Bringing veterans together through challenge, connection and community
Team Forces is proud to have supported the inaugural Veteran Games UK, helping to enable a landmark event that brought veterans together through competition, teamwork, shared experience and a renewed sense of community.
Held at Pippingford Park in East Sussex on Saturday 25 July 2026, the Veterans Can… Festival welcomed veterans, serving personnel, military families, supporters, businesses, charities and members of the public for a day centred around three simple but powerful themes: Connection | Community | Celebration.
At the heart of the festival was the inaugural Veteran Games UK – the first time the internationally recognised Veteran Games concept has been delivered in the UK. Organised by Veterans Can…, in partnership with the founders of the Veteran Games in Australia, the event created an environment where veterans could reconnect, challenge themselves and rediscover the camaraderie that military service provides.
Challenge, teamwork and camaraderie
Teams of eight took on a series of physically and mentally demanding, military-themed challenges, testing determination, teamwork, leadership and perseverance. The challenges included pushing a Humvee up a hill, tackling an airsoft range, scaling a 12-foot wall and battling it out in a tug o’ war.
While the Games provided plenty of friendly competition, their real value was in what happened around the challenges. Spectators encouraged participants, teams supported one another and achievements were celebrated regardless of the result.
The atmosphere demonstrated the enduring power of military camaraderie – showing that while service may end, the connections created through it can continue in new ways.
For many, the Games provided an opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds and Services, build new friendships, strengthen existing support networks and discover a renewed sense of purpose.
Maj Gen Lamont Kirkland CBE, CEO of Team Forces, said: “The Veteran Games perfectly demonstrate the power of challenge and shared experience to bring people together. Events like this help veterans reconnect with the camaraderie they experienced during service while promoting resilience, confidence and wellbeing. Team Forces is proud to have supported the inaugural UK Games and congratulates everyone involved in delivering such an important milestone for the veteran community.”
Images courtesy of Click Marketing and Veterans Can …
More than just a Games
The Veteran Games formed part of a wider festival designed to celebrate the contribution, diversity and potential of the UK’s veteran community.
Across the site, the Forces Brands Village showcased businesses founded and operated by veterans and Service personnel, highlighting the innovation, professionalism and entrepreneurial spirit within the community.
Charities and other organisations were also on hand to share information, advice and opportunities, creating valuable opportunities for visitors to discover the support available and for organisations to build new partnerships.
Families enjoyed food, entertainment and time together, while veterans and supporters had the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make new ones in an environment built around inclusion, respect and community.
As the day continued into the evening, conversations carried on around the campsite, with music, comedy, talks, food and stories bringing people together long after the formal activities had finished.
A new chapter for the Veteran Games
The Veteran Games concept was originally founded in Australia by former Special Forces Major Heston Russell. Over the past four years, the Games have demonstrated how sport and military-inspired challenges can help veterans reconnect, build resilience and engage with a supportive community.
The successful launch of Veteran Games UK represents an exciting new chapter for the initiative and an important milestone for veteran engagement in the UK. The Veteran Games also demonstrate the importance of collaboration across the Armed Forces community. By bringing together veterans, charities, businesses, supporters and organisations around a shared experience, the event created connections that can extend far beyond the day itself.
Team Forces is proud to support initiatives such as the Veteran Games that use meaningful challenge and shared experience to help people build confidence, strengthen resilience and improve wellbeing.
