Over 40 local organisations have signed up to the borough’s Armed Forces Covenant
Care to Change, DeafnAble and Shropshire Festivals are among eight local organisations who have pledged their support to the local Armed Forces community by signing the Armed Forces Covenant.
The covenant is a promise by the nation that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces and their families will be treated fairly.
The council originally signed the covenant in 2012 and since then has been awarded the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award in 2021 which recognised exemplary support to defence people issues with tangible results.
The eight organisations who have signed the covenant since March 2021 include:
• Hollinswood & Randlay Parish Council.
• Lilleshall Parish Council
• Shropshire Festivals.
• Care to Change.
• DeafnAble.
• Madeley Town Council.
• Great Dawley Town Council.
• Pegasus-Ops Ltd.
This takes the total of covenant signatories, across Telford & Wrekin to 43.
By signing the Covenant, organisations have made a number of pledges including offering discounts, promoting that they are Armed Forces friendly and supporting, and advocating support, for the employment of veterans, reservists and spouses and partners of Service personnel.
Councillor Chris Turley, lead on the Armed Forces Covenant for the borough, commented: “Signing this covenant is a pledge that together we acknowledge and understand that those who serve, or who have served in the Armed Forces, and their families should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy and societies that they serve.
“We hope as many local businesses and organisations in the borough will show their support and help us to respond to the needs of the wider Armed Forces community here in the borough. We are extremely grateful to all our servicemen and women who are committed to protecting our country, and also to their families who support them throughout their service.”
Dr Graham from Care to Change said “Being from a military family I am proud and humbled to support serving soldiers, reservists, veterans and their families. Mental health problems are common and can affect anyone, Care to Change offers individual psychotherapy for complex and military trauma as well as common mental health disorders and we are proud to offer a £10 discount on every session to help make this treatment more accessible for such a deserving client group.”
The council is looking forward to hopefully hosting its annual Armed Forces Family Fun Day in June to pay tribute to its local armed forces community. More details will be announced on this soon.
To find out how your organisation can benefit from pledging your support to the Armed Forces community, please contact armedforcescovenant@telford.gov.uk
or visit www.armedforcescovenant.gov.uk for more information.
