Following the award of the prestigious Gold Award in the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) in July, Jenny Darwood, our Director of People, officially accepted the honour on behalf of the Trust at a ceremony held at the Army Flying Museum in Middle Wallop.
It was presented by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, Nigel Atkinson.
This achievement marks our progression from Bronze in January 2024 and Silver in September 2024, culminating in our new status as a leading advocate for the Armed Forces Community.
This accolade is a testament to all the hard work, commitment and dedication across our teams to support the Armed Forces community – veterans, reservists, military families, and service leavers. It also signals to our partners and the public that we are a trusted, caring and inclusive organisation. If you’d like to see more from the evening, you can view the South East RFCA’s 2025 Gold Awards gallery here: ERS Gold Awards 2025 Gallery
A huge thank you to everyone involved, from our Armed Forces Steering Group, Armed Forces Champions and to everyone who has supported this journey. This is a milestone, but our work continues.