ISSUE 4 | 2016 - 2017 ANNUAL UPDATE OF ’s armed forces covenant

Supporting Wrexham’s Armed Forces Community This is Wrexham’s fourth Annual Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) update, sharing the work that’s been undertaken between April 2016 and March 2017 to support serving personnel, veterans and their families.

Counting heroes locally & nationally

In July, Wrexham’s Armed Forces Community Forces Community to plug that data gap Covenant (AFCC) Working Group pledged its and “Be counted, and tell us what counts” support to the Royal British Legion’s “Count by completing a local survey. 188 people them in” campaign. This campaign seeks to responded with answers to questions aimed improve the data pertaining to the Armed at establishing the size and make-up of Forces Community by introducing additional Wrexham’s Armed Forces Community, and questions to the UK census. Owing to a lack of where partners working together to ensure data, particularly on a local level, the Armed the fair treatment of serving personnel and Forces Community is not served as well as it veterans should concentrate their efforts. could be because the scale of need cannot be Results of the survey will be analysed and evidenced in, for example, bids for funding and used to, for example, inform forward work planning for accommodation. programmes and strengthen funding bids for projects that benefit the Armed Forces From November through to March, the working Community in Wrexham. group invited members of Wrexham’s Armed WREXHAM’S ARMED FORCES COVENANT

Wrexham’s Armed Forces Community Covenant featured in best practice guides

In September, Wrexham Council hosted researchers completing a study supported by the Ministry of Defence, and commissioned by The Forces in Mind Trust and the Local Government Association.

The study, aimed at improving and instilling skills, and Wrexham County Council’s consistency in the local delivery of Armed subscriber service allowing internet users to Forces Covenants, culminated in a publication decide which topics they receive updates about. entitled “Our Community – Our Covenant”, available from the UK Government’s Armed In March, ”Wrexham County Borough Council: Forces Covenant website. Wrexham is cited the covenant in action” was published in the in examples of good practice in Housing, Local Authority Section of the Armed Forces Employment, and Engaging Veterans, owing Covenant website, referencing all the great to our Veterans’ Self-Build Project, Remploy’s work that has been undertaken since partners work to help veterans’ identify transferable signed the covenant in April 2013.

Success at the Armed Forces in Awards

Helen Odunaiya, Wrexham Council’s lead officer for Partnerships, received the Armed Forces in Wales “Covenant Award” at a ceremony held at Cardiff City Stadium in December.

Cabinet Secretary Carl Sergeant presented the accolade to Helen who was recognised by the judging panel for the instrumental part she played in establishing the strong and professional network that is Wrexham’s Armed Forces Community Covenant Working Group, and for her determination in bringing veterans’ housing projects to fruition. Honouring our Veterans, Preserving Their Memories

A campaign to raise the money needed to preserve standards representing four local veterans’ associations reached its target in June.

Our veterans feel a great sense of comfort and relief knowing that their legacy and that of their fallen comrades is safeguarded, and they are immensely proud and humbled that the Wrexham Community responded The Burma Star, Eighth Army and Korean so generously, raising almost £12,000. Veterans’ Standards will be delivered to the Conservation Studio at the People’s History The Mayor hosted a reception for all those Museum in Manchester and, once preserved, involved in fundraising activities, amongst will be displayed in the Council Chamber them veterans, and young people from local at the Guildhall. The Normandy Veterans’ detachments of the Clwyd and Gwynedd Army Standard will join the collection once the last Cadet Force. man standing has passed, and it has played its final part in a guard of honour.

Hightown Barracks In December, Secretary of State for Defence close Hightown barracks, Leader of Wrexham Sir Michael Fallon issued the statement on Council Councillor Mark Pritchard, and the Strategic Defence & Security Review – Armed Forces Champion Councillor David Army. The review could see Unit 101 Battalion Griffiths have launched a petition in support REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical of their endeavours to gain assurances that Engineers) relocate from Hightown Barracks the potential relocation of 101 REME will not to . Whilst Ministers confirmed in trigger the gradual depletion of an Armed February that there are no current plans to Forces presence in Wrexham. WREXHAM’S ARMED FORCES COVENANT Poppy Appeal 2016

2016 marked Kevin Forbes’s last Poppy Appeal after eleven years as the Royal British Legion’s Community Fundraiser for North Wales. An impressive £110,571.75 was raised in Wrexham, 20 percent of the North Wales overall total of £561,000.

Kevin has passed the reins over to Andy Green who is looking forward to meeting all those who support the RBL’s fundraising efforts, and to recruiting new volunteers. Andy can be contacted by phone on 07920 387 594, and email [email protected]

The council arranges a public health funeral Changes to Public Health whenever no suitable arrangements are made Funeral Policy for someone who dies in Wrexham. Policy changes will ensure that, where it is believed The Council has further affirmed its the deceased may have served in the Armed commitment to Wrexham’s Armed Forces Forces, a referral is made to the service with a Community Covenant by incorporating view to confirming their veteran status. With recommendations made by the Veterans the consent of any relatives, the service will Funerals and Bereavement Support Service ensure standards are present at funerals for all (the service) into its policy for public health veterans, and they’ll do their utmost to invite funerals. former comrades along with the wider Armed Forces Community to attend.

One of the key concerns for service leavers National Housing Pathway is finding suitable accommodation, and the launched in Wrexham Housing Pathway seeks to address this, helping Service personnel and their families make an Carl Sargeant, Cabinet Secretary for informed choice about their accommodation Communities and Children, launched options on return to civilian life. the National Housing Pathway for Ex- Service Personnel at Wrexham’s Veterans’ accommodation Ty Dewr in November. Poppy Appeal 2016 VETERANS COMMUNITY AT HMP BERWYN

Reflecting that veterans make-up five percent of the UK’s entire prison population, one of the 24 communities within HMP Berwyn has been named after local veteran Shaun Stocker.

