National Armed Forces & Emergency Services Event to return to Stadium of Light
Anyone with links to the Forces, as well as blue light and volunteer services, are invited to a national event being held in Sunderland.
The National Armed Forces & Emergency Services Event (NAFESE) returns to the Stadium of Light for the third year running on April 9, 2025, with The Connor Brown Trust and Veterans in Crisis Sunderland this year’s charity beneficiaries.
NAFESE 2025 is free to attend for anyone with links to the Armed Forces, blue light and volunteer services and features an Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Club, which is open to all attendees and exhibitors, a Recruitment & Resettlement Zone, a STEM Village for visiting schools and colleges invited on the day, a Regional Showcase Hub and for the first time, a Trade Quarter, housed in the Beacon of Light.
It gives visitors the chance to talk to representative from the likes of the UK Space Command Team from RAF Fylingdales and 8 Rifles.
Veterans in Crisis founder and CEO, Ger Fowler, is delighted to be involved once more with the event.
He said: “We are once again thrilled to be connected to the NAFESE exhibition in April and looking forward to seeing a range of people there on the day. Events like these are great for our city and a great chance for people, young and old to network and socialise.”
The Trade Quarter offers the chance for exhibitors far and wide to chat directly to potential clients in the shape of armed forces units, police forces, NHS trusts and fire brigades and will sit alongside the ever-growing and popular STEM Village, which has now outgrown its space inside the Stadium of Light.
The addition of the Trade Quarter and subsequent addition of the Beacon of Light to the Stadium of Light, signifies the growth in popularity for the event, as Event Director, Mal Robinson outlines.
“We are thrilled to announce the information behind NAFESE for 2025, delighted to be back at Sunderland and excited to announce new additional features for this year’s event with the advent of using the superb Beacon of Light alongside its neighbour the Stadium of Light, as well as introduce our new Trade Quarter, which I am sure will help reinforce the growing popularity of the event and attract more people along,” said Mal.
He added: “Last year’s event had over 50 exhibitors across a range of elements and subjects and we will be looking to build on this for 2025 and also once again promote our ethos that there is something for everyone on the day, from cadets, schools and colleges, to serving personnel, through to veterans of all the services.”
Mal, an RAF Veteran, hails from Sunderland and the fact this national event is once again staged in his hometown is something not lost on him.
“Personally, I am very proud once more to be able to host this ever growing event, where I was born and raised and it’s great to welcome everyone to the city and surrounding areas, as well as see regular faces on the day.”
The National Armed Forces & Emergency Services Event (NAFESE) 2025 takes place at the Stadium of Light and Beacon of Light on Wednesday April 9 from 9.30am to 12.30pm and attendees can turn up at any time to visit exhibitors on show.
Exhibitors include: Capricorn Security, McDonald’s, Sunderland Care & Support, 8 Rifles, Teesside University, Military Provost Guard Service, Constant Security Services and the UK Space Command Team from RAF Fylingdales.
The event is free to attend and tickets and spaces can be reserved by searching “NAFESE 2025” online or via the link here.
Schools and colleges are invited to attend also and any interested parties are asked to email [email protected]