Armed Forces Community Covenant signed in Catterick

Representatives for each service and local council members at the Catterick Garrison leisure centre
[Picture: Corporal Gary Kendall RLC, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010]

An Armed Forces Community Covenant, a voluntary statement of mutual support between a civilian community and its local Armed Forces community, was signed at Catterick Garrison on Friday.

The Community Covenant initiative was one of the key measures in the Armed Forces Covenant published in May 2011, which outlined the moral obligation between the Nation, the Government and the Armed Forces, and aims to improve support to the Armed Forces Community (which includes serving personnel, their families and veterans).

Community Covenants have already been launched in Oxfordshire, the Vale of Glamorgan and Hampshire, and one is due to be launched in Portsmouth soon.

The aims of the Community Covenant include:

• to encourage local communities to support the Armed Forces Community in their areas, and vice versa;
• to promote understanding and awareness amongst the public of issues affecting the Armed Forces Community;
• to recognise and remember the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces Community; and
• to encourage activities which help to integrate the Armed Forces Community into local life.