Remembrance Day on 11 November is a time to remember those who have served and sacrificed in conflict and reflect on its lasting impact. For two Rooftop colleagues, Kirsty Round, a veteran and Leon Janes, a reservist, the day has a deeper personal meaning.
Kirsty’s connection to the Armed Forces spans generations. Her great-grandfather, his brother and her nan all served, and she is proud to continue that family connection.
“Remembrance Day gives me the opportunity to remember the brothers and sisters I served with, particularly those no longer with us, and to thank them for their selfless commitment and courage,” Kirsty said.
Kirsty also highlighted that remembrance can be emotional. She believes employers can help by allowing people time to pay their respects and recognising that, for some, the impact lasts much longer than the two-minute silence.
Leon, who serves as a reservist, has reflected on how his understanding of Remembrance Day has changed over time. Remembering his grandfather’s experience, alongside his