Gold status for district council for supporting Armed Forces community

With more than 10 per cent of North Kesteven's residents being veterans and three active RAF bases located within the district, support for the Armed Forces community is said to be deeply embedded in North Kesteven District Council's work.

The Ccouncil's recent Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award reflects not only its commitment as an employer, but its wider efforts to advocate for serving personnel, veterans, Reservists and military families across the district and beyond.

NKDC is among around 1,350 other organisations around the country to achieve Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold status, for going above and beyond for the Armed Forces community.

The ERS Gold Award is the Ministry of Defence’s highest recognition for organisations that demonstrate outstanding support for the armed forces community. In North Kesteven alone, there are 3,730 resident Military personnel (UK Regular Forces).

NKDC built on last year’s Silver Award through its advanced levels of advocacy for its Armed Forces community and the ways through which it supports other councils and partners to step up too.

The council hosts Lincolnshire’s dedicated Armed Force Covenant Officer, supporting Covenant signings, promoting ERS, mentoring organisations, engaging with all three local RAF bases, strengthening Armed Forces policies and embedding support across the Council.

A new approach in community engagement for members of the broader Armed Forces family was also pioneered by North Hykeham Town Council this year. In a first of it’s kind for Lincolnshire, the new Armed Forces Community Hub works as a ‘hub and spoke’ network, providing a central point of contact for information, guidance, local services and community connections to support serving personnel, veterans, residents and military families.

The council also holds significant events, including the Celebration of Military Service within Armed Forces Week. A dozen Lincolnshire veterans, whose service collectively spanned more than 200 years, were among the Armed Forces personnel thanked for their contributions this year and, over more than two decades, hundreds of service veterans have been celebrated through the award of their Veteran’s Badges.

The Gold Award continues to celebrate employers that go beyond their Armed Forces Covenant commitments by embedding forces-friendly policies, advocating for defence and creating inclusive workplaces. NKDC has demonstrated that it does the following:

provide at least 10 days' additional paid leave for Reservists each year;
have supportive HR policies for reservists, service families, veterans and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers;
actively promote the Armed Forces Covenant and encourage others to support defence;
demonstrate long-term, proactive commitment that exceeds the scheme's baseline requirements;

Councillor Richard Wright, Leader of North Kesteven District Council, who himself is a veteran of 13 years’ service with the RAF, said: “This award reflects the work taking place every day across the council and with our partners to ensure veterans, serving personnel, Reservists and military families are recognised, supported and able to thrive.

“Like a golden thread that runs through and connects everything we do, we aim to make sure that our support for the Armed Forces is weaved through all aspects of our organisation.

“Gold status acknowledges not only how we support our own staff, but how we champion the Armed Forces community across North Kesteven and Lincolnshire as a whole.

“As a Gold Award holder, NKDC will now help encourage other organisations to strengthen their support for the Armed Forces Community and the Armed Forces Covenant.”

Chief Executive Kath Marriott added that “support for the covenant and the Employer Recognition Scheme is hugely important to us”.

Mark Simpson, Defence Relationship Manager for Lincolnshire, said: “Achieving the Gold Award is no easy feat. Organisations have to progress from simply pledging support for our Defence Community to evidencing how they live and breathe those commitments, with real-world examples.”