Armed Forces Week

Shropshire Council, proud supporters of the Armed Forces

Shropshire Council are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and were immensely proud to receive the Military of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award in 2017. To further their commitment they have re-signed their Armed Forces Covenant this week, during Armed Forces Week. Since they last re-signed in 2016 they have done much more in terms of their support, policies and advocating…

Sandwell Council support the Armed Forces

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) is a proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and works with the Armed Forces to help and support current and former service personnel and their families in the local area. They are an organisation that supports their Reservists, veterans and cadets. The council encourages Sandwell businesses, community groups and individuals to work with them to pledge their…

A Gold Award company shows support for Armed Forces

Serve and Protect CU, a Birmingham based company, received their Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award in 2020 and are fully supportive of the Armed Forces community, both in terms of employees and customers. Serve and Protect CU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative, which helps to improve the financial resilience of those who serve the nation. They are here to help their members…

RAF Reserve and employer highlight benefits of employing from Armed Forces community

Senior Aircraftman Keith Herman lives in Greater Manchester but serves with 605 (County of Warwick) Squadron RAF Reserves. The Reserve unit based out of RAF Cosford, is the only RAF Reserve unit within the West Midlands area, and are specialist Logistics (Mechanical Transport Drivers, Suppliers and Chefs) and RAF Police Service personnel. Keith join the Squadron in 2017, when he was in his…

Transferable skills, military and civilian life

Sub-Lieutenant Victoria Duffield-Smith is a Reservist at HMS FORWARD, Birmingham’s Royal Naval Reserve unit. Victoria has recently assumed the role of Junior Officer Training Officer, developing the leaders of the future.  As a member of the Amphibious Warfare branch, she has experience of UK Maritime Enforcement Operations and in her civilian employment, she is currently an Inspector with Warwickshire Police, and is the…

Sea Cadets Commanding Officer champions benefits of volunteering

Sub-Lieutenant Althea Bumpstead is the Commanding Officer at Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth Sea Cadets.  As Commanding Officer, she oversees and organises the welfare, training and activities for the unit. Outside of the cadets, she works as a Development Officer for Forest Voluntary Action Forum, a charity that supports young people and youth groups. We spoke to Althea to find out why being a volunteer…

Armed Forces Week 2020

Armed Forces Week from 22nd – 27th June was a chance to celebrate our Armed Forces and the role they play in protecting the UK both at home and overseas. The week not only celebrated serving personnel, both regular and reserve, but also those who make up the wider Armed Forces community including veterans, military spouses, cadets and cadet force adult volunteers. Due…

Worcestershire hospitals give thanks to the military by signing the Armed Forces Covenant

On Armed Forces Day 2020 Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust formally thanked the military for their support during Covid-19 and made a national pledge to veterans, serving personnel and their families by signing the Armed Forces Covenant. In a ‘virtual’ ceremony, Trust Chief Executive Matthew Hopkins and Chairman Sir David Nicholson signed the declaration alongside Colonel Damian Griffin TD, Commanding Officer 202 Field…