Armed Forces Covenant for Derbyshire
On 20 May 2024 we re-signed the Armed Forces Covenant for Derbyshire which pledges our commitment and support to the Armed Forces Community.
NEDDC Armed Forces Community Action Plan
Our Action Plan is a living document and can be found here: NEDDC Armed Forces Community Action Plan (.pdf | 809kb).
Supporting the Covenant
Identifying support needs
The Council has worked with a range of local partners to look at the provision, co-ordination and promotion of services to current and veteran armed forces personnel, particularly on issues including physical and mental health and wellbeing, employment and financial inclusion. This will help frontline officers to signpost veterans to a range of available support and identify other opportunities for veterans which could be offered by departments.
We are proud to commit to the Armed Forces Covenant for Derbyshire, recognising the efforts made by our Armed Forces Community:
- those currently in service (including new recruits and reservists)
- people of working age who have left the Armed Forces
- those who have performed National Service
- veterans beyond retirement age
- cadet organisations
- the dependents of these groups
- Armed Forces Charities
We work with other local authorities, charities and services providers through the Derbyshire Armed Forces Covenant Partnership to develop the provision and promotion of local services for our Armed Forces Community, whether through improving our existing offer or creating new projects and ways of working.
How local businesses can support the Armed Forces Community
Businesses can support the AFC in the district by signing the Armed Forces Covenant. Templates, advice and support are available on the Armed Forces Covenant website.
Please
We can also help advise you on how to make your Covenant pledge by using the email above or telephone: 01246 217630.
Supporting the community
For the past 4 years we have included flyers in our Council Tax letters to all households in the district, giving information about the support we and other organisations can offer. As a result of this we have supported Armed Forces Community residents to access help and support with day to day living, including visits resulting in:
- Referrals to Citizens Advice
- Referrals for Disabled Facilities Grants via Occupational Therapists
- New boilers via the Warm Homes Fund
- Advice provided to residents on Trusted Traders and specific advice on damp and mould.
Examples of support
Two former army pals have joined forces to help an ex-soldier find a new home. Richard Dixon, Housing Options Officer (Homelessness Prevention), worked with Matthew Ellmer, Regimental Casualty Officer for the Grenadier Guards, to help a fellow Guardsman find a house after he was threatened with homelessness. Richard and Matthew both joined the Grenadier Guards, the infantry regiment of the Army, in 1984 before they were posted to different battalions, but it was only when Richard was interviewing the soldier about his predicament that he found out he knew the army officer helping him. The soldier who suffers with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was offered temporary accommodation and shortly afterwards was found a permanent council house. This case shows that by working in partnership with support services we can achieve positive outcomes for our ex-forces residents.
The elderly wife of a veteran contacted the Armed Forces Community Support Team to enquire about support for herself who is registered blind and her husband who has mobility issues. A referral was completed and sent to Elizabeth Gaunt, Veterans Champion, who then contacted a number of armed forces charities to enquire about what support they could offer. Within a short time, the couple were provided with much needed items to help aid mobility in the home and for equipment to support the couple to continue volunteering, which was important to their wellbeing. By all working together effectively, the best interests of the residents were met and their quality of living improved significantly.
Register for information and updates
If you are from the Armed Forces Community and would like to be consulted about your support needs or sign-up for information, please register on our database by sending your full name, postal address including postcode, email address and telephone number to:
Covenant Fund
The Covenant Fund grants up to £10 million per annum to community projects that are mutually beneficial to the Armed Forces community and the civilian community.
It is managed by The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust who also run wider funding programmes that support the Armed Forces Community.
Defence Employer Recognition Scheme
We have achieved the Gold Award under the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme which acknowledges employers who have provided exceptional support to the Armed Forces Community and defence by going above and beyond their covenant pledges.
Cllr Martin Thacker MBE, Armed Forces Champion, Cllr Diane Ruff, Chair of the Council and Steven Lee, Assistant Director of Regeneration and Programmes attended the Royal British Legion County Certificate Presentation to represent the Council at the RBL Mickleover Club in February 2023.
They joined The Vice Lord Lieutenant, Colonel John Samuel Wilson OBE DL and Philip Skawski, RBL County Chairman Derbyshire at the event where the representatives were presented with a County Certificate of Appreciation to say thank you for the work the Council have completed with The Vice Lord and Bruce Spencer, Regional Director of Employment Engagement (MOD), which greatly assisted in helping service leavers to integrate into the County and find worthwhile and fulfilling employment.
Pictured: Cllr Thacker MBE / Cllr Ruff / Bruce Spencer