Category Archives: News

Armed Forces Covenant

March Town Council demonstrated its commitment to supporting the Armed Forces Community by signing the Armed Forces Covenant in March 2022.

Alongside this, March Town Council was awarded the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Bronze Award.

The Armed Forces Covenant recognises that the whole nation has a moral obligation to members of the Armed Forces and their families, and it establishes how they should expect to be treated.

March Town Council is delighted to support our armed forces and veterans.

Community covenants complement, at a local level, the Armed Forces Covenant, which outlines the moral obligation between the nation, the government and the armed forces. It encourages local communities to support the armed forces community in their area and promote understanding and awareness among the public of issues affecting the armed forces community.

Aims of the Armed Forces Covenants

Local authorities and the armed forces community are encouraged to work together to establish a covenant in their area in order to:

  • encourage local communities to support the armed forces community in their areas and to nurture public understanding and awareness among the public of issues affecting the armed forces community
  • recognise and remember the sacrifices faced by the armed forces community
  • encourage activities which help to integrate the armed forces community into local life
  • encourage the armed forces community to help and support the wider community, whether through participation in events and joint projects, or other forms of engagement

Covenants in each community may look quite different from one location to another. This is a scheme where one size does not fit all, and the nature of the support offered will be determined by both need and capacity.

Since the launch of the ‘community covenant’ in June 2011, every local authority in mainland Great Britain has signed a ‘community covenant partnership’ with their local armed forces and we are seeing positive benefits as result. The community covenant is now known simply as the Armed Forces Covenant, which covers all aspect of society.

For further information about the covenant and help available, please visit the following;

https://www.army.mod.uk/people/live-well/armed-forces-covenant/

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/armed-forces-covenant-supporting-information#:~:text=Guidance-,Covenant%20for%20communities,grants%20up%20to%20%C2%A3500%2C000.

https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/give-support/partner-with-us/armed-forces-covenant/#:~:text=It%20recognises%20that%20the%20whole,should%20expect%20to%20be%20treated.