Cambridgeshire County Council has been reaccredited with the Ministry of Defence (MOD)’s Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award, the highest honour available to organisations that demonstrate outstanding, long‑term support for the Armed Forces community.
The Gold Award recognises the Council’s sustained commitment to the Armed Forces and its strong track record of supporting people from Armed Forces backgrounds, including reservists, veterans, cadet adult volunteers, service families, and members of the wider Cadet movement.
To mark the achievement, the Council hosted a formal reaccreditation ceremony on Wednesday 1 July at New Shire Hall, which brought together His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, the Chair of the County Council, County Councillors, including the Council’s Armed Forces Champion, the Chief Executive and senior council officers, along with representatives from the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces community.
The presentation ceremony featured a range of speeches, including one from Tommy Kelly the Cambridgeshire Armed Forces Covenant Officer, who is employed by the County Council, bringing his personal experience of having served in the Armed Forces to life.
Mrs Julie Spence OBE CStJ QPM, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, said: “This reaccreditation reflects the genuine commitment Cambridgeshire County Council has shown to supporting our Armed Forces community. The Council continues to set an extremely strong example of how employers can champion service personnel, veterans and their families.”
Councillor Peter McDonald, Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “We are extremely proud to have received the ERS Gold Award once again. It demonstrates our dedication to fairness and inclusion, and to ensuring that those who serve or have served are supported throughout their careers and beyond.”
Councillor Yannifer Malinowski, Armed Forces Covenant Champion, said: “This award recognises the contribution of Armed Forces personnel to the council, as well as our commitment to creating a workplace where they feel supported and valued, and are therefore able to thrive.”
Paul Gilham, Head of Engagement from the MoD’s Defence Relationship Management, said: “Cambridgeshire County Council continues to be a leading example of best practice in supporting the Armed Forces community. Their sustained commitment, practical policies and strong partnership working are exactly what the ERS Gold Award is designed to recognise.”
The Council’s support for the Armed Forces is embedded across the organisation. This includes flexible working arrangements to support reservist training and deployment including a mobilisation framework, additional paid leave for reservists’ annual training commitments, family‑friendly policies including enhanced maternity and paternity support, a volunteer leave policy that enables Cadet Force Adult Volunteer activity and an internal Armed Forces Colleagues Network.
The reaccreditation also highlights the Council’s strong partnership with the Ministry of Defence and local Armed Forces Covenant networks, reinforcing its commitment to fairness and opportunity, supporting good jobs for the future, improving financial security, and helping people stay well connected across Cambridgeshire.
The ceremony celebrated the people, partners and networks that all contribute to this important work and to ensuring that the County Council remains a supportive and welcoming employer for members of the Armed Forces community.
