The News
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 News 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 News 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 Service Spouses And Partners
- UK Reservists
- Armed Forces Day
- Armed Forces Charities
We also pledge the following:

Promoting the Armed Forces I: we are committed to proactively promoting the fantastic work of our service men and women through the articles we create for our website, newspaper and social channels. We are proud to be the one remaining regional paper which still holds a post of defence correspondent whose job is to write stories on the forces to share with our readers. Promoting the Armed Forces II: promoting the fact that we are an Armed Forces-friendly organisation, to our staff, customers, suppliers, contractors and wider public. Working with veterans: we are also committed to covering the work of our local armed forces charities and support groups and campaign on issues which effect our local veterans. Veterans in work: we will support the employment of veterans, recognising military skills and qualifications in our recruitment and selection process, although the opportunities to do this may be limited. We have in the past offered vocational opportunities to veterans and serving personnel, this included taking part in the Open University’s Disabled Veterans Scholarship Fund, Service Spouses & Partners: we will support the employment of Service spouses and partners, whenever opportunities arise although, again, due to primary need to employ trained journalists this may be limited. We will partner with the Forces Families Jobs Forum where applicable. Reserves: we will support our employees who are members of the Reserve Forces and currently do have one member of staff who is a reserve with 295 Battery, Royal Artillery in Portsmouth. National Events: we are happy to support and promote all events linked to the forces such as Armed Forces Day, Reserves Day, the Poppy Appeal Day and Remembrance activities

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.