Avery Healthcare
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 Avery Healthcare 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 Avery Healthcare 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:
- UK Reservists
- UK Cadets
We also pledge the following:
• Promoting the Armed Forces: We pledge to organise, facilitate, promote and/or take part in remembrance and other ceremonial activities.
• Employment support to members of the Armed Forces Community: We pledge to offer additional unpaid annual leave to Cadet Force Adult Volunteers to help them carry out their training requirement and unpaid leave for Reservists in order for them to carry out their duties.
• Communications, engagement and outreach: We pledge to provide and promote training and elearning for our staff on the Armed Forces Community.
• Commercial: We pledge to ensure that the Armed Forces Community has fair access to our services and is not put at a disadvantage by their service.
• Health: We pledge to ensure available dedicated healthcare services for members of the Armed Forces Community are signposted and promoted.
• Housing: We pledge to promote awareness of housing and homelessness services among the Armed Forces Community.
• Education: We pledge to support and promote the wellbeing of service children of staff members, recognising the particular experiences and challenges they may face.
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.