Shropshire Council Armed Forces Covenant team wins national award for outreach work
Shropshire Council’s Armed Forces Covenant team has won a top national award for its health and wellbeing work with veterans and the Armed Forces community across the county.
The council team, which runs the Armed Forces outreach programme, won the health and wellbeing category at the English Veterans Awards held in Bristol last night.
Left to right, Sandy Beattie, Armed Forces outreach programme volunteer, Councillor Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Shropshire Council Armed Forces Covenant team members Sean McCarthy, Sarah Kerr and Caroline Maltby, and Councillor Ian Nellins.
John Adams, of Bridgnorth, was nominated for the community award by Shropshire Councillor Kirstie Hurst-Knight, and earned a bronze in the category.
John Adams, who was nominated by Councillor Kirstie Hurst Knight in the community category and won a bronze award.
Ian Nellins, deputy Leader of Shropshire Council and the council’s Armed Forces champion, said:-
“We are delighted to have won this prestigious national award and we are so proud of the team.
“To win the health and wellbeing category, against some strong competition, recognises the professionalism and dedication they and the volunteers bring to supporting veterans and the wider Armed Forces community in Shropshire.
“Shropshire Council currently has the employer recognition scheme gold award, which was first awarded to the council in 2017, and revalidated in 2022. We are value our ongoing commitment to outreach projects countywide.”
Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Shropshire Council Cabinet member and another Armed Forces champion, said of John’s award:-
“I was honoured to have nominated John in the community category and it is a great achievement to have won the bronze award.
“He carries the Armed Forces’ motto service before self into his everyday life and really does make a difference.”
On leaving the Royal Navy John came back to Shropshire and his family funeral business.
He lost his mother at a young age and found his experience challenging. He was motivated to raise a petition to put death, dying and bereavement on the national curriculum and with a staggering 11,322 signature the Government has now agreed to review how this is rolled out in schools.
The English Veterans Awards celebrate highly successful Armed Forces veterans who have made the transition from military to civilian life and who have gone above and beyond and excelled in their relevant fields.
The 2023 awards, in association with The ABF Soldiers Charity (ARF being Army Benevolent Fund), and supporting the Royal Navy and Marines Charity, were held at the Village Hotel Filton, Bristol last night (Thursday 21 September 2023).
