Armed Forces Projects

The Armed Forces Covenant

At the Annual Meeting of the town Council on 21 May 2025 the Council agreed to apply to sign the covenant. The Covenant covers all serving personnel, regular and reservists, and their families, as well as bereaved families, veterans, and cadet adult volunteers. The Armed Forces Covenant’s two principles are that:

1. The armed forces community should not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial service.
2. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and bereaved.

Local Covenants are tailored to the individual circumstances therefore the Covenant to be signed by Penrith Town Council will only cover the business of the Council. The Town Counciuls application has been accepted. Formal arrangements to sign the covenant have commenced and have approved to commit to:

Section 1: Principles of The Armed Forces Covenant

1.1 We, Penrith Town Council, will endeavour to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant:

• Members of the Armed Forces Community should not face disadvantages arising from their service in the provision of public and commercial services.
• In some circumstances special provision may be justified, especially for those who have given the most, such as the injured or bereaved.

Section 2: Demonstrating our Commitment
2.1    We recognise the contribution that Service personnel, reservists, veterans, the cadet movement, and military families make to our organisation, our community and to the country. We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website/social media and we will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant by:

Communications, engagement, and outreach:

• Ensuring that all members of staff and Councillors are aware of the Armed Forces Covenant and the Town Council’s support for the Armed Forces Community.
• Supporting and promote Armed Forces Events such as Armed Forces Day the Poppy Appeal and Remembrance activities.
• Promoting support networks for veterans and other members of the Armed Forces Community.
• Ensuring that the Armed Forces community has fair access to our services and are not put at a disadvantage for example because of their mobility.

Employment Support

• Supporting Reservists and Cadet Force volunteers by offering them special paid leave to carry out their duties.
• Offering guaranteed interview schemes to veterans who meet essential criteria and are within 12 months of leaving or within 5 years post service.

• Civic responsibilities:
  Organising the Remembrance Day Parade and Civic Service within Penrith ensuring that veterans, reserve and cadet units, family members and service charities are invited to attend.
• Inviting Armed Forces Community to appropriate events such as special anniversaries such as VE Day commemorations and Royal celebrations.

As part of the support for the Armed Forces, Penrith Town Council works with the Royal British Legion and Westmorland and Furness Council to deliver Armed Forces events within Penrith. Penrith Town Council is pleased to be able to support serving and ex-service personnel in Penrith. The Town Council has been involved in a number of projects and events including:

Remembrance Day Parade – Penrith Town Council is honoured to  co-ordinate and make arrangements for the annual remembrance Day Parade which culminates in a service at St Andrews’ Parish Church. The civic parade with invited dignitaries musters at 1.45pm in Portland Place before setting off at 2.00pm to parade down Middlegate to Devonshire Street.  The civic service takes place in St Andrew’s Church at 2.30pm and all are welcome to attend.

Armistice Day – To commemorate the 100th anniverary of the signing of the armistice to end the First World War, Penrith Town Council lit up Penrith Beacon by kind permission of the Lowther Family and Councillor Jackson, the Mayor of Penrith at the time, read of the names of all those who had fallen from Penrith before a buglar played the last Post. He was joined at the top of the Beacon by many members of the public who had made their way up to the top.

VE Day 75

We were unable to commemorate VE Day 75 by holding a free family event in the Town Centre due to the Covid -19 pandemic however we did mark it through our social media using the official aspects detailed by the pageant Master. Penrith Town Band live streamed playing The Last Post and Reveille from their gardens, doorsteps or windows, Tom Skelhorne the Cumbrian Piper kindly recorded a clip of Battles O’er and VE 75 and all those who had been invited to attend the event on 8th May or the Church Service on 10th May were invited to provide a video clip which we edited together to form the Cry for Peace.

D-Day 80

The Tribute

Let us remember those who gave their lives at
home and abroad during the D-Day landings,
whose sacrifice enables us all to enjoy the
peace and freedom we have today

Let us remember those who came home
wounded, physically and mentally, and the
friends and family who cared for them.

Let us remember those who returned to restore
their relationships and rebuild their working
lives after years of conflict and turmoil.

Let us remember the families that lost husbands,
wives, sons, daughters and sweethearts.

Let us remember the servicemen and women
and merchant seafarers of all faiths and
nationalities – from all countries – who fought,
suffered and died during the D-Day landings
and six years of war.

Let us all remember those in the Royal Navy,
Army, Royal Air Force, Merchant Navy, and our
Allies – the brave people who kept us safe on
the home front and abroad and those in
reserved occupations during the difficult time of war.

Let us remember the brave doctors and nurses who
cared for the wounded, the men and women who
toiled in the fields, the coal mines, the factories
and the air raid wardens, police officers, firemen,
ambulance drivers and the young people of the scouts
and Guides who all played such a vital role in the war.

VE Day 80

VJ Day Flag Raising

Speech made by the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Barbar Jayson

“I am honoured  to represent Penrith Town Council today at the raising of the flag to mark VJ Day – Victory over Japan.  This day commemorates the end of the Second World War in the Pacific, bringing to a close one of the most devastating conflicts in history.

VJ Day is often overshadowed by VE Day yet, we must never forget the courage and sacrifice of those who served in this conflict. Many gave their lives, and many more carried the physical and emotional scars long after the conflict ended.

Today is not only a day of victory, but also a solemn reminder of the immense cost of peace. A message which seems especially relevant in these troubled times.

We raise this flag in gratitude and remembrance of all who served, particularly those from our own community, and in the hope that the freedoms they fought to protect would endure for generations to come.

Marking 80 years since VJ day

Penrith Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club – As part of the money available for the Armistice Day commemorations, the Mayor made money available to Penrith Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club to purchase a flag which is flown to advertise their presence when they meet fortnightly.  All serving and ex service personnel are welcome to join the group.

Town Benches –  As some of the benches devolved to the Town Council become unsustainable to repair they are being replaced. A number of benches have been replaced with the Penrith Remembers Logo to commemorate the good work carried out by the Penrith Remembers Group to remember those from Penrith and the surrounding area that were involved in the two World Wars and in more recent conflicts.

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