Council to help Shropshire’s military personnel gain coaching qualifications

Shropshire Council’s Leisure Services team has been awarded funding which will enable them to support Shropshire’s armed forces personnel and their families to gain coaching qualifications.

This new and exciting project will start in May 2016 and will give the people involved a range of qualifications that will enable them to support their local clubs or help them to set up new activities.

It will see Shropshire Council’s leisure services team working closely with military personnel across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.

This funding is part of a national £10m Armed Forces Covenant fund, and the Shropshire project is one of 174 Armed Forces projects that have received funding.

This project will help further integrate the county’s armed forces community into the wider Shropshire community, through providing them with a life skill that they will be able to use whilst they are still in the armed forces or when they leave.

Councillor Tim Barker, Chair of Shropshire Armed Forces Covenant, said:

“I am delighted that Shropshire Council has been awarded funding from the Armed Forces Covenant. Providing our military communities with the opportunity to gain sports coaching qualifications is exciting. We already have a great amount of forces personnel coaching in the community and it’s my hope that this project can build upon the excellent work that already takes place throughout Shropshire.”

Community integration projects involve civilian and military communities working together and therefore increase understanding between them. The coordination and delivery of the support strand is about delivering services such as healthcare, along with improving employability and social support. Schemes that help veterans in prison and on return their return to civilian life will benefit from £4.6m.

The new annual fund was launched back in June 2015, demonstrating the Government’s long-term commitment to supporting schemes under the Armed Forces Covenant. The Covenant is a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:

“The new fund strategically targets areas of need. Every year, this £10m will go towards worthy projects that fully promote the principles of the Covenant.”

The 2015 fund priorities were community integration, the coordination and delivery of support to the Armed Forces community, and veterans in the criminal justice system.

The Armed Forces Covenant fund reopens in May 2016 with four new priorities including: community integration/delivery of services’ a Veterans’ gateway; families in stress, and improving local Covenant delivery.

For more information about local Covenant-funded projects please visit shropshire.gov.uk/safcc