Bracknell Forest Council
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 Bracknell Forest Council 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 Bracknell Forest Council 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 Reservists
- Armed Forces Charities
We also pledge the following:

Ensuring that the Armed Forces Community has fair access to services and is not put at a disad-vantage by their service. Appointing an Armed Forces Member Champion to promote support for the Armed Forces commu-nity. Our continuing commitment to the Bracknell Forest CiVilian Military Partnership and action planes-tablished jointly with The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where we engage with a range of local stakeholders to monitor the pledges within this covenant and matters of local military wellbeing. Promoting the Armed Forces Covenant, the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, and our sup-port for the Armed Forces Community to colleagues, service users, supply chains, local employers and the wider public. Promoting the fact that we are an Armed Forces-friendly Council. Building a defence-friendly workforce and offer our Reservists 5 days paid leave. Ensuring our staff are aware of the Armed Forces Covenant and Armed Forces Act 2021 to pay due regard to the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant to better identify and serve mem-bers of the Armed Forces Community. Through the Bracknell Forest Civil-Military Partnership, working with our partners to support the employment of Service Spouses & Partners and encourage local businesses to support their em-ployment. Promoting and support Armed Forces Charities, signposting service users who are members of the Armed Forces Community to available support, in the third sector, other statutory organisations and healthcare services.

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.