Armed Forces Covenant
The Town Council held its first Armed Forces Day Expo in June 2023 in the Corn Exchange and more details can be viewed here.

Blandford Forum Town Council has signed the Armed Forces Covenant Pledge and registered the support pledged in the Covenant for a Bronze Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Award (ERS). This pledge was reaffirmed by the Town Council two years later in June 2023.

Geordie Thomson played a fanfare during the raising of the flag

The Armed Forces Day flag is raised

Cllr Lee Hitchings signs the covenant

Lt Col Dyer signs the covenant
The Armed Forces Community includes all that are currently serving in the Armed Forces, Veterans, Reservists, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers, the wounded, injured and sick as well as spouse/partners and dependants.
There are four military bases in Dorset:
Bovington (as a base includes the barracks of Allenby, Stanley and Lulworth)
Blandford
RM Poole
West Moors
In Dorset there are approximately 6,500 serving members of the Armed Forces, around 58,000 Veterans, and as of September 2019, 1,325 children from Armed Forces families attend school here.
Ministry of Defence definition for the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) Pledge is: ‘The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly and are not put at a disadvantage.’
The Bronze Employer Recognition Award includes to:
- Take a positive stance towards existing or prospective employees who are members of the Armed Forces
- Seek to promote an Armed Forces friendly position
- Are open to employing reservists, service veterans (including wounded, injured and sick), cadet instructors and military spouses/partners