As part of our work to strengthen our organisation’s commitment to the care and support of armed forces personnel, veterans and their families, this week our Chief Executive, Joe Chadwick-Bell, signed the Armed Forces Covenant.
Joe Chadwick-Bell, Chief Executive signing the Armed Forces Covenant
The Armed Forces Covenant is a pledge, made by organisations across the country including NHS organisations, to actively ensure that past and currently serving armed forces personnel and their loved ones are not in any way disadvantaged because of their service. As an organisation that has signed the Armed Forces Covenant, we have committed to ensuring that those who have served, as well as those who continue to serve in the armed forces reserves, are fully supported in joining and working at the trust.
Provisions of the Covenant include the commitment to provide additional time off for reservists working at the trust; ensuring that the skills of former forces personnel are fully recognised during our recruitment processes; support for families of service personnel when their family member is deployed; and wider support for the armed forces as well as armed forces organisations and charities.
Signing the Armed Forces Covenant is the latest step by the trust in developing our support for veterans and armed forces personnel. In August this year, we launched our Veterans Awareness Working Group, bringing together colleagues from across the trust who have links to and interest in the armed forces to look at how we ensure the trust fully supports the armed forces community – as both an employer and a provider of care.
Finally, to mark Remembrance Day this year, the trust chaplaincy team will be holding Remembrance Day services this Sunday (12 November). If you would like to attend to remember someone special to you, or to remember the sacrifices of all of our servicemen and women, the services are being held in the Conquest Chapel at 10.45am and in the Eastbourne Chapel at 3pm. All are welcome.