The community has capacity for 88 men, and Shaun is looking forward to playing an active will be made up largely, but not exclusively, of role in rehabilitating men allocated to the veterans. community. Veterans’ Self-Build Project

Self-builders are being recruited from the veteran community to construct Ty Ryan, a 16-flat complex of one and two bedroom flats on Croesnewydd Road.

A partnership between First Choice Housing Mark Hanmer Association, the Community Self-Build Agency, Wrexham Support Manager Wrexham County Borough Council, the MOD Community Self-Build Agency and Williams Homes Ltd, the project will offer Tel: 07946 593987 work experience, training and qualifications Email: [email protected] in a range of trades. Upon completion, self- builders will have the option to take up a Huw Thomas tenancy on one of the properties. Development Officer First Choice Housing Association For further information about the project, Tel: 02920 713 769 please contact: Email: [email protected] WREXHAM’S ARMED FORCES COVENANT Friends of the Forces. You’re invited!

Friend of the Forces meet at Wrexham’s Wynnstay Hotel on the first Monday of every month at 11am.

Primarily, the group offers comradeship to all New comers are assured a warm welcome. ex-service veterans, and the family members of Armed Forces personnel past and present. As For more information, contact an added extra, representatives from SAFFA and Graham Binnie on 01978 842149. the Royal British Legion are on hand to provide advice if needed.

in making transition easier for ex-service Local Veterans contribute personnel and their families. to research study The final report on this study, funded by Forces Local veterans have contributed to a study in Mind Trust (FiMT), is due to be circulated in undertaken by researchers at Glyndwr October 2017. University by sharing their experience of transitioning to civilian life in North Wales. For more information about the methodologies or findings from this research, please contact The study allows policy makers and service Tel: 07540148513. providers to better understand their part Email: [email protected]

The service faced an uncertain future until it Veterans’ support continues was awarded £500,000 in Chancellor George following budget boost for Osbourne’s Budget in March. The money was donated from the proceeds of fines levied on Change Step banks.

Change Step is delivered by veterans, for Contact details: veterans, so individuals seeking help for issues Website: www.changestepwales.co.uk relating to military or operational duty receive Telephone: 0300 777 2259 support from a peer with an understanding of Email: [email protected] the life they’ve lived. New Barnardos project working to support families in Wrexham

Veterans’ families are benefitting from a family support worker thanks to a new Barnardos service funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund.

The Families of Veterans Support Service For more information: helps family members with multiple support Tel: 01639 620771 needs, and those affected by a veteran’s Email: [email protected] involvement in the criminal justice system.

Veterans will play an instrumental part in Erlas Victorian Walled the project, gaining transferrable skills and Garden awarded Covenant experience along the way. Fund Grant Team Erlas look forward to Spring 2018 when they’ll be enjoying rest breaks in a much The Roundhouse at Erlas Walled Garden will improved, and watertight Roundhouse. undergo a complete refurbishment thanks to a Covenant Fund Small Grants award of £17,729.

Subscribe to receive Armed Over the past year, we’ve shared bi-lingual Forces updates bulletins on a wide range of subjects, from courses offered by the Royal British Legion Visitors to Wrexham Council’s website are to grant funding opportunities, changes to invited to subscribe to updates on topics of their MOD schemes to newsletters published by choice, with more than 1,000 people opting organisations supporting the Armed Forces to receive information relating to the Armed Community. Forces. WREXHAM’S ARMED FORCES COVENANT Stop press… Armed Forces Liaison Officers will be here for YOU

The role of Armed Forces Liaison Officer (AFLO) has been created to strengthen the delivery of the Armed Forces Community Covenant across the North Wales region by ensuring the fair and respectful treatment of serving personnel, veterans and their families.

From September 2017, two new recruits will take • Seeking to determine the size and up their posts, funded for a two-year period by complement of the region’s Armed Forces the Ministry of Defense. The officers’ remit will Community, and establishing clear lines include: of communication so that information can flow to and from community members more • Reviewing existing Local Authority policies effectively and procedures in areas including Human Resources, Social Care, Education and • Providing training for front line staff, allowing Housing them to better understand and support the needs of the Armed Forces Community • Ensuring the needs of the Armed Forces Community are considered in new Local Authority strategic plans and service changes

I’m Janette Williams, the I’m Stephen Townley, the Armed Forces Liaison Officer Armed Forces Liaison Officer for North Wales (East) for North Wales (West), covering Wrexham, Flintshire covering Conwy, Gwynedd and Denbighshire. and Anglesea. This role will be both I joined the Royal Marines after challenging and rewarding and high school and served until I am looking forward to working with a variety 2012. I subsequently worked in the private of partners. My father and husband served security sector in the Middle East, completed a in the RAF, and I am glad of this opportunity Sports and Exercise Science degree at Glyndwr to give something back to the Armed Forces University, and fulfilled the role of Operations Community. Manager at a global security and travel risk management company. I now look forward to I travelled UK-wide and overseas with my helping establish long standing practices that husband’s military career before settling in support integration back into civilian life. Wrexham. I have loved raising my children here, and play an active role in my local community. I live in Mold, with my wife and two children. I enjoy spending time with, and cooking for my I enjoy training and competing in Judo and family, Kayaking, and going to music gigs and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, riding my motorbike, and food festivals. watching rugby and football. To contact Janette, call 07773 084630, To contact Steve, call 07773 084620, or email [email protected] or email [email protected]