West Norfolk institutions reaffirm commitment to Armed Forces Covenant

In a significant show of solidarity, Borough Council CEO Lorraine Gore, Alice Webster, CEO of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and David Pomfret, Principal of the College of West Anglia, came together at the Town Hall on Monday 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.

Lorraine Gore, Chief Executive of the Borough Council, expressed her pride in re-signing the Covenant on Monday, 2 September:

“Our council has been committed to this Covenant since 2013, and it is heartening to see partner organizations joining us to highlight their renewed dedication to the Armed Forces Covenant.

“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."

Alice Webster, Chief Executive Officer at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 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."

David Pomfret, Principal of the College of West Anglia, said:

“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 recognize the unique obligations and sacrifices made by the Armed Forces:

• No member of the Armed Forces community should face disadvantage in accessing public and commercial services compared to any other citizen.
• Special consideration may be appropriate in certain circumstances, especially for those who are injured or bereaved.