I’m absolutely delighted that, working with Rushmoor Borough Council, we’ve managed to bring Armed Forces Day home.

Rushmoor has been awarded the prestigious honour of hosting National Armed Forces Day celebrations in June 2026.

As the Home of the British Army and the birthplace of British aviation, nowhere is a more fitting host than Aldershot and Farnborough. We will lead the nation in renewing our bond with the men and women who serve, and with the cadets and veterans who are part of our story.

And, we aim to inspire the next generation of young people who will follow in their footsteps.

The programme of activities will culminate in a weekend of spectacular events and celebrations on 27 and 28 June 2026 profiling our armed forces and a range of free festivities and family fun.

It will draw our whole community together and leave a legacy of pride and renewal. It’s a chance to show the nation what makes our towns so special.

To celebrate the borough’s success, children from Talavera Junior School in Aldershot were treated to special visit from the British Armed Forces this morning, when a Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter landed in their school field.

The children were invited to listen to songs performed by the British Army Engagement Ensemble band from Sandhurst Military Academy, before going outside to look around the Wildcat helicopter and chat to members of the crew.

The Armed Forces Day flag was also raised at the council offices in Farnborough and at Princes Hall in Aldershot to mark the announcement.

I was pleased to be able to develop the bid with the local council and our vision is for a dynamic and inclusive celebration of our Armed Forces. The highly competitive bidding process required us to set out how our proposals would provide opportunities for serving personnel to engage with the public, demonstrate local pride in the Armed Forces and their contribution to the nation, and offer meaningful opportunities to thank the military community.

There will be plenty of opportunities for local people to get involved and we look forward to working with the Ministry of Defence, the Armed Forces community and residents to ensure that the events are fitting for the people they honour and a celebration that Aldershot, Farnborough and the country will remember with pride.