Shropshire’s armed forces community urged to help shape support provided

Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council are urging members of the county’s armed forces community to help shape how support is delivered by completing the Armed Forces Needs Assessment survey.

By completing the survey, you will be helping us further develop the right support for our armed forces communities and enabling it to be delivered in the right way.

If you are aged over 16, live in Shropshire (including Telford & Wrekin) and have a connection to the British armed forces, then we want to hear from you.

Whether you are regular armed forces personnel, reservists, veterans or family members, your views are important. Both council’s would also like to hear from those who completed national service – you are veterans of the armed forces and your views will be valuable.

Karen Calder, Shropshire Councillor responsible for the Armed Forces Covenant, said:

“The armed forces are important to Shropshire communities which has been demonstrated by their humanitarian work during the COVID-19 pandemic as they have run test centres so brilliantly across the county.

“Whether you are currently serving, a reservist, family member, veteran or completed national service, we want to hear from you to help us give back through our unwavering commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.”

You can complete the survey by visiting the Get Involved page on the Shropshire Council website. If you are not able to complete the survey online, a hard copy can be sent to you by post please email SAFCC@shropshire.gov.uk or phone 07458 19628.

The survey has had over 250 responses to date and runs until Sunday 2 August 2020.

COVID-19

The lockdown has meant that the support offered to the armed forces community has had to change, but it hasn’t stopped and referrals have increased.

Like a lot of us across Shropshire, the UK and the globe, the lockdown has been challenging and Shropshire Council has been helping the county’s armed forces community cope with these challenges virtually and through the specially formed community reassurance teams.

We have also seen virtual Armed Forces Covenant signings done on Microsoft Teams – the first in the West Midlands – as local organisations have continued to pledge their support.

For more information about the support available for the armed forces in Shropshire, visit the Shropshire Council website.