Wed, 11 July 2012
Stronger links between the borough’s military, community and council were reaffirmed on monday 9 July when representatives from all the agencies came together to sign the Armed Forces Community Covenant. It also marked the inaugural meeting of Hounslow’s first Community Military Partnership Board.
The aim of the Community Covenant is to encourage local communities to support the Service community in their area and promote understanding and awareness about issues affecting the Armed Forces community in their area.
It will also provide a means for local groups and charities to apply for Ministry of Defence funding for initiatives that support the Armed Forces via the Community Military Partnership Board.
The signing ceremony included a minute’s silence in honour of Guardsman Craig Andrew Roderick and Guardsman Apete Saunikalou Ratumaiyale Tuisovurua of the 1st Battalion the Welsh Guards, based at Hounslow Barracks, and Warrant Officer Leonard Perran Thomas of the Royal Corps of Signals, who lost their lives while serving in Afghanistan last week.
Cllr Sachin Gupta, Hounslow’s cabinet member for communications and communities, said: “The Armed Forces and London Borough of Hounslow have a long and enduring history of support and collaboration, with the permanent barracks established here in 1793.
“For the council and partner organisations, the Community Covenant presents an opportunity to bring our combined knowledge, experience and expertise together to provide help and advice to members of the Armed Forces Community.
“I am delighted that today’s signing of the Covenant demonstrates our commitment to continuing our collaboration and looking at how we can work more closely in the future.”
Colonel Hugh Bodington, Chief of Staff, London District, said: “I would like to thank the Borough for their support to date and in particular for their ongoing support to 1st Battalion Welsh Guards based at Cavalry Barracks, Hounslow.
“The Armed Forces Community Covenant that we are signing today is a formal milestone in our relationship of mutual support, which notably attracts funding for those groups or individuals that initiate support for the Armed Forces.
“We in the Armed Forces, through the requirement to serve worldwide and frequently moving home, seek your particular support to ensure that we may experience fair access to housing, health and educational services as we transfer into the Borough.
“There are of course many other ways to support the Armed Forces and there are ways in which the Armed Forces are able to be integrated to and support the Community. Today represents an opportunity for us all to explore new ways of providing that mutual support, especially with 1st Battalion Welsh Guards so courageously representing this nation in Helmand Province today.”