South Gloucestershire Council has received the silver award through the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS), recognising its commitment to supporting the Armed Forces Community.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed the council’s achievement on 16 June, in recognition of going above and beyond to protect and support South Gloucestershire’s Armed Forces Community.
The award was welcomed during the council’s June cabinet meeting where a new Armed Forces Covenant action plan was approved, which will provide further help for veterans, serving officers and their families in areas including health, housing, education and employment.
The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme is designed to acknowledge employers that provide exceptional support to the Armed Forces Community and Defence by going above and beyond their Covenant pledges. The scheme supports the council in scrutinising its own practice against nationally recognised best practice, and challenges continuous improvement and development. It also helps the council demonstrate to the public – especially the Armed Forces Community – its commitment to excellence in its employment practices.
The council’s Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Alison Evans, said “As a council, we are committed to supporting the Armed Forces Community and I’m delighted that we’ve received this recognition, which builds on the bronze award we achieved in October 2024. The award acknowledges our employment practices as well as our proactive support to the wider Armed Forces Community in South Gloucestershire.
“We have agreed to continue funding the South Gloucestershire Veterans Support Service which is delivered by SSAFA and AssistPlus and we continue to work closely with partner organisations and local authorities across the south west. We are proud to be a Forces friendly employer and I encourage businesses of all sizes to consider the proven business benefits of hiring veterans.”
The council also recently marked Armed Forces Day 2025 in South Gloucestershire where councillors and officers joined representatives from the Armed Forces Community and other organisations for a flag raising ceremony to mark the occasion and pay tribute to past and current serving officers, as well as the whole Armed Forces Community.
South Gloucestershire’s official Armed Forces Day Event took place in Page Park, Staple Hill on Saturday 21 June https://www.southglosafd.com/
Find out more about the council’s support for the Armed Forces Community by visiting https://beta.southglos.gov.uk/support-for-armed-forces/
