As the East Anglia Festival of Friends project draws to a close, Make Happen is reflecting on the successes and lasting impact of this cross-county programme, which brought together two Uni Connect teams and several universities around a shared vision. Made possible through funding from the Armed Forces Education Trust and the dedication of Independent Education Advisor Matt Blyton, the project has fostered a trailblazing collaboration between Make Happen and NEACO, creating a legacy for Service children and schools across East Anglia.
The Festival of Friends project recruited representatives from 31 primary and secondary schools to become ‘Service Pupil Champions’ with the aim of meeting at set points throughout the year to share best practice and develop staff expertise with the goal of improving outcomes for Service children. The programme offered CPD to raise awareness of the experiences and needs of pupils whose families may face deployment, high mobility and regular school moves.
Pupil Voice events took place in Peterborough, Colchester, and Norwich which gave the students a chance to experience a university campus, share experiences, support one another, and celebrate their Service child identity. At the Colchester event, pupils worked alongside singer and songwriter Otto Aday to turn their experiences into music. Their collaborative lyrics explored friendship, family, belonging and the emotional impact of being apart from loved ones, highlighting the barriers and strengths that arise from being a Service child.
Have a listen to the Colchester students’ creation below:
A logo competition gave all 31 schools the opportunity to have their design featured in all Festival of Friends promo throughout the year, and the winners were Swanton Morley Primary School!
Alongside the pupil-facing events, schools developed improvement projects with the ambition of creating lasting networks and resources that can continue to support Service children beyond the life of the project.
The Festival of Friends culminated in a celebration event (July 2026) where the children and their teachers visited Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge to be blown away by magic from Britain’s Got Talent winner and Lance Corporal, Richard Jones, whilst celebrating their achievements on the programme this year with awards and certificates. Each school brought a pop-up exhibition demonstrating the impact of their in-school improvement projects, and VIP guests from across the region were invited to browse the installations before joining the ceremony.
The Festival of Friends project is all about ensuring Service pupils are heard, supported and connected, while celebrating the distinctive experiences and strengths they bring to their school communities. Make Happen are proud to have supported this project in 2025-26 and look forward to seeing the legacy pieces that blossom in 2026-27.
A case study booklet will soon be available to download, showing the impact of the project on each of the 31 schools involved.