SUPPORT given to members of the armed forces across the county has resulted in East Lothian Council being given a top award.

The Ministry of Defence awarded an Employer Recognition Scheme gold award, the MOD’s highest award for organisations that employ and support reservists, service leavers, veterans and their families, to the local authority.

The council is a signatory of an Armed Forces Covenant, which brings together key partners from the council alongside health, education, service and veterans’ organisations to create policy and practices that support armed forces personnel and their families.

Four years ago, East Lothian Council received the silver award and it has been working closely with armed forces organisations and voluntary sector partners to build on its success.

Councillor John McMillan, East Lothian Provost and East Lothian Council’s Armed Forces Champion, said: “Receiving this recognition from the Ministry of Defence is undoubtedly a huge achievement and one which we and our partners can be rightly proud of.

“However, for me, the most important achievement is the positive impact that the work we have carried out will have on members of our armed forces community living and working in East Lothian.”

Since receiving its silver award in 2019, the council has:

  • Included options in its recruitment process to enable members of the armed forces community to identify themselves as such, meaning they can be given access to specialist support;
  • Established an Armed Forces Employee Network, giving those with service experience an opportunity to meet with peers, offer mutual support and contribute to council policies and activities in this area;
  • Clarified its reservists’ policy to ensure that all reservists can receive paid leave to attend their mandatory annual training camp;
  • Worked to improve access to education, volunteering and employment support for service leavers relocating to East Lothian;
  • Built and allocated six two-bedroom council properties in Cockenzie specifically for disabled veterans;
  • Increased awareness in schools about support, including financial, for armed forces community pupils;
  • Continued training for frontline staff in key council areas, such as housing, education and healthcare, on supporting veterans;
  • Continued its work with armed forces organisations, health and voluntary sector partners through its Armed Forces Covenant Group to provide opportunities and support for community members in East Lothian.

Kath Evason, East Lothian Council’s digital and systems team leader, served as an RAF regular for seven years, and as a reservist veteran for five years, combining her reservist responsibilities with her council role.

She attended the first meeting of the council’s Armed Forces Employee Network.

Kath said: “The establishment of the Armed Forces Employee Network is a great idea.

“Leaving military life is a huge adjustment for most veterans and, for me, as both a RAF regular and reservist veteran, one of the biggest challenges was the loss of community and the shared sense of purpose.

“The employee network enables me to meet up with like-minded colleagues across the council, sharing support, tips and advice.

“The opportunity to chat with people who share your experiences is truly rewarding.”