Council receives highest honour for its work supporting the Armed Forces community

Cheshire West and Chester Council has been awarded the prestigious Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award for its work supporting the Armed Forces community in West Cheshire.

The Council is one of 22 organisations in the north west region and the sole organisation in Cheshire to receive the Gold Award, which is the highest badge of honour and recognises the positive role that the Council has played in pledging, demonstrating and advocating support to defence and the Armed Forces Community and aligning its values to the Armed Forces Covenant.

This ongoing work includes supporting employees who choose to be members of the Reserve Forces and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers by providing 12 days paid annual leave for training, and by supporting Reservists and their families when they are mobilised and on their return to work.

The Council, alongside its partners, has also promoted the benefits of the Armed Forces Covenant to several thousand businesses across Cheshire, encouraging them to follow suit.

The Council also works with, and funds, the Armed Forces Community Support Charity to provide weekly NAAFI Break drop-in sessions at Ellesmere Port Library and Dale Barracks in Chester for veterans and their families. These sessions prevent social isolation and provide one-to-one support for any personal issues that veterans might be facing.

Another key support element is the Council’s Guaranteed Interview Scheme, which helps ex-service personnel to find and secure employment when making the transition to civilian life by guaranteeing an interview for those that meet the essential criteria for an advertised role.

Cllr Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said:

“West Cheshire has a long and proud history of both supporting and hosting our Armed Forces and their families, and, as a long-standing supporter, I am delighted that the Council has received this honour from the Government.

“Supporting all our Armed Forces communities, whether serving or former members, and their families, and recognising the valuable skills they bring to west Cheshire is incredibly important. The Council works with many partners to ensure we recognise, promote, and support the entire Armed Forces community, given the unique role they play and some of the challenges they face.

“We first signed the Armed Forces Covenant back in 2012, re-signing it in 2018 and again in February this year. Throughout those years we have been working hard to make sure that our Armed Forces get the support and access to services they need. We remain committed to further developing the support we provide and to promote to other west Cheshire organisations the benefits our Armed Forces community can bring to them.”

Cllr Sam Naylor, the Council’s Armed Forces Member Champion, said:

“We are proud of our Armed Forces community and are indebted to them for the commitment and sacrifices that they and their families make on our behalf. We are grateful to them all for their service to our country. Receiving this award shows our commitment to our Armed Forces community is strong and that we will always support them.”

For more information about Cheshire West and Chester Council’s work to support the Armed Forces Community visit: 

westcheshirearmedforcescovenant.co.uk/ 

...or visit: 

www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk 

...and search for ‘Armed Forces Covenant’.

Pictured - Regulars from the 1st Battalion, The Mercian Regiment, parading in Chester on Armed Forces Day this year.