East Dunbartonshire Council has become the latest organisation to sign the UK Armed Forces Covenant.
In doing so the council has made a commitment to support the country’s servicemen and women wherever and however it can and to ensure no member of the Armed Forces should suffer any disadvantage as a result of their service.
The 28 June signing – by Joint Council Leaders Andrew Polson and Vaughan Moody – took place at the council’s head office at Kirkintilloch. The document was co-signed on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) by Lieutenant Colonel Matt Sheldrick, Commanding Officer of 7 SCOTS.
Joint Council Leader Andrew Polson said: “Signing this Covenant with our Ministry of Defence colleagues firmly demonstrates our support to the Armed Forces, including Regulars, Cadets, Reservists, Veterans and their families, who all play such an important role in the operations of the Army, Air Force and Naval Service.”
Joint Council Leader Vaughan Moody continued: “The Covenant confirms that the Council is committed to a set of key principles supporting serving members of the Armed Forces and their family members and clearly confirms our status as an Armed Forces friendly organisation.”
Lt Col Sheldrick added: “Signing this Covenant is a pledge that together we acknowledge and understand that those who serve or who have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy and society they serve with their lives. I am delighted to be signing this Covenant with East Dunbartonshire in recognition of the great support they provide to our Armed Forces personnel and their family members.”
The council’s commitments to honouring the Covenant includes pledges to:
- Promote the fact it is an Armed Forces-friendly organisation.
- Strive to support the employment of Service spouses and partners.
- Endeavour to offer a degree of flexibility in granting leave for Service spouses and partners before, during and after a partner’s deployment.
- Seek to support employees who choose to be members of the Reserve Forces, including by accommodating their training and deployment where possible.
- Publicise its commitments through literature and on its website seeking feedback from the Service community and customers on how it is doing.
More than 2,500 UK organisations have now signed the Armed Forces Covenant.
The Covenant signing was organised by Highland Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association and attended – along with the signatories – by the organisation’s Regional Employer Engagement Director Ron Macgregor.
Ron said: “We very much value the commitment of East Dunbartonshire Council and are delighted that it has pledged support to the Armed Forces family. We are looking forward to working in partnership with them.”
The AFC signatories with members of the council and (right) Ron Macgregor of HRFCA.
