Four NE RFCA Employers presented with Gold Awards and one has their Gold Award revalidated.
In recognition of their amazing support to the Armed Forces, 4 north east employers received ERS Gold Awards and one other had their Gold Award - originally presented in 2016 - revalidated. A grand occasion, set in the spectacular location of Edinburgh Castle, everyone involved agreed it was an evening to remember.
The 4 new Golds are:
Veterans in Crisis Sunderland (VICS)
Founded in 2013 by their Chief Executive, who himself experienced PTSD from his Army service, Veterans In Crisis Sunderland have built a network across Sunderland of sympathetic employers keen to help all veterans into work and an excellent partnership with a local training organisation who understand the needs of the veterans VICS supports.
NHS Business Services Authority (BSA)
Building on their Silver Award in 2020 and the creation of an internal Armed Forces Network that connects military and non-military staff, NHS Business Services Authority have been the driving force behind the newly established North East Armed Forces Veteran Support Partnership alongside other ERS-winning organisations.
Middlesbrough Council
Middlesbrough Council signed their Community Covenant in 2012, gained their ERS Silver Award in 2016 and renewed their commitment in 2020. Throughout the pandemic Middlesbrough Council strengthened their internal communication with an online training package to better inform their front-line staff of the challenges Veterans face, and have continued, now virtually, their AF Partnership Working Group to enable effective communication of Defence People issues.
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council signed the Community Covenant in 2012, achieved ERS Silver in 2016 and Gold in 2021, and along the way replaced an obsolete Strategic Needs Assessment of Veteran’s Health policy with the North East Armed Forces Health Network that is now adopted by other councils as best practice.
And our revalidated company
TA Plastics.
Amongst the first three SMEs to achieve ERS Gold in 2016, TA Plastics is an Employer with over 40 years of support to the AF community and, as a founder member of NE RFCA’s REEG, they have been the voice for small businesses in the region. Their MD was a significant contributor to the 2013 Reserves Green Paper consultation, the catalyst for DRM’s formation in 2015, and also provided valuable insight in the ‘Employer Experience’ for a research project undertaken at Lancaster University by an AF Focus Group. The Company supports Veterans in Crisis Sunderland on a number of employment pathway projects and has assisted with their 2021 Gold application. As an aside, they also make customised, enamel poppy pin badges, which have raised over £6000.
