Shaping the Future of our Stags Military Vets Programme

Earlier last month, we hosted a breakfast launch event for our new Stags Military Vets programme at Mansfield Town Football Club, welcoming veterans, supporting family members, and organisations who work closely with the armed forces community.

The morning was designed to help shape the future of the programme, giving those attending the opportunity to sit together, chat around tables, share experiences, and discuss what they would like to see from our future sessions. Alongside these discussions, attendees were also provided with questionnaires to help us build the foundations of the programme and plan future events in a way that supports the needs of local veterans.

Questions covered a range of topics, including preferred times of day for sessions, activities people would like to take part in, support currently available within the local area, and issues such as social isolation following service.

It was great to see so many people engaging throughout the morning, sharing feedback and conversations with one another in such a welcoming environment.

The launch event was joined by members of Mansfield District Council, including the Mayor of Mansfield, showing strong support for the programme and its future within the local community.

Mansfield Town Community Trust CEO, Ricky Stevenson, said:

“It was a privilege to meet with military veterans and the organisations that support them. The feedback has been extremely positive, and through our commitment to co-designing a programme shaped by veterans themselves, we are delighted to see strong interest in a model that combines physical activity with meaningful social connection. We are pleased that this is reflected in our Stags Military Vets programme and look forward to welcoming all veterans who wish to take part later this month.”

 Mansfield Town Community Trust Health and Wellbeing Lead, Michal Kasinowicz, added:

“It was an honour to connect with veterans and the organisations supporting them. Their positive feedback reinforces our commitment to building a programme shaped by veterans, bringing together physical activity and strong social connections. We look forward to welcoming participants soon.”

We were also fortunate to be joined by two guest speakers, Brian and Courtney, who both shared their experiences and reasons for supporting programmes such as ours.

Forest Forces Coordinator, Brian Dacunha, attended the event to speak about the success of Nottingham Forest Community Trust’s ‘Forest Forces’ programme, which aims to tackle social isolation through regular activities, events, and support opportunities for veterans and public service communities. Their programme encourages social connection while also supporting physical and mental wellbeing, helping bring together people from a range of backgrounds and experiences.

Courtney, from the Adult and Community Team at West Nottinghamshire College, also attended, speaking about the support and services they offer across the local area, including adult training opportunities, first aid, and physical skills programmes.

It was brilliant to see so many people joining us throughout the morning, chatting, connecting, and sharing their feedback as we continue developing the programme. We would also like to thank the catering staff who provided and served breakfast throughout the event.

We now look forward to welcoming veterans once again for our next Stags Military Vets session, taking place on Monday 11th May 2026, from 9:30am-11:30am at the Radford Foundation Marquee.

The session is free of charge, and anyone interested in attending can sign up here:

Stags Military Vets Sign Up

Here’s a look back at our Stags Military Vets launch morning 👇