MP Olivia Bailey has encouraged community organisations in Reading West and Mid Berkshire to bid for funding to host an Armed Forces Day event this summer.
The Labour government has made £500,000 available nationwide to support events celebrating service personnel, with grants of up to £10,000 per event. Applications for the funding close on 30 March 2026.
Armed Forces Day, taking place on 27 June, is the culmination of a week of celebrations starting on 22 June. Local events can include parades, musical performances, community picnics or barbecues, stands run by military units and veterans’ charities, hands-on activities, and talks from service personnel. Military bands can also be booked.
Ms Bailey said she was “proud to serve a constituency that proudly backs our armed forces community” and pledged to support bids in Reading West and Mid Berkshire. “I look forward to celebrating alongside our service personnel in June,” she added.
Labour’s Defence Secretary John Healey said: “Our Armed Forces make extraordinary sacrifices to keep us safe. In June we look forward to coming together as a proud nation to celebrate Armed Forces Day, and I want this funding to help make this year the best yet.”
The funding forms part of the government’s wider commitment to supporting the armed forces, which includes record investment in forces’ housing, the biggest pay rise in two decades, an extended armed forces covenant, and a landmark veterans’ strategy.
Community groups interested in hosting an event can find more information and apply for funding via the Armed Forces Day website.
