Essex County Council has raised the flag of the UK armed forces at County Hall to mark Armed Forces Week.
The flag was raised at a special ceremony this morning led by Councillor Jill Reeves, Chairman of Essex County Council.
Councillor Reeves said: “It is important to recognise the vital and responsible role the men and women of the Armed Forces have in keeping all of us safe, particularly at this time when a terrible war is taking place in Europe right now.
“Essex has a long and proud association with the armed forces and at Essex County Council we’re committed to supporting both serving and veteran armed forces personnel, as well as their families.”
Councillor Derrick Louis, Essex County Council's Armed Forces Champion, said: “This week is Armed Forces Week, which includes National Reserves Day on Wednesday and culminates in National Armed Forces Day on Saturday 24 June.
“I served my country in the British Army for over 30 years, so supporting Essex’s serving and ex-service personnel is very important to me personally. I am proud of the council’s work in this area as I know how much of a difference it can make to individuals and families.
“We are not just mindful of those who have completed their military service, we recognise the vital work of all current serving armed forces staff. The British Army is currently deployed around the world, in Cyprus, in Africa, in the South Atlantic, and significantly as part of the enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland giving their strength to Euro-Atlantic security.
“We respect the Royal Navy ships currently on patrol in the seas of the Middle East and the Royal Navy submarines carrying the UK’s independent nuclear deterrent. We also pay tribute to the Royal Air Force, deployed around the world, protecting the UK with a rapid reaction force and working with civilian partners for duties such as air/sea rescue.”
Essex County Council works with partners and military representatives to identify and tackle issues, challenges and disadvantages affecting the lives of armed forces personnel, veterans and their families. These challenges and disadvantages include:
- mental health
- physical health
- housing
- employment issues
The council has also been a strong advocate for companies and organisations to sign the Armed Forces Covenant, a pledge to treat the armed forces community fairly.
Last year, the council was awarded the Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award by the Ministry of Defence for its support for the armed forces community and we aim to maintain that support.
Find out how armed forces and veterans are supported in Essex.