A locally active veteran's charity has been awarded £8,300 as part of the Cheshire Constabulary in the Community Christmas initiative in recognition of their work in supporting former service personnel after they return to civilian life.

Cheshire Constabulary has been spreading festive cheer this week, as Chief Constable Mark Roberts has been donating £50k to six charities whose work supports the community for our local residents. 

The £50k comes from funds recovered under the Police Property Act and will go directly to supporting the communities the Constabulary serves. Today, Chief Constable Mark Roberts presented representatives from the Forces Employment Charity with a cheque for £8,300 to support their work in the region.

The Forces Employment Charity stands by ex-Forces personnel, many of whom work within the Constabulary as officers or staff members, providing life-long, life-changing support, jobs and training opportunities to Service leavers, veterans, reservists and their spouses, partners and children.

This support is delivered by experienced advisors, many of whom also served, who are committed to helping veterans succeed by harnessing their military skills for new jobs outside of the service. 

By working with them, veterans are in the best position to transfer these skills into other sectors, giving them the confidence to progress in their careers and show employers how valuable they can be in their workforce. 

The charity also works very closely with veterans who have come into contact with the justice system, providing specialist support that takes into account their veteran identity and experiences. 

Steve (Regional Manager for Force's Employment) with a cheque for £8,300 (Cheshire Police).

Chief Constable Roberts said: "We highly value the skills, attributes and experience of those with an Armed Forces background – including our many officers and staff members who have been involved with the military in some capacity – and the fantastic work they have done, and continue to do, to keep our country safe. 

"The shift into non-military life can bring a number of challenges that can lead to veterans feeling detached, but the work the Forces' Employment Charity does is vital to those who have fought for their country, by getting them onto the road of success in all elements of civilian life once their service ends - whether that's looking for a job or housing, physical or mental health or providing support for addiction recovery. 

"The charity's proprietary and commissioned justice programme has consistently proved that identifying, engaging and supporting veterans can have life-changing – and in many cases life-saving – outcomes, so I am more than pleased to present them with this cheque for £8.3k to help them in continuing to look out for our former servicemen and women." 

Steve Lowe, Regional Manager for Force's Employment, added: "We have worked closely with Cheshire police for over 9 years, supporting both police staff and the wider community to be able support local veterans and their families as they transition to civilian life. Our justice programmes deliver fantastic outcomes for the entire community.

"The level of support and understanding of veteran issues in Cheshire police has been phenomenal and we look forward to investing this money back into the community through our work with local veterans." 

To find out more the work The Force's Employment charity does, you can visit their website.