At a ceremony organised by the Regional Forces and Cadet Association (RFCA) on 14 November 2024, EMAS was formally presented with the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award. This followed the official announcement in August 2024 of award winners.
The ERS Gold Award is the highest recognition for organisations who support and advocate for the Armed Forces community, including Reservists, Service Leavers, Cadets, Cadet Adult Force Volunteers, Military Spouses, and Military Families, as enshrined in the Armed Forces Covenant.
Kevin Thorne, Chair of the EMAS Armed Forces Staff Network, and Richard Hunter, Network member and Lincolnshire Senior Divisional Manager, attended to accept the award on behalf of EMAS. The award was presented by Major General Tom Bewick OBE, General Officer Commanding Army Recruiting and Initial Training Command, and Brigadier Tim Seal, His Majesty's Vice Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire.
The ceremony was held at the Churchill War Rooms at the Imperial War Museum in London. EMAS was one of 17 organisations from the public and private sectors in the East Midlands and East Anglian regions to receive the award this year.
Kevin Thorne said: "It was a prestigious event at a magnificent venue, which felt fitting for the recognition the award commands.
We spoke with other Gold Award recipients about their journey so far as advocates of the armed forces community within, and associated with, their organisations. There was a shared passion to continue our good work, and an acknowledgement of the impact we can have on the working lives of our colleagues and the experiences of our service users."
Congratulations to all colleagues who contributed to this tremendous achievement.
You can read about the Ministry of Defence's Employer Recognition Scheme, including the award criteria, on the UK Government website.
Supporting our Armed Forces
We work closely with the Armed Forces community in the East Midlands, including supporting resettlement opportunities for service leavers.
We offer a guaranteed interview scheme to applicants with a military service history who:
meet the criteria outlined in the job specification
and are successful at the initial screening stage.
