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Service not self: creating impact for a better Defence community

Michelle Wiggins, Head of Social Value
11 November 2025
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November often invites a moment of reflection, when Defence and service rightly take their place at the forefront of national consciousness.

At Amey, we are proud that our partnership with the Armed Forces community extends far beyond this month. We recognise the value, resilience, and strength of the sector year-round, and we’re privileged to support it through our key Defence contracts.

Across our operations, our teams live the principle of “Service Not Self,” dedicating time, energy, and heart to initiatives that make a meaningful difference. Each year, colleagues working on our Defence contract are given two paid Social Impact Days to support causes that benefit our wider communities. Over the past 12 months, our Defence team has contributed 1,144 hours of social value, through veteran employment, community transformation, family events, and fundraising. These efforts honour the values of sacrifice and service at the heart of Remembrance, and they reflect our deep respect for the Defence community all year round.

At Amey, we are committed to helping Armed Forces leavers transition into civilian life.

Creating opportunities for veterans

Each year, thousands of individuals leave the Armed Forces and face the challenge of transitioning into civilian life. Despite their leadership, resilience, and technical expertise, many veterans struggle to find roles that recognise their strengths.

At Amey, we are committed to helping bridge that gap. Our employment practices, partnerships, and community initiatives are designed to ease the transition and unlock new opportunities. That’s why we launched our Service to Success programme in 2025, offering structured discovery, mentoring, and hands-on experience in areas like infrastructure and decarbonisation, supported by Forces Transition Group and BuildForce.

That commitment extends beyond employment. In February, we supported the launch of Combat2Coffee at MOD Whitehall, a veteran-founded social enterprise offering jobs, training, and mental health support. Working with ESS and MODUS Services Ltd, we helped bring the initiative to life at the site’s café.

Seven of our veteran colleagues spent their Social Impact Day at the National Memorial Arboretum, removing invasive Himalayan Balsam and reflecting at monuments.

We have also supported veterans through volunteering. Seven of our veteran colleagues spent their Social Impact Day at the National Memorial Arboretum, removing invasive Himalayan Balsam and reflecting at monuments. We joined a session to plant 35,000 tributes in the Field of Remembrance, each cross carrying a personal message to someone who served.

And sometimes, support means meeting everyday needs. In January, we donated Move You In packs to the Erskine Veterans Charity, filled with essentials for their new activity centre. Veterans shared how helpful these packs would be, especially for those moving in or needing a little extra support.

These projects create places of comfort, connection, and reflection.

Transforming spaces for Defence

I am proud of the work our teams have done to improve the spaces that matter most to Defence communities. These projects may seem modest, but they create places of comfort, connection, and reflection.

At Veterans in Crisis Sunderland, we helped turn an unused yard into a peaceful outdoor area with poppy murals and a memory wall. At RAF Honington, volunteers refreshed the Hive Community Centre, making it brighter and more welcoming.

We have supported unique spaces like the Raptor Foundation in St. Ives, helping maintain aviaries and improve habitats, including for Basil the Burrowing Owl. At Tedworth House, we fenced in beehives to support a beekeeping programme for recovering military personnel.

And at Hipswell Cemetery, we helped create a new reflection garden featuring a mosaic designed by local children, a space for remembrance and quiet reflection.

These efforts strengthen our communities and give our teams the chance to grow, connect, and give back.

Supporting the Defence community means supporting the families who stand behind it.

Centring service families

Supporting the Defence community means supporting the families who stand behind it. Our Customer and Community Engagement Officers (CCEOs) work across the Defence estate to build connection, offer practical support, and spark moments of joy.

From Halloween parties to summer fayres, our teams have helped create memorable experiences for Service families across the UK. In Inverness, we delivered prizes and treats for the Halloween celebration. At Colchester Garrison, we hosted our biggest Halloween party yet, welcoming over 100 Service children.

In Stafford, we joined the festivities at Beacon Barracks with face painting and prizes. At Swanton Morley, our supply chain partner CLC Group delivered 50 Halloween gift bags to families across the estate.

We also helped bring a fun-filled Family Day to RAF Cosford, complete with music, caricatures, refreshments, and even life-size dinosaur puppets. At RAF Waddington, we co-organised a tombola at the summer fayre, raising funds for Kidney Care UK.

Each event was a chance to show families they are seen, supported, and celebrated, and that is something we’ll always be proud to stand behind.

Fundraising plays a vital role in how we support the Armed Forces community.

Fundraising with purpose

Giving back is part of our DNA at Amey, and fundraising plays a vital role in how we support the Armed Forces community.

In September, Kevin Coulthard, Account Manager for Defence Central, and Tom Silvey, Business Director Defence, took on a cycle challenge across the WWI battlefields of Belgium. Riding up to 100km a day alongside colleagues from DIO and industry partners, we raised £86,000 for the Veterans Foundation, honouring those who served while helping today’s veterans build brighter futures.

We also saw inspiring efforts from Grace Jess, our Billable Works Manager, who volunteered at a 24-hour endurance event in Colchester. Grace supported logistics and completed 20 laps, including a 7-hour stint as a tail runner, raising £1,168 for the Army Benevolent Fund, which supports soldiers and their families for life.

These moments remind us why we do what we do. It is about more than infrastructure, it is about impact, and the people behind every project.

We remain committed to supporting veterans, families, and service personnel through meaningful action.

Looking ahead

As we reflect on the past year, I am proud of the impact our teams have made, not just in numbers, but in lives touched and communities strengthened. The Defence community is a key stakeholder in our work, and we remain deeply committed to supporting veterans, families, and service personnel through meaningful action.

At Amey, we do not just serve, we stand alongside. And as we look to the future, we will continue to build on this foundation of trust, purpose, and partnership. Because for us, service is never just a moment, it is a mindset.

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