DAFC Sign Armed Forces Covenant

Dunfermline Athletic Football Club has become the latest organisation to sign the UK Armed Forces Covenant.

In doing so the club made a commitment to support the country’s servicemen and women wherever and however it can and to ensure no member of the Armed Forces should suffer any disadvantage as a result of their service.

Club chairman Ross McArthur signed the covenant on behalf of Dunfermline Athletic. The document was co-signed on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) by Lt Col William Smallwood, the Commanding Officer of Fife-based 71 Engineer Regiment.

Dunfermline Athletic FC recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by:

• Promoting the fact that we are an armed forces-friendly organisation.
• Endeavouring to offer a degree of flexibility in granting leave for Service spouses and partners before, during and after a partner’s deployment.
• Offering support to our local cadet units, either in our local community or in local schools, where possible.
• Aiming to actively participate in an Armed Forces Day one game per season, which would include can collection
• Hold a minute silence at the closest match to Remembrance Sunday
• Display poppies on first-team player’s kits at said above fixture
• Offering a discount on ticketing to members of the Armed Forces Community
• Honour various events via our Heritage Trust i.e Visit to France
• Memorial bench and plaque installed outside the ground

As well as signing the Covenant, Dunfermline FC received a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Bronze Award from Lt Col Smallwood.

The ERS awards encourage employers to support defence and inspire others to do the same. The prestigious Bronze, Silver and Gold awards are for employer organisations that pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to defence and the Armed Forces community, and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant.

The Covenant signing was organised by Highland Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association and attended – along with the signatories – by the organisation’s Regional Employer Engagement Director Ron Macgregor.