Community Covenant
between
Representatives of Local
Government, the Public Sector, the Charitable and Voluntary
Sectors, Businesses, The Civilian Community of
Hertfordshire
and
The Armed Forces
Community in Hertfordshire
CONTENTS
PAGE 3
SECTION 1:
PARTICIPANTS
SECTION
2: PRINCIPLES OF THE ARMED FORCES COVENANT
SECTION
3: OBJECTIVES AND GENERAL INTENTIONS
PAGE 5
SECTION 4: HERTFORDSHIRE MEASURES
4.1
OUR PRINCIPLE
4.2
DEVELOPING THE
COVENANT
4.3
THE ARMED FORCES IN
HERTFORDSHIRE
4.4
CELEBRATING AND
HONOURING THE ARMED FORCES COMMUNITY
4.5
FAIR ACCESS TO SERVICES
4.6
HELPING THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED US
4.7
HOW WE WILL KEEP THIS COVENANT ALIVE
PAGE 8
SECTION 5: HERTFORDSHIRE PLEDGE SIGNING CEREMONY
PAGE 9
SECTION 6: SUPPORTERS OF THIS COVENANT
SECTION 1: PARTICIPANTS
1.1
This Armed Forces Community Covenant is made between:
The serving and former members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces and
their families working and residing in Hertfordshire
And
Representatives of Local Government, the Public Sector, the
Charitable and Voluntary Sectors, Businesses, and the Civilian
Community of Hertfordshire
1.2
This Covenant was formally launched
on 8 July 2012.
SECTION 2: PRINCIPLES OF THE ARMED FORCES COMMUNITY COVENANT
2.1 The Armed Forces
Community Covenant is a voluntary statement of mutual support
between a civilian community and its local Armed Forces Community.
It is intended to complement the Armed Forces Covenant, which
outlines the moral obligation between the Nation, the Government
and the Armed Forces, at the local level.
2.2 The purpose of this
Community Covenant is to encourage support for the Armed Forces
Community working and living in Hertfordshire and to recognise and
remember the sacrifices made by members of this Armed Forces
Community, particularly those who have given the most. This
includes in-Service and ex-Service personnel their families and
widow(er)s in Hertfordshire.
2.3 For Hertfordshire County
Council and partner organisations, the Community Covenant presents
an opportunity to bring their knowledge, experience and expertise
to bear on the provision of help and advice to members of the Armed
Forces Community.
2.4 For the Armed Forces
community, the Community Covenant encourages the integration of
Service life into civilian life and encourages members of the Armed
Forces community to help their local
community
SECTION 3: OBJECTIVES AND GENERAL INTENTIONS
Aims of the Community Covenant
3.1 The Armed Forces
Community Covenant complements the principles of the Armed Forces
Covenant which defines the enduring, general principles that should
govern the relationship between the Nation, the Government and the
Armed Forces community
3.2 It aims to encourage all
parties within a community to offer support to the local Armed
Forces community and make it easier for Service personnel, families
and veterans to access the help and support available from the MOD,
from statutory providers and from the Charitable and Voluntary
Sector. These organisations already work together in partnership at
local level.
3.3 The scheme
is intended to be a two-way arrangement and the Armed Forces
community are encouraged to do as much as they can to support their
community and promote activity which integrates the Service
community into civilian life.
Section 4: Hertfordshire Measures
The Hertfordshire Community Covenant
4.1 Our Principle
It is vital to recognise and celebrate what personnel serving in
Her Majesty's Armed Forces do for all of us. The sacrifice and
commitment made by our Armed Forces community means that we, as a
county, should ensure that no serving or retired or member of Her
Majesty's Armed Forces and veterans, nor their families should be
disadvantaged as a result of serving their country and should
receive fair and proper treatment in recognition of what they have
done for all of us.
This Community Covenant is a living document and will be
regularly revisited and updated.
4.2 Developing the Covenant
The development of Hertfordshire's Community Covenant has been a
truly countywide project - a reflection of the countywide support
of the principle behind it. On 13 December 2011 over twenty five
organisations from the public, private and charitable sectors came
together to sign a pledge to develop the Community Covenant and
have worked together since to identify ways to increase awareness
of the contribution made by the Armed Forces and to deliver
tangible results.
The" Hertfordshire Heroes" website will provide
information about the Hertfordshire Covenant's benefits and
entitlements in one single easily accessible place, which will
signpost to relevant organisations.
A copy of the pledge document and a list of supportive
organisations can be found at Section 5 below.
4.3 The Armed Forces in Hertfordshire
The Hertfordshire Community Covenant is intended to be a two way
arrangement between the Armed Forces Community and the civilian
community of Hertfordshire. The Armed Forces Community will
work with the community of Hertfordshire to
- promote an understanding and awareness amongst the public of
the Armed Forces Community, their unique role and issues affecting
the Armed Forces Community.
- to develop strong relationships with the local communities of
Hertfordshire
- support activities which help integrate the Armed Forces
Community into local life, which in itself will aid the civilian
community to develop a better understanding of the Armed
Forces.
This will be through involvement in community regeneration
projects, educational activities, sporting events and other forms
of engagement within the Hertfordshire community as well as
participation in events such as the Hertfordshire County Show,
Freedom Parades, Armed Forces Day celebrations and Remembrance
Services.
