A WEEKLY session for veterans held at Oswestry Cricket Club has led to organisers receiving a special award from the Armed Forces Covenant.
The club announced this week that it had received a Bronze Award from the Covenant, signed by Ben Bradshaw MP, the Minister for Defence, and Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, chief of the Defence Staff.
Steve Adams, chairman at Oswestry Cricket Club, in Morda Road, says the Tuesday sessions, led by former soldier Ben Morris, said they were delighted to have been recognised.
He said: "Oswestry Cricket Club is rightfully proud to receive this accolade and support our veteran community.
"Our weekly drop in session – called The RV – is open to all who have served, every Tuesday from 10am until 12pm.
"Ben is a former career soldier who leads the RV and he told me he was really pleased with the progress being made and with the established links in the wider veterans support network.
"I’d like to thank Oswestry Cricket Club for their continued support in providing the RV facilities and also the Greggs Foundation for the weekly cake and pastry donations.
"On Tuesday, it is our second Veterans outing when we visit the National Memorial Arboretum.
"It is the club's ambition to further immerse itself into Oswestry life, as one of the few remaining sporting arenas within the town.
"Open to all, I would encourage anybody to drop into our Morda Road facilities.
"There is no better location on a sunny Friday evening or Saturday/Sunday afternoon."
The award for the session was supported by former Oswestry mayor Councillor Mark Jones, who is also on Shropshire Council, and he congratulated the club for its work.
He added: "I visited and was impressed with the work the club were doing to support what was an ex-garrison town.
"We have lots of veterans in the area and currently the coverage of Falklands anniversary highlights the long-term mental problems that can arise from serving our country.
"These meeting can go along way to supporting them
"There is a planning application ongoing to make Hope Church in the Carreg Llywd estate a vets centre, called the Harbour, so this will be of great help to them when it arrives.
"The club and its facilities provide and welcome setting for their meetings and it should thrive, and I also enjoyed seeing the pride shown by the Vets on Remembrance Sunday
"Oswestry Town Council signed the Armed Forces Covenant and its great that we haven’t just signed it but Oswestry is doing something for them."
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