Following the article published on this Site on 30th March, we can now report that Spelthorne Council became the latest Surrey borough to join with its partners to sign a Community Covenant at a special ceremony held on 24 April.

A Community Covenant is a voluntary statement of mutual support between a civilian community and its local Armed Forces Community. In Spelthorne the key objectives of the covenant are:

• Recognise
• Remember
• Integrate
• Support

Surrey County Council was first to sign the Surrey Community Covenant, followed by districts and boroughs throughout the county.

Spelthorne undertook the signing on 24 April, alongside partners from the public, private and voluntary/community sector.

Partners include the emergency services, local businesses, ex-service organisations, voluntary organisations and charities.

The signing precedes Armed Forces Day; later in the year is the commemoration of the start of World War One.

Two “champions” have been chosen to promote the commemorative events in the borough: Cllr Spencer Taylor (Services Champion) and Cllr Robin Sider (World War One Champion).

In the wake of the covenant signing, Cllr Taylor will lead a working group to implement locally the key objectives in the community covenant.

Spelthorne Council Leader Cllr Robert Watts said: “Taking part in this national initiative, which shows our commitment to supporting our armed forces and veterans, upholds our Borough’s core values of community, opportunity, self-reliance and tradition.

“While Spelthorne has no obvious military connections such as an Army base, a large proportion of our residents are, or have connections to, serving or former service personnel and veterans of conflict.”

Photograph: Capt. Neal Archer from the Royal Engineers with the Mayor of Spelthorne, Cllr Tony Harman