Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT), which works to ensure all ex-Service personnel and their families successfully transition to civilian life, has appointed Amazon PR to provide strategic communications and influencing services following a competitive tender.

Established in 2012 with a £35 million endowment from the Big Lottery Fund, FiMT awards grants, commissions research and supports projects that deliver long-term solutions to the challenges faced by the Armed Forces Community.

Amazon PR will be working in partnership with their long-standing colleagues in the public affairs team at law firm Bircham Dyson Bell. The initial contract is for 18 months.

Ray Lock, Chief Executive of Forces in Mind Trust, said: “We established last year that we could achieve greater impact with our work if we invested more effort in developing our influence, particularly at the strategic level.  It’s an exciting time for the Trust, and we’re looking forward to working with Amazon PR to help us achieve our objectives of enabling all ex-Service personnel and their families lead fulfilled civilian lives”.

Louise Morriss, Amazon PR’s Managing Director, said: ‘FiMT’s work is vital in shaping the support that is available to people leaving the Forces and we fully support the organisation’s strategic vision. We are delighted to be working with the FiMT team to help strengthen their voice and extend their influence.’

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Note to Editor:  Ray Lock is available for interview. To arrange please contact Tina McKay, Communications Officer at FiMT on co@fim-trust.org or on 07956 101132 or 0207 901 8916.

About the Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT):

FiMT came about from a partnership between the Big Lottery Fund (‘the Fund’), Cobseo (The Confederation of Service Charities) and other charities and organisations. FiMT continues the Fund’s long-standing legacy of support for veterans across the UK with an endowment of £35 million awarded in 2012. http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/.

The mission of FiMT is to enable ex-Service personnel and their families make a successful and sustainable transition to civilian life, and it delivers this mission by generating an evidence base that influences and underpins policy making and service delivery.

FiMT awards grants (for both responsive and commissioned work) to support its change model around 6 outcomes in the following areas: Housing; Employment; Health and wellbeing; Finance; Criminal Justice System; and Relationships. All work is published in open access and hosted on the Forces in Mind Trust Research Centre’s Veterans and Families Research Hub. A high standard of reportage is demanded of all grant holders so as to provide a credible evidence base from which better informed decisions can be made.

Useful links

Website: www.fim-trust.org

Reports: www.fim-trust.org/reports/

Who we have helped: www.fim-trust.org/who-we-have-helped/

Twitter: @FiMTrust

About the Mental Health Research Programme: www.fim-trust.org/mental-health/research-programme/