West Suffolk Armed Forces Covenant

West Suffolk Council has proud connections with its local UK Armed Forces community, whether it be regular, reserve or veterans and families and cadets. Affiliations with the UK Armed Forces are established through Freedom of the Town or Borough and include: 

• Royal Navy: HMS Vengeance
• British Army: 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment
• British Army: 3rd Regiment Army Air Corps
• British Army: RAF Honington 

West Suffolk Council is a member of the Armed Forces Covenant. This enduring pledge is based upon the three principles of the UK Armed Forces Covenant in that:

• we recognise the unique obligations of, and sacrifices made by, the UK Armed Forces
• it is desirable to remove disadvantages arising for service people from membership, or former membership, of the UK Armed Forces
• special provision for service people may be justified by the effect on such people of membership, or former membership, of the UK Armed Forces.

We deliver this pledge through our appointed Armed Forces Champions, active participation on the Suffolk Armed Forces Covenant Board and engagement with local units, groups, communities and partnership working with other public bodies.

The Armed Forces Act (2021) places ‘due regard’ around certain education, healthcare and housing services in order to better ensure consistency across the UK that the UK Armed Forces Covenant principles may be considered and applied.

For contacts, reports and information on community and welfare support, employment support and health and wellbeing services that can support the local Armed Forces community, a series of webpages has been created at Suffolk Armed Forces – Community Covenant