Councillor Leanne Stevenson says one of her first priorities in the role will be engaging directly with veterans, serving personnel and military families across Swindon, beginning with next month’s Armed Forces Day celebrations at Lydiard Park on 20th June.
Leanne exclusively told Swindon24 she plans to use the event not just as a celebration, but as an opportunity to listen to the lived experiences of those connected to military life and understand where support systems are succeeding or falling short.
The annual event which runs from 11am – 4.30pm, will feature Army vehicles and military displays, Army cadets, a brass band, children’s activities, a fun fair, live entertainment and community stalls, bringing together the Armed Forces community and residents from across Swindon and Wiltshire.
Leanne joined the military at 16 years old and says the experience shaped the course of her entire adult life.
“It taught me discipline, service, commitment, teamwork and acting under immense pressure,” she said.
“It made me very organised and articulate as a person. Service becomes part of who you are.”
But behind the discipline and structure, Leanne says many civilians do not fully understand the emotional realities of military life, especially during operational tours overseas.
She said about her new role:
“My first priority has to be to listen. I want to hear their lived experiences directly. I want to know what support is working, where the gaps are, and what transition from military to civilian life really feels like to them.”
Leanne also spoke candidly about serving in Iraq, the emotional toll military life can take on families, and why she believes the promise to Armed Forces veterans often fails veterans in practice.
One of the strongest memories from her military career came during her deployment to Basra, where mortar attacks were a near daily occurrence. She recalled being stationed at the Shatt al Arab Hotel base during the Iraq War. Leanne said:
“Daily, we were mortared. I was in a base. It was only a small base, but we had between five and eight mortars a day. Some would land, some not. Sometimes we had fatalities, and we lost some wonderful soldiers.
“You would hear the whistle before the mortar would go off, and at the same time I was a mum with my four-year-old back in the UK while I was overseas on operational tour.”
Rather than presenting military service through ceremony or symbolism alone, Leanne repeatedly returned to the human reality behind it, soldiers missing families, veterans struggling with transition, and the lasting impact conflict has long after deployments end. She said:
“You’re trained, you’re disciplined, you’re focused, but you’re also human. You carry the responsibility of keeping those around you safe, while thinking about the family you desperately want to return home to.”
She said those experiences left her with a lasting understanding of the human impact of conflict, not only on soldiers, but on families waiting for them at home.
“It gave me a very different understanding of what conflict means to ordinary civilians,” she said.
That experience now informs how she views her role in Swindon. While much public attention around Armed Forces support focuses on remembrance events, Leanne argues the bigger issue is what happens after personnel leave service.
She criticised parts of the current Armed Forces Covenant system, saying too many veterans still face unnecessary barriers.
“We should not have to declare ourselves homeless just to access accommodation,”
she said, reflecting on her own experiences after service.
“That’s where we are letting our Armed Forces down.”
She also called for earlier intervention during the military resettlement process, suggesting councils and Government should work together years before personnel leave service rather than waiting until discharge approaches.
Despite her criticism of gaps in support, she remains deeply proud of military service and believes Swindon is uniquely positioned within Wiltshire’s wider Armed Forces geography.
With military links to nearby bases including RAF Brize Norton, Tidworth and the 29 Regiment base near Cirencester, she says many veterans naturally settle in Swindon after leaving service.
Leanne also spoke openly about the hidden mental health struggles many veterans continue to face after leaving the military. She said:
“Lots of our veterans live with PTSD. Lots of our veterans don’t want to admit they’ve got underlying mental health issues. It’s very hard for us to speak out.”
Swindon Armed Forces Day takes place at Lydiard Park on 20th June, bringing together serving personnel, veterans, cadets and military families for a community celebration recognising the contribution and sacrifice of the Armed Forces community across Swindon and Wiltshire.
Despite the challenges, Leanne says she remains enormously proud of military service and believes Swindon is uniquely placed to support the Armed Forces community because of its proximity to major military locations across Wiltshire and Oxfordshire.
“It’s about unity, coming together and supporting our veterans, serving personnel and their families,” she said.
“It’s recognising the sacrifices people have made for the freedoms we have today.”
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