Armed Forces Veterans invited to receive badge of recognition for their service

Veterans across North Kesteven are encouraged to apply to receive their badge in recognition of their Military Service, be it of any length and duration, across any of the UK Armed Services or the Merchant Navy and at any time.

In the main, people leaving Service now receive their badges automatically, but there are many whose service ended prior to this, for whom the badge is a new thing. These are the people the District Council seeks to honour every year with a lunch and badge presentation ceremony. This year this will be held on Monday, June 24, in Sleaford where there will also be a reflection on the momentous events of June 6, 1944 which involved a collaborative air, sea and land offensive.

District veterans of any length or type of service, from any period, wishing to apply for a badge to be presented – or anyone acting on their behalf – can email: [email protected] or call the Council’s Partnerships Team on: 01529 414155. Nominations should ideally be made May 24, 2024.

To speed the application process, it is preferable to have as much information as possible, such as service number, period of service and force served in: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Merchant Navy, volunteer or regular reserves.

Working alongside Sleaford Town Council, veterans’ organisations and local RAF bases, North Kesteven District Council seeks to honour and respect those who have contributed to the life and security of the Nation and our global partners through their Service; and who continue to give so much to the wider community of North Kesteven today.

Council Chairman Cllr Mike Clarke, himself a veteran of 23 years’ service with the Coldstream Guards said that with one in ten North Kesteven residents being veterans who had served. – the second highest proportion in the country after Gosport – it was important to celebrate the contribution veterans continue to make to our District of Flourishing Communities. This 10.2% of the population is additional to the numbers currently serving and 17.8% of District households include a service veteran, according to 2021 Census data.

“As we go about our daily lives, there can be very few of us living and operating within North Kesteven whose own lives are not in some way touched by the proximity, actions and ongoing contributions to community life of veterans who have previously served their country with valour, courage and distinction. It is this that we seek to celebrate and honour through the presentation of badges that these veterans can wear with pride and that the rest of us can see and reflect on with gratitude,” said Cllr Clarke.

In recent years Normandy D-Day veterans have been involved in the lunch where the badges are presented. It is hoped that that will be the case again for this special anniversary. The ticketed event in the Council Chamber will include 1940s vintage jazz and swing singer Jayne Darling performing classic tunes from the era.

As a wider celebration, all businesses are encouraged to decorate their windows in keeping with the Armed Forces Day theme in June and you may find that many offer discounts to veterans. Businesses can notify NKDC of their offers and indicate their intent to decorate their windows for Armed Forces Day by emailing: [email protected]

The Armed Forces Day Flag will be raised at 10.30am on Monday, June 24 in Sleaford Market Place. All are welcome to join with Civic representatives, current Service personnel across the Armed Forces and veterans for a short act of commemoration and commitment.