The University of Cumbria has made a formal pledge to support the armed forces community.
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise to ensure that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly.
The University of Cumbria’s pledge includes upholding the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant in a variety of ways such as working with the MoD’s Career Transition Partnership to employ more veterans or those who are preparing to leave active service.
The university will also endeavour to offer a degree of flexibility in granting leave for spouses and partners during deployments, where practicable offer a discount to members of the Armed Forces Community, and support reservists and cadet units.
Vice Chancellor Professor Julie Mennell signed the Armed Forces Covenant as the university welcomed 120 emergency medics from 16 UK military units to its campus in Bowerham Road, Lancaster.
Professor Mennell said: “As a university, it is important we support our Armed Forces personnel, veterans and families. The signing of the Armed Forces Covenant demonstrates our strong commitment to this, particularly in supporting career development and transition.
“We also feel incredibly proud of our staff involved in reservist units, such as the specialist medical evacuation regiment. They fulfil a very important role and we know they have tremendous commitment as well as impact.”
Last December, the university’s paramedic training team and Ambleside campus hosted a training exercise for members of the specialist 335 Medical Evacuation Regiment.
Ian Corrie, principal lecturer at the university’s Institute of Health, is Honorary Colonel of 335 Medical Evacuation Regiment who helped to organise the recent Pre Hospital Emergency Care Conference in Lancaster for the army medics. It focussed on areas including mental health and major trauma.
Ian said: “I’m delighted to have witnessed the signing of the covenant by the university. I work on providing health CPD opportunities for personnel and am proud to see us strengthen our links with the Armed Forces family.”
At the covenant signing, Lt Col Mike Brownsell, of the Liverpool-based 208 Field Hospital, said: “I’m delighted to see that the University of Cumbria, which has connections to our local detachment in Blackpool and Lancaster, has signed the covenant. I am impressed at the generosity it shows our community.”
