THE signing of the Armed Forces Community Covenant last week was a "major move forward" for service personnel in Mole Valley.
That was the opinion of Canon Peter Bruinvels, Surrey County Council's civilian-military liaison adviser, who negotiated the signing of the historic document at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court.
The hour-long ceremony on Friday saw 15 dignitaries pledge their commitment to servicemen and women living in the area by signing two copies of the document on sheets of vellum using black ink, one to be kept by Mole Valley District Council and one by Headley Court.
MP Sir Paul Beresford, and representatives from the faith, police, charity, housing and voluntary sectors were among the signatories to an agreement to make daily life easier for members of our armed forces. Mr Bruinvels said: "It's a very public declaration of cementing a relationship which should have happened years ago.
"For servicemen who are being rehabilitated or working at Headley Court, it's very difficult to be fully integrated into the community in Mole Valley, and this covenant will ensure they are treated the same as anyone else.
"I was just speaking to someone who has children at school in the area. He got one into the school with no trouble at all, but for his brother it was a nightmare because he wasn't on any waiting list. That is one example of the aims of this covenant: to make it easier for people's children to get educated."
Mr Bruinvels said help would also be provided in other frequently problematic areas, like housing and registering for GP and dentists' surgeries.
He added: "These situations are very difficult for servicemen and women when they move to a new area.
"The idea of the covenant is to join it all up together to ensure they get a proper, fair way of getting what we take for granted."
The covenant was the 345th to be signed in the country, and the sixth in Surrey. Mr Bruinvels, who aims to encourage all districts in the county to follow suit, is also looking to introduce the "Heroes Welcome" scheme which will see local businesses give discounts to the service community.
He added: "This is a major move forward for Mole Valley, and we will now start a post-covenant enaction group that will be looking at ways in which we can put what has been signed into practice.
"It really is a very important part in the history of Mole Valley and its relations with Headley Court and the armed forces community.
"It has been signed by a genuinely representative and inclusive list of signatories."
