BCT Awarded Silver by the Ministry of Defence

We are extremely proud at Beacon Counselling Trust (BCT) to have been awarded Silver under the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme for demonstrating our support to Defence and the wider Armed Forces community. BCT is one of forty-seven organisations from across the North West of England to have been awarded Silver, in 2024.

BCT were formally recognised at an award ceremony held at Manchester Monastery on October 1^st, 2024, hosted by the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association for the Northwest of England and the Isle of Man. The event was attended by BCT’s Chair of Trustee’s, Darren Melia and Ian Whiteside, our Early Intervention and Education Programme Manager who received their award from His Majesty the Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside Mr Mark Blundell.

The Employer Recognition Scheme was launched to reward employers who support Defence People objectives and encourage others to do the same. This includes employing serving and former members of the Armed Forces community and demonstrating flexibility towards training, and mobilisation commitments for Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.

Ian Whiteside who leads on BCT’s Armed Forces Gambling Support Programme said:

“Supporting the armed forces is important to us here at Beacon Counselling Trust as a number of staff themselves are veterans and our work with the Armed Forces Gambling Support Network (AFGSN) is a significant initiative within our targeted provision, so following on from our previous Bronze award recognition we are delighted and honoured to become a successful Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award recipient.”

Commenting on the 2024 Employer Recognition Scheme Silver awards; Colonel Mark Underhill OBE DL, Chief Executive at the Northwest of England and the Isle of Man Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association (NW RFCA), said:

“On behalf of the Ministry of Defence we are honoured and delighted to be able to recognise the outstanding support and commitment given to the Armed Forces Covenant by businesses and organisations in the region, through the Employer Recognition Scheme awards. Each recipient has demonstrated not only that their support to the Covenant and the wider Armed Forces community, but also that they are prepared to support their Reservists, Service Leavers, Spouses, Veterans, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers and Cadets in the workplace.”