Help for Heroes joins forces with 5 in first ever TV sponsorship

UK public service broadcaster 5 today announces Help for Heroes, the charity supporting veterans and their families, as the sponsor of its Great British Stories programme strand, launching Friday 26th September 2025.

The six-month partnership marks Help for Heroes’ debut TV sponsorship and will see the charity featured across 5’s linear and streaming platforms, around premium factual content celebrating the people, places, and institutions that shape the UK.

The strand includes documentaries that spotlight the Armed Forces, the Royal Family and other positive British stories, including titles such as How Britain Won WW2, In Service to the King, William and The King: Like Father, Like Son and The Savoy: London's First Luxury Hotel.

Each 10-second sponsorship ident features veterans who have been supported by Help for Heroes and each helped script their appearance to ensure authenticity and respect for their lived experiences. The creative celebrates the everyday greatness of those who have served, under the campaign theme ‘Greatness is…’ which highlights the strength, dignity and achievements of veterans in civilian life.

The unique partnership was brokered by Paramount International Advertising and WPP Media’s EssenceMediacom. The campaign focuses on emotional storytelling and aims to broaden awareness of Help for Heroes, showcasing the breadth of support it offers to veterans, reservists, their relatives, and civilians who worked under UK command.

Drachan Forster, VP of UK Sponsorships, Paramount International Advertising said: “We’re really proud that Help for Heroes selected 5 for their first ever TV sponsorship - a partnership that shows how purposeful storytelling can deliver real brand impact. Great British Stories is rooted in national pride and lived experience, making it a powerful platform for Help for Heroes to share authentic voices. Sponsoring the strand enables the charity to build meaningful visibility and emotional connection at scale, using 5’s national reach to deepen audience understanding and engagement.”

Rebecca Davies, Head of Marketing & Brand at Help for Heroes, said: “This partnership is especially meaningful because it has been shaped with veterans themselves. Each ident features men and women who have received support from Help for Heroes. Life after service can bring real difficulties for some veterans and their families. But with the right support, we see them overcome challenges with strength, dignity and determination. This campaign puts their voices and experiences front and centre – from getting back to family life, to rediscovering confidence and resilience. 5’s Great British Stories gives us the perfect platform to celebrate those everyday victories and the pride we all share in our Armed Forces.”

 Charlotte Beech, Partner, Head of Creative Futures at WPP Media’s EssenceMediacom said: “For a brilliant cause like Help for Heroes, the emotional resonance and broad reach of TV are indispensable.  5’s ‘Great British Stories’ offers an authentic and powerful environment to bring their vital work and the inspiring resilience of the veterans they support to life, ensuring their message reaches a broad and engaged audience. We are incredibly proud to have secured this partnership."

Paramount International Advertising recently announced it is handling all creative brand partnership opportunities, including sponsorship, in house — helping brands get even closer to Paramount’s mountain of premium, globally recognised content across its entire linear and streaming portfolio. This includes free-to-air PSB network 5, Paramount+ - one of the UK’s fastest growing SVODs, now with an ad tier, leading FAST service Pluto TV and globally recognised brands including MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central.