The Armed Forces Community within Hertfordshire can be defined
as Regular and Reserve service personnel and veterans from all
three Services, along with their immediate families, working and/
or residing in Hertfordshire. The county is home to a number
of military units, Service personnel and Service organisations that
represent the Armed Forces Community and who play an important role
in the Hertfordshire Community Covenant. These
include:
- Permanent Joint Headquarters, Northwood, which accommodates
over 2,000 service personnel from all three services.
- D Squadron of 254 Medical Regiment based at the TA Centre in
Hitchin.
- 3 Platoon of E Company, 3rd Battalion the Royal
Anglian Regiment based at Hertford.
These are supported by cadet organisations from all three
Services, and organisations such as the Royal British Legion, the
Royal Naval Association, the Army Benevolent Fund and the Royal Air
Force Association, all of which represent the interests of Military
veterans within Hertfordshire.
4.4 Celebrating and Honouring the Armed Forces Community
There are very few people in Hertfordshire who so readily risk
their lives to protect the country and its' residents. It is this
commitment that deserves to be recognised within this covenant and
therefore, in order to celebrate and honour the Armed Forces
Community…
- We willwork to do more toraise the public profileof
Hertfordshire's Armed Forces, including better informing the
community about what it is that the Armed Forces do.
- We willdevelop ways to facilitate and ease the transition of
those leaving the military, into the civilian community in
Hertfordshire.
- We willwork to improve provision of information and access to
public services
- We willwork to securediscountsfrom local businesses for Armed
Forces Personnel as a way of recognising what they have done for
all of us.
- We willmaintain this covenant on an ongoing basis, updating it
over time and will not see it as 'job done' when it is first
launched.
4.5 Fair access to services
Often, due to the transient nature of the work that the Armed
Forces do, military personnel can sometimes face hurdles when
trying to integrate into everyday community life. In these areas,
the Armed Forces want to be treated fairly and properly. In order
to ensure that access to services is promoted:
- We willwork towards ensuring that all serving or retired Armed
Forces personnel have appropriate access tosocial housing.
- We willwork towards ensuring that children from Armed Forces
families are not disadvantaged when applying forschool places,
specifically if moving to Hertfordshire mid way through an academic
year.
- We willwork with the NHS, GP's and others involved in care, to
raise awareness of specific issues facing Armed Forces personnel,
their families and veterans, and the support available, building on
the work of the Hertfordshire Military Personnel, their families
and Veterans Health and Wellbeing Forum
- We willwork to ensure a seamless transition to NHS care,
promoting the specific concerns and needs of Armed Forces
Personnel
4.6 Helping Those Who Have Helped Us
Thankfully, the vast majority of Armed Forces Personnel have no
additional needs or requirement of state services than any other
resident. However, sometimes, due to the work that they do or have
done, serving or retired Armed Forces personnel need a bit of extra
support. In recognition of the work they have done for all of us,
in order to help them when the need arises…
- We will develop the Hertfordshire Heroes brand and website,
signposting to Herts
Help as a one stop shop where serving or retired personnel can
find out about the financial and welfare help available for
them.
- We willensure that the advice and support is available to help
Military Personnel who are re-locating to Hertfordshire, to support
them in their transition from military to civilian life.
- We willseek to promote access to suitable employment and
training opportunities for those leaving active service, maximising
and building on their skills gained in military service.
4.7 How we will keep this Covenant alive
- Hertfordshire
Covenant Board: The covenant board will meet on a six monthly basis
to ensure that it is being updated where necessary and all
organisations are following through on the actions that they agreed
to.
Section 5 Pledge Signing document
On 13 December 2011, the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire,
senior representatives of Her Majesty's Armed Forces, the Royal
British Legion, Hertfordshire County Council, all ten of
Hertfordshire's district and borough councils, NHS Hertfordshire,
the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Job Centre Plus as
well as other key representatives from the private, public,
voluntary and charitable sectors assembled at County Hall in
Hertford to sign a pledge to develop the Hertfordshire Community
Covenant.
The aim of the signing ceremony was to kick start the process of
establishing the covenant between the Armed Forces and the
Hertfordshire community. Councillor Chris Hayward, Cabinet Member
for Localism and Chairman of the multi-agency executive steering
group charged with the developing the community covenant took the
opportunity at the ceremony to comment that "This is an important
way we can show our commitment to ensuring that those in the Armed
Forces are not disadvantaged as a result of the vital work that
they do for us."
Below are a few links to coverage of the ceremony:
v
Copy of signed pledge document
Section 6 - List of Covenant Supporters
Below is a list of the organisations currently committed to the
Community Covenant. If you would like your organisation included
please contact us at www.hertfordshireheroes.org
Hertfordshire County Council
Broxbourne Borough Council
Dacorum Borough Council
East Herts District Council
Hertsmere Borough Council
North Herts District Council
St AlbansCityand District Council
StevenageBorough Council
Three Rivers District Council
WatfordBorough Council
Welwyn Hatfield District Council
Hertfordshire LocalEnterprisePartnership
The Royal British Legion
Viewpoint
Hertfordshire Citizens Advice Bureaux
Hertfordshire Constabulary
Job Centre Plus
*all bus and coach companies that have signed up/bus and coach
operators group
Hertfordshire Probation Service
NHS Hertfordshire
Army
Navy
RAF
Northwood HQ
Cadets & Reservists from all units in the county
