ARMED forces veterans shared memories over mince pies and coffee at a festive gathering organised by Westmorland and Furness Council. 

Councillor Matt Severn, Chair of Westmorland and Furness Council, and Linda Jones, the council’s chief legal and monitoring officer and Armed Forces lead officer, invited former Army, Royal Navy and RAF servicemen and women to Kendal Town Hall in gratitude for their many years of loyal service.

Councillor Severn said: “This event arose from our chats with veterans on Remembrance Sunday. They have made such great sacrifices and borne huge burdens with grit, courage and humour.

"We wanted to give them a space to share their stories with council representatives and each other. As a council we want to do more for the veterans and have things happening more regularly.”

The Royal British Legion’s Kendal branch spread the word about the event via community groups on Facebook and its regular breakfast club at Wetherspoon’s pub in Kendal.

The branch’s new chair is Chris Maycock, retired lieutenant colonel, and former defence attaché for Albania and Montenegro, who said: “It’s so incredibly important that veterans are supported.

"It’s not that they are unique or victims, it’s the fact that a lot of veterans like to be with other veterans. There are lots of good things happening and we’d like to see functions like this happening more often.”

Dave Nelson, son of former mayor of Kendal Mike Nelson, served 25 years as an infantry officer in Cyprus, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo and elsewhere. “There’s always an element of connectivity when you get Armed Forces people together,” he said, with the Christmas gathering creating the right kind of environment where veterans could ask for help if they needed it.

In June, Westmorland and Furness Council Leader Councillor Jonathan Brook, who also met with veterans at this week’s event, signed the national Armed Forces Covenant on behalf of the authority.

This means the council recognises the value of serving personnel, veterans, Reserve Forces and military families, and promises to ensure those that serve or have served, and their families, will be treated fairly and will not be disadvantaged by their military life.