Local employers are backing the Armed Forces Covenant which the Carlisle City Council re-signed this week.
The covenant is a promise by the nation to ensure that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly.
The council reaffirmed its commitment to our military by re-signing at the Civic Centre on March 7 when partner organisations and businesses from across Carlisle also signed.
The government-led initiative focuses on helping members of the armed forces community have the same access to services and products such as education and healthcare as any other citizen.
Armed Forces representatives at the signing included our director Lieutenant Colonel Nick Kennon of The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.
Lt Col Kennon, who has been a reservist for nearly 25 years, said: “For those who have been a regular soldier for up to 20 years, returning to civilian life and navigating its processes again can be quite daunting as they will have moved around a lot and been used to the military way of life.
“The Covenant ensures that they will not be disadvantaged because of this lack of knowledge or being a new arrival to an area.
“Supporting veterans is also critical as going from being surrounded by fellow service personnel with shared experiences to people who have not had those experiences, perhaps of a harrowing incident, can be challenging.”
We have the Bronze Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme and are now aiming for Silver, which the city council achieved in 2020.
He added: “As an employer, I am very proud that we have achieved the Bronze award to show our awareness and support and I hope we will achieve Silver in due course.”
Elizabeth Mallinson, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Health and Wellbeing and Armed Forces Member Champion, said: “As a council, we are committed to supporting the armed forces and want to strengthen our knowledge about the issues facing them and their communities.
“There are many benefits to being a forces-friendly employer including the potential to recruit resourceful employees that have world class transferable training and accredited skills.”
Lucy Lamb from the Forces Link Project gave a presentation on their work to help increase opportunity and support for the local ex-service community and their families.
She said: “Ex-service personnel have so many skill sets they can bring to an employer – trades that you only learn in the military.
“It’s really important that employers value our ex-service personnel and the skills that they have and once they leave the forces they’re not cast aside, they have a purpose, and they have a place.”
Those firms and organisations also signing included Story Contracting, William Howard School, Carlisle College and Cumbria CVS.
Sarah McGrath, principal of Carlisle College, said: “Carlisle College has a role to play in terms of educating and supporting families.
“A lot of our young people will have parents who are in the forces, so it’s really important for us as a college to raise awareness and say this is something as a college we want to support.”
