Military Money

Schools across the U.K can receive a share of a 3 million pound pot of money that's been put aside by the Ministry of Defence. It's part of a grant scheme provided by the M.O.D to help schools that have children whose parents are in the armed or reserved forces.

At the moment 11 schools in Wiltshire are to receive a total of £175,000 between them. The lowest grant around £600 and the highest £40,000 going to Colerne Church of England Primary. I went to visit the school and find out what they were planning to do with the money.




The money the schools get is on top of and separate to the pupil premium military schools get anyway. The M.O.D grant will be in place for another 3 years. At a time when the M.O.D have just announced their next round of cuts, it does seem odd this money is being protecting. Having spoken to the M.O.D they say it's all to do with the military covenant and the duty of care Britain needs to provide for its armed forces.

Royal Bassett

Thousands lined the streets of Wootton Bassett to watch the Princess Royal deliver the letters patent to the town. The police were expecting between 15,000 and 20,000 people but I don't think the crowd even reached 5,000. Even though the numbers were less than predicted the atmosphere was buzzing all the same. Rows of service men and women turned out to honour Wootton Bassett becoming Royal. The Prime Minister David Cameron was present along with all the local usual suspects.

Big screens all along the street enabled most people to get a view Princess Anne in her cream outfit making the town officially Royal. The big screens also played poems written by local school children.

Poem for Wootton Bassett by bribriwilliam

Flags were flying, hands were clapping and smiles were in abundance. Everyone I spoke to seemed to enjoy the ceremony and felt Wootton Bassett deserved the Royal title.

Local businesses did a roaring trade cashing in on the extra footfall in the town. Others have already changed their branding to include the Royal prefix and town signs and bus stops have all been renamed too. With repatriations no longer coming through the town, has the Royal name closed it's military legacy?It will be interesting to see what happens next in Bassett's journey.