Businesses commit their support for the military community

Over one hundred people representing over eighty employers from the Yorkshire and the Humber attended the inaugural Armed Forces Covenant and Employer Recognition Scheme Reception at the War Gallery, Royal Armouries in Leeds. Businesses and organisations committed to supporting the military community came together for a networking opportunity bridging regional employers with armed forces personnel. The event also welcomed another Armed Forces Covenant signatory, The Kirkwood, who officially signed the Covenant that evening joining the 800+ employers in the region who have also pledged to support the Armed Forces community.
Colonel Darin Gray, Assistant Head, Strategy, Reserve Forces and Cadets, represented the Ministry of Defence at the Armed Forces Covenant signing.
Giving thanks to all who pledge
Colonel Darin Gray said; “For over a decade the relationship between Defence and Employers has gone from strength to strength. The support of Employers is vital to Defence People objectives including the recruitment and retention of reservists, the employment of service leavers, veterans and their spouses, partners and of course the Cadets.
“Signing the Armed Forces Covenant and joining the Employer Recognition Scheme makes a statement to the Armed Forces community that they are valued and supported by you as employers and are warmly welcomed by your organisations. Thank you for extending an invitation to Defence to join you at this event and thank you to all who have signed the Armed Forces Covenant including our new organisation coming on board.”

Pledging Support
Lewis Blackmore, Assets and Facilities Manager for The Kirkwood, is a former Warrant Officer in the British Army and has been one of the driving forces behind The Kirkwood’s ambition to sign the Armed Forces Covenant.
Lewis said, “I am very proud of the commitment shown by The Kirkwood in signing the Armed Forces Covenant and supporting veterans and their families across Kirklees.
“Members of our Armed Forces Community make an immense contribution, both to our country and within our local communities, so we’re delighted to be able to reach out and show that our charity truly values their knowledge, experiences and skills and that we are committed to affording the same opportunities as their civilian counterparts.
“Signing the Armed Forces Covenant is a chance to show our support for everyone in our community. Whether that’s by caring for people affected by a life-limiting illness or providing opportunities for members of the Armed Forces Community, we’re here for the people of Kirklees.”

Become a signatory and join the scheme
The signing of the Armed Forces Covenant, or AFC, is described as ‘the nation’s commitment’ to ensuring those who serve or have served in the armed forces have the same access to government and commercial services as any other services, including opportunities to start a new career with a civilian employer. An average of 15,000 people leave the armed forces each year, and by taking steps such as signing up for the Armed Forces Covenant, organisations pledge to be forces-friendly.
Following the official signing of the AFC, employers join the Employer Recognition Scheme, or ERS, which consists of three award levels – bronze, silver, and gold. Each level indicates an organisation’s commitment and involvement to offer support programmes and policies that align with the scheme’s framework. The main objective of the scheme is for employers to endorse their employees who are military personnel (current, former and associated) and enable development opportunities that support their current or past duty to the forces with their civilian employment.
More photos from the event can be found in our Gallery page here.
Sign the AFC and join the ERS
Employers interested in learning more about AFC and ERS can go to
www.rfca-yorkshire.org.uk/employers/ for information.