ST HELENS Council and St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust have been honoured by the Ministry of Defence for their outstanding support to the armed forces community.

Today, 100 employers have been named by the MoD as part of its Employer Recognition Scheme.

The sceheme’s Gold Awards represent the highest badge of honour available to those that employ and support those who serve, veterans, and their families.

The 100 winners have been recognised for their long-term commitment to the armed forces, with companies from the public and private sector achieving the top grade.

Employers have won awards for initiatives such as employing veterans, supporting individuals transitioning out of the armed forces into a new career and providing flexibility for reservists.

Included on the list are 23 local authorities, 13 NHS hospitals and trusts and 29 SMEs.

The honour tops off a memorable week for St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Earlier this week it was revealed the trust had been nominated in the Reservist Support Initiative category in this year’s Health Service Journal (HSJ) awards for its work supporting veterans’ careers following service in the armed forces.

The trust is also in the running to win trust of the year at the HSJ Awards.

Ann Marr chief executive of St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Veterans, reservists and military spouses are a highly valued part of our ever-growing workforce and we are incredibly proud to receive both the Employer Recognition Scheme and Health Service Journal recognition of our support to the armed forces.”

Speaking on Twitter, St Helens Council leader David Baines said the MoD honour was “excellent news” and said the council should be “very proud”.

The council’s armed forces champion Lynn Clarke, cabinet member for environmental services, said: "I'm absolutely thrilled with today's announcement that St Helens Council has been awarded the Gold Award by the MOD for our 'outstanding' support to the armed forces community in St Helens.

"This is the highest award available to those that employ and support the armed forces.

"I would like to thank the council's officers, members and partners involved in this brilliant achievement and also acknowledge the huge contribution that serving personnel, veterans, reservists and cadets make to our community."

The 100 employers will be presented with their awards on November 12 at the National Army Museum in London.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “These awards recognise the outstanding support for our armed forces from employers across Britain and I would like to thank and congratulate each and every one.

“Regardless of size, location or sector, employing ex-forces personnel is good for business and this year we have doubled the number of awards in recognition of the fantastic support they give.”

Former Army officer Johnny Mercer, Minister for Defence, People and Veterans, added: “Veterans make a huge contribution to businesses across the country and it’s fantastic to see a record-breaking number of organisations recognised for their support.

“We’re working closely with businesses to help them further understand the huge value that veterans, reservists and military spouses can bring to their organisation.”

The 2019 Employer Recognition Scheme Gold award winners are:

Aberdeenshire Council

Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Alford Technologies Ltd

Amazon UK

Amazon Web Services

AmmarM UK Limited

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

Anglian Water

Arcanum Information Security Ltd

Ascot Care

Auctus Management Group Ltd

Biscoes Solicitors

Bovis Homes

Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust

Brunel University

Caerphilly County Borough Council

CAIS

Carbon60

Caterpillar Peterlee

CDS Defence Support

CGI UK

Charnwood Borough Council

City Building

City of Edinburgh Council

City of York Council

Colchester Borough Council

College of West Anglia

Conwy County Borough Council

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service

CPPC Logistic Group of Companies Ltd

Derbyshire Community Health Service NHS Foundation Trust

Digital Telecoms Network Academy Ltd

East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust

Edinburgh Napier University

Finchale Group

Flintshire County Council

Focus7 International Ltd

Foreland Shipping Limited

G&A Security NE Ltd

GE (UK & Ireland)

Harrison Clark Rickerbys Solicitors

Hartlepool Borough Council

Hertfordshire County Council

High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd

HMP Whitemoor

IED Training Solutions Limited

Inzpire Ltd

Jacobs UK Ltd

KBR UK Ltd

Knockhill Racing Circuit

Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust

Leidos Europe Ltd

London Borough of Lewisham

London Electronics Ltd

Midlothian Council

Morrison Utility Services

Motivational Preparation College For Training (MPCT)

Newport City Council

North Tyneside Council

North Warwickshire Borough Council

Northumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council

OppO Recruitment Limited

Police Scotland

The Poppy Factory

Qioptiq Ltd

Rangers Football Club & Rangers Charity Foundation

Rolls-Royce plc

Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Mail Group Limited

Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital

Rushcliffe Borough Council

Santander UK

Schroders

SecureCloud+ Limited

South Tyneside Homes

Sporting Force

St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

St Helens Council

Stirling Council

Sunderland City Council

Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

Thales UK Ltd

Tom Harrison House

Trafford Council

Travis Perkins

TSG Marine

University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust

University of Central Lancashire

Veolia UK

Virgin Money

Vodafone

Wagtail UK Limited

Warwickshire Police

West Dunbartonshire Council

West Mercia Police

West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust

Wood Plc

Yodel