North East Lincolnshire appoints first Armed Forces Officer
Role strengthens support for veterans and serving personnel
North East Lincolnshire Council has recruited local Royal Navy veteran Alex Weeks as its first Armed Forces Officer, marking a new chapter in support for the armed forces community.
This role is designed to bridge the gap between the Council, veterans' groups, serving personnel, and their families, ensuring they can seamlessly access necessary services and remove obstacles to support.
Cllr Oliver Freeston, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, highlighted the region's strong military heritage and commitment to promoting resources and opportunities for the armed forces community.
"We value the voices of the armed forces and aim to strengthen support for those here while attracting new residents seeking a place to settle after leaving the military," Cllr Freeston explained.
Alex Weeks expressed pride in being appointed to this role, focusing on addressing veterans' challenges in finding housing, employment, and social connections.
"I want to ensure the support services that our veteran community may need at a moment of crisis is available, accessible and visible. This has just felt a natural next step to support and show how committed to the armed forces community North East Lincolnshire Council is."
Recently attending the Armed Forces Covenant Conference in Portsmouth, Weeks engaged in discussions on housing, education, training, and employment support for veterans.
"The conference provided insights into how other councils are aiding their veteran communities, and I look forward to applying these learnings locally," Weeks shared.
The appointment complements ongoing support available to veterans through events like the Armed Forces Day in Cleethorpes and year-round resources offered by North East Lincolnshire Council.