Sunderland Association Football Club Ltd & Foundation of Light
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-10)

We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.

The Armed Forces Covenant

An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families

The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.

Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.

This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.

Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant

1.1 We Sunderland Association Football Club Ltd & Foundation of Light will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment

2.1 Sunderland Association Football Club Ltd & Foundation of Light recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- Armed Forces Friendly
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Reservists
- Armed Forces Day
- Armed Forces Charities
We also pledge the following:

-Employing, engaging and aiding all armed forces personnel and helping their families who serve alongside individuals.. This will be done by working in partnerships with a range of armed forces, forces-friendly businesses and military charity organisations -Working with the CTP in order to establish a tailored employment pathway for service leavers, with opportunities created within the Foundation of Light’s employ-ability programmes and Sunderland AFC -Accommodating reservists mandatory training and deployment obligations where possible -Provide support and signposting service to armed forces personnel and veterans who face mental health challenges through Foundation of Light’s mental health programmes. This includes working with the NHS and other partners to support veterans with complex mental health needs -Continuing our long-standing commitment to ‘tickets for troops’, the organisation that provides free tickets to members of the armed forces -Continue to grow our Remembrance day activity, including live march, guard of honour, wearing of poppy logo on shirts. Collect, sign and auction all match-worn shirts in aid of royal British legion, and support local veterans with inclusive activity within main match day itinerary -Continue to educate Sunderland AFC and foundation of light youth teams, with inclusive learning programmes on military history -Work with the armed forces football associations to support the development of football within the services by hosting football matches of training facilities at the stadium of light, academy of light or Beacon of light, where possible -Offer continued marketing and communications support to armed forces activity, using extensive resources in both organisations to raise awareness of armed forces activities, including but exclusive to armed forces day, remembrance day, armed forces football matches and broader armed forces recruitment in Sunderland, South Tyneside and Durham

2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.