Key organisations sign renewed pledge

West Norfolk’s key anchor institutions united this month to reaffirm their dedication to supporting the armed forces community.In a significant show of solidarity, West Norfolk Council chief executive Lorraine Gore, Alice Webster, chief executive of Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and David Pomfret, principal of the College of West Anglia, put pen to paper at Lynn Town Hall to sign their respective organisations’ Armed Forces Covenant.The Armed Forces Covenant symbolises a pledge to ensure that those who serve or have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly and with the respect they deserve. The borough council reaffirmed its commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, reflecting its dedication to providing fair treatment for staff who serve or have served, and their families.

“West Norfolk has a proud history and relationship with the armed forces, including RAF Marham, which was granted Freedom of the Borough in 1981. With a significant number of serving personnel, veterans, and their families living and working in our borough, we remain committed to remembering the sacrifices made by the armed forces to protect us all.”Mrs Webster, echoed this sentiment: “Our hospital proudly honours the commitment to the armed forces community, a bond that runs deep in our values. Recognised as Veteran Aware and accredited Gold by the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, we stand with service personnel and their families — both as patients and as colleagues.“Through our support programmes, like the Armed Forces Covenant and Step Into Health, we create meaningful career opportunities and a welcoming environment. Our dedicated team, including Armed Forces Champions and a welfare officer, is here to offer unwavering support. Together, we celebrate and remember the courage and dedication of those who serve.” Mr Pomfret added: “It was a huge honour to become the first UK college to receive the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme gold award in 2019. Since then, we have maintained a close relationship with the armed forces community, which has been fostered due to the dedicated commitment of our staff, many of whom are ex-servicemen and women, reservists and our students, who often leave the college to become valued members of the armed forces.“I am delighted to re-sign the Armed Forces Covenant on behalf of the college, alongside our public sector strategic partners in King’s Lynn. We will continue to support, facilitate and help the armed forces in all that we do as an employer, and we very much value the numerous ways in which the armed forces contribute to the success of the college, too.”The covenant’s core principles recognise the unique obligations and sacrifices made by the armed forces.