Wrekin receives silver award for supporting defence personnel
The Wrekin Housing Group has been given a Silver Award by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for its Defence Employer Recognition Scheme which encourages employers to support defence and inspire others to do the same.
The scheme includes Bronze, Silver and Gold awards for employer organisations that pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to defence personnel and the armed forces community, and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant.
Wrekin, who provide affordable homes for 28,000 people across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Staffordshire, is a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant showing its commitment to support the active and retired armed forces community.
Wrekin extended the work it had done to achieve its Bronze Award and applied in earlier year for the Silver Award
Wrekin’s recent work includes:
- Working to understand which staff members are former or current member of the armed forces (including reservists) to ensure it is meeting its responsibilities;
- Promoting the Armed Forces Covenant on its website to demonstrate its commitment and to provide signposting information;
- Marking and celebrating Armed Forces Week each year;
- Ensuring the leave and other policies adequately recognise and support reservists;
- Promoting the commitment to the covenant internally to staff;
- Actively seeking ways to ask those with relevant backgrounds (including reservists) to share their experiences and wider learning to extend understanding of its commitment to the covenant.
Other work to support the Armed Forces Covenant includes:
- Mentioning the Wrekin’s commitment to armed forces family members in recruitment materials
- Encouraging partners to embrace the Armed Forces Covenant, recognising that it is beneficial for all;
- Working with clients and supply chain partners to offer job and training opportunities to people with a connection to the Armed Forces
- Supporting the employment of veterans, recognising military skills and qualifications in our recruitment and selection process;
- Supporting the employment of Service spouses and partners;
Nick Grubb, Head of Housing at The Wrekin Housing Group said:
“We’re proud of the work we are doing to support the Armed Forces Covenant and we recognise the importance of supporting serving personnel, veterans, families and all members of the armed forces community.
“The Wrekin Housing Group is proud to support the UK's military community and by re-signing the covenant, we have pledged our commitment to its principles. It is important to us that we continue our Silver Award status in the ERS as well as looking at what more we can do to achieve the gold award.”
Matt Dudley is an Armed Forces Veteran who works with Wrekin a Advance Craft Painter & Decorator. Wrekin supports him by granting him extra leave to undertake his reservist training with The Royal Shropshire Yeomanry
Matt said:
“I think it’s great that Wrekin support’s veterans in this way.
“Going forward, I would really like to see them obtain the gold standard with the Armed Forces Covenant. This would be truly amazing and really show their support for veterans and reservists.”
28th June 2023