Reaffirming our Armed Forces Covenant commitment

March 23, 2022
Alison Phillips, signing the Armed Forces Covenant, watched by
Alison Phillips, Operations Manager, Cumbria CVS, and Lieutenant Colonel NT Kennon, Commanding Officer 4th Bn The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment. (Image courtesy of Jenny Woolgar.)

Cumbria CVS reaffirmed its commitment to the armed forces by re-signing the Armed Forces Covenant earlier this month. At an event hosted by Carlisle City Council, a range of organisations and businesses joined the signing to demonstrate their support.

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation ensuring that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly. An organisation can make their own commitment by signing the covenant with their own pledges.

Carlisle City Cllr Elizabeth Mallinson, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Health and Wellbeing and Armed Forces Member Champion welcomed attendees to the event at the Civic Centre on 7 March, including our Operations Manager, Alison Phillips.

Group photo of all signees at the event
All attendees at the Covenant signing. (Image courtesy of Jenny Woolgar.)

The event also marked the launch of Forces Link CIC. The project was supported by us for a number of years, with Richie Hinson developing the role, and in the last 7 months Lucy Lamb delivering a range of activities with and for ex-forces personnel and their families.

The project has now become its own Community Interest Company, enabling it to be an organisation run by and for ex-service personnel. The new Forces Link CIC will continue to work with us as a partner and has already been successful in gaining £60k from the Veterans’ Places, Pathways and People programme for a 2-year project to develop supportive hubs across north Cumbria. A further £4k has also been provided by Cumbria County Council to develop and deliver awareness-raising training in Carlisle.

 

Photo above, left to right:

  • Antonette Cullen, HR Manager, Clark Door Limited
  • Sarah McGrath, Principal, Carlisle College
  • Lizzie McGaffin, Forces Liaison Officer, William Howard School
  • Alison Phillips, Operations Manager, Cumbria CVS
  • Lieutenant Colonel NT Kennon, Commanding Officer 4th Bn The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment
  • Carlisle City Cllr Elizabeth Mallinson, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Health and Wellbeing and Armed Forces Member Champion
  • Emma Porter, Managing Director, Story Contracting Lucy Lamb, Forces Link Project Officer, Forces Link
  • Mark Lambert, Director of Governance and Regulatory Services, Armed Forces Champion