest GSO Chaplaincy Summer Newsletter, view here.

AFCFT ‘Supporting Partners Programme’ opens for applications, closes 23rd Sept with notification by end of Nov

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) are pleased to let you know that the Supporting Partners programme under the MOD’s Armed Forces Families Fund is now open and ready to welcome new applications!

What’s the programme all about?

Since 2023, the Trust have awarded over £2.5m on behalf of the MOD to 45 projects under the Armed Forces Families Fund: Supporting Partners programme which seeks to provide support and solutions to help partners of serving personnel navigate the challenges of service life.

BELGIUM: The Belgium Military Wives Choir: A community built “on the joy of singing”

Read about the Belgium Military Wives Choir community. Having been founded in 2014, it is now one of the largest choirs in the overseas network, boasting more than 30 members.

Find out about the major events they support throughout the year here.

Information provided by SHAPE HIVE

Planning to register and claim for the UK Nursery Authority (UKNA) from September? Living in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland? Volunteers needed for the user testing

Planning to register and claim for the UK Nursery Authority (UKNA) from September? The childcare team are asking for volunteers to take part in user testing and provide feedback on some of the products required to register and claim the UKNA reimbursement.

If you haven’t heard about UKNA, read the announcement from March 2026:
Transformative new childcare support will save Defence families up to £6000 a year - GOV.UK

Criteria for taking part in the testing:

• Service personnel (SP) must be Regular or FTRS (FC)
• SP with children aged 9 months to 2 years old living in Scotland or Wales, and SP with children aged 9 months to 4 years old living in Northern Ireland.
• SP that are currently paying for childcare at a registered childcare provider.
• SP that use a Tax-Free Childcare account to pay their provider.
• SP that have sufficient time available to test the product and provide feedback to the team.

User testing will take place between now and September.

If you fit the criteria and would like to take part in the user testing, please contact the Defence childcare team at people-affs-child-expenses@mod.gov.uk

BELGIUM: Been Extended? Read On……

If you have been extended in your current role or promoted/transferred to a new role, please do visit the NSE to start the ball rolling on renewing your SHAPE and Protocol I.D.s

Just a gentle reminder that you will also need to inform DIO and Healix, renew your SOFA card and re-register any vehicles you may have. 

The NSE can signpost you as needed and SHAPE2Day (ArrivingLeaving: SHAPE ID/Extension) is also a very helpful starting point.

Information provided by SHAPE HIVE.

BELGIUM: Guinguettes Season is Back for 2026

Guinguettes season is back in Brussels, launching last Friday with Guinguette Maurice in Cinquantenaire Park.

These pop-up bars, open across the city, offer food and drinks as well as various activities, events and concerts. The 2026 programme incudes Yoga, a Repair Cafe, a Lindy Hop and Street Theatre.

To find out more, have a read of this.

Information provided by SHAPE HIVE