A Fareham based coach operator is pledging to champion the cause of servicemen and women from across the region as it signs the Ministry of Defence’s Armed Forces Covenant.
Lucketts Travel, which runs services from Portsmouth on behalf of National Express on the UK’s only nationwide coach network, is pledging to put together a package of support for current and former members of the armed forces and those who have served their country.
The company, which is comprised of a fleet of more than 110 vehicles and more than 300 employees, has already been supporting former servicemen and women by taking part in resettlement careers fairs and offering positions to transitioning military veterans. Its Managing Director, Tony Lawman, is a former member of the armed services himself, having served for more than 22 years in the British Army.
Now, Lucketts is stepping up its support by pledging to offer guaranteed interviews to veterans, young and old, supporting employees who choose to be members of the Reserve forces and working with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) as it signs the MOD employers covenant.
Lucketts’ Managing Director Tony Lawman, a former Army Captain, says: “Having served in the forces, I know first-hand the positive attributes that servicemen and women can bring to a company. In our business, precision, timekeeping and communications skills are essential and these are exactly the type of skills that former services personnel have.”
Lucketts is following in the footsteps of National Express, which was the first company in the UK to sign the covenant when it was launched in 2013 and has led the way as a forces-friendly business through a raft of socially responsible initiatives aimed at improving the lives of the armed forces community, including serving personnel, veterans, reservists and families.
National Express Coach managing director Chris Hardy says: “We are committed into investing back into the communities in which we serve and so are delighted that Lucketts', which already employ a number service leavers, has joined our drive support for the military community and their families by signing up to the Armed Forces Covenant.
“In recognising the value serving personnel, both regular and reservists, veterans and military families, contribute to business and the country, Lucketts is demonstrating an outstanding commitment to community value and setting itself apart as an employer of choice”
