Armed Forces Week Statement from the Armed Forces Commissioner for Norfolk, Andrew Taylor

"This is my first year as Armed Forces Commissioner. I would like to thank members of Norfolk's armed forces community and the Covenant Board for making me feel very welcome. It's been a pleasure to attend events across the county and to meet so many individuals willing to share personal stories, and in particular, their determination to help others. I am looking forward to working with everyone.

As Chair of the Norfolk Armed Forces Covenant Board, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about three veteran-focused projects the Board is taking forward in the coming years. We have more than 40,000 veterans living in Norfolk and based on a Veterans' Workshop held last year, we better understand their needs. 

First, we will work with care providers to identify veterans in the care sector, assess if they have any requirements, and connect them to suitable charities and organisations to assist them.  

Second, we will strengthen collaboration within the charity sector by increasing the knowledge and understanding between the service and civilian charities.  

Third, we will assess the housing needs of the armed forces community and improve understanding of social housing allocation across the charity sector. 

Norfolk is home to the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force at Marham, the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards at Robertson Barracks, the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Anglian Reserve Regiment and it is a temporary base to military units from across the country at the Ministry of Defence's training ground, STANTA, near Thetford. The county has 2,130 military personnel and 390 civilians working in the armed forces. They play a vital role keeping our country safe, and for this, we are very grateful.  

Finally, I would like to thank Norfolk County Council for the support it provides to the armed forces community across Norfolk through its employment practices, the services it delivers and its role as lead partner of the Covenant Board."