A Leuchars military family has been photographed for a charity calendar supporting forces children.
Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Hayward is pictured with sons Jameson, 10, and Ben, 8, on the November page of the Military Moments 2019 calendar, which is raising money for Little Troopers .
The touching image shows Jamie, 43, making sure the boys were wearing their poppies before the Remembrance Day parade in Shrivenham, a village in the south of England where the family was based previously.
They are now at home in Fife, where Jamie is commanding officer of the 2 Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers based at Leuchars Station,
Mum Heidi, 42, said she was “very chuffed” her family had been chosen to represent November.
“We were happy that we got the November slot because we’re a military family, and Remembrance Day is important for us,” she said.
“They were marching with the Shrivenham and Watchfield Beavers and Cubs. Their dad is making sure they are wearing their poppies. He was also attending the parade.
“The boys have a younger brother – Samuel aged four – who is desperate to join Beavers and follow in his brothers’ footsteps.”
Jamie is originally from Mansfield in Nottinghamshire and Heidi is from South Shields.
Like most military families, moving house is a way of life and they have been based in Fife for a year.
“I love it up here,” said Heidi.
“The kids love it as well.”
Little Troopers is a registered charity supporting children with one or both parents serving in the armed forces.
Louise Fetigan, its founder and operations manager, said: “This is our charity’s seventh calendar and once again our military community have sent us some beautiful pictures that truly capture the heartbreaking reality of our families’ lives.
“The last cuddle before a long deployment or that welcome home hug where you just want to hold them forever is so special and we have some of those moments and lots more in next year’s calendar.”
This year’s Military Moments calendar has been sponsored by the Officers’ Association, which means all the money raised from the sales can go into the charity’s work.
The calendar costs £9.99, plus postage and packaging, and can be ordered now from www.LittleTroopers.net.
