Shropshire people urged to support Remembrance Day

Members of the Shropshire Armed Forces Community Covenant are appealing for people to mark Remembrance Day in honour of the brave men and women who work in dangerous places across the world. 

The Armed Forces Community Covenant is a pledge by organisations, including councils, voluntary groups and businesses, to help build links between civilian and Armed Forces communities. 

Councillor Tim Barker, chairman of the covenant working group, said Remembrance Day was a particularly poignant time to highlight the sacrifices made by members of the Armed Forces and their families. 

He said:

“Although the main focus of Remembrance Day is quite rightly those who have died in conflict, it is incredibly important that people recognise the hard work being done currently, and in the past, by members of our Armed Forces in dangerous circumstances across the world. 

“We should also always remember that ‘they also serve who only stand and wait’ – our reserve forces have played a crucial role in the past and will play an even greater role in future after the changes made to our Armed Forces in recent months.” 

The main aims of the Community Covenant are: 

• To understand what it’s like to live in Shropshire for serving and former serving personnel and their families
• To eliminate unfair disadvantage faced by serving and former serving personnel and their families
• To encourage understanding and awareness among the public of issues affecting the Armed Forces community. 

Armed Forces organisations, along with Shropshire Council, West Mercia Police, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, the Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly, Shropshire Business Board and Shropshire Association of Local Councils, signed up to the community covenant on 3 May 2012. 

Councillor Barker said the covenant was playing an important role. 

He said:

“It aims to help Armed Forces families have the same access to education, jobs and community opportunities as civilian families.  Now is a good time to remind people of the hidden sacrifices that often go unnoticed when men and women leave the Armed Forces, as they often struggle to readjust to civilian life. 

“That’s why the covenant exists, to ensure that those who choose to leave the Armed Forces have just as much opportunity to lead a fulfilled life as everyone else.” 

The Ministry of Defence has allocated £30 million to the Armed Forces Community Covenant grant scheme, which is available for projects that help build links between Armed Forces and civilian communities. 

More information about the covenant and the grant scheme is available online at www.gov.uk/the-armed-forces-covenant.