The Ulysses Trust
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 The Ulysses Trust 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 The Ulysses Trust 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
- UK Cadets
We also pledge the following:

Supporting Reserves, and Cadets: The Ulysses Trust provides financial assistance, encouragement, and guidance to support challenging expeditions and adventurous activities planned and undertaken by the UKs Volunteer Reserve and Cadet Forces. These challenging adventurous activities have a proven positive impact on individual development, unit morale, and social mobility - they are not funded by the public purse. Since 1992 we have extended grants totalling over £4 million to support over 44,000 young people participating in over 3,100 expeditions. As well as developing participants personal skills and character, other outcomes align with the Government’s Social Value Model, tackling mental health and wellbeing, economic inequality, climate change, equal opportunity and COVID-19 recovery. As an example, in 2024 we awarded grants to 105 units to undertake expeditions across the UK and overseas. This benefitted 1,491 cadets and adult volunteers (including 83 veterans), 442 Officer Cadets and 223 Reservists. The total amount of grants awarded was £311,351. Our grants support units across the UK. In 2024 we awarded £36,866 in the SE RFCA region alone, to support 215 participants (cadets, adult volunteers, veterans, Officer Cadets and reservists) to take part in 13 unique expeditions. Veterans: The Ulysses Trust supports and prioritises the employment of veterans, recognising military skills and qualifications are an important part of the preferred KSE-B for our staff. Currently two of our staff are veterans, including the CEO. 2.2 We promote these activities on social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn @UlyssesTrust) via our biannual newsletter and Annual Impact Report, our website (www.ulyssetrsut.co.uk) + attending many events across the UK to highlight the benefits of expeditions to individuals in the Reserve and Cadet Forces as well as benefitting society at large.

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.