A new club has been set up at New Inn Primary School for pupils whose parents are serving in the armed forces.

Pupil Gregor Allan, whose dad serves in the Royal Air Force, came up with the idea for the Little Troopers club after supporting his five-year-old sister Isla when their dad was on tour overseas.

Gregor has now been recognised by the charity Little Troopers, which supports military children, and was named Little Trooper of the Month in April.

To celebrate, all pupils at New Inn Primary School marked Armed Forces Week with a Forces Fitness workshop and a visit from the Royal Welsh regimental goat Shenkin IV and Goat Major Sgt Mark Jackson.

Gregor, who is in year 4, said: “The military children were picked to be team captains. I felt proud to lead a team like my dad. Working as a team was fun, we kept going as we didn’t want to let our team down.”

Faith Lees, who is in year 3, added: “It was the best day ever. I’m so proud of my daddy and now my friends know all about the army and we had fun working as a little army.”

Free to schools in Torfaen with service children

Forces Fitness sessions are funded by Welsh Government and available free to all schools in Torfaen with service children.

New Inn Primary School, which has ten pupils from military families, is now hoping to be named an Armed Forces Friendly school by SSCE Cymru, which supports service children in education.

Teaching assistant Ceri Knight, who helps run the Little Troopers club, said: “Our first meeting was really heart-warming. They talked with such pride about being part of a military family and agreed that it was great to be able to chat to someone who understood that a parent might be away for important dates, such as birthdays, Christmas or even parents’ evenings.

“The children have decided to have regular meetings and their next challenge is to design and complete their own assault course and we will celebrate the end of term with a picnic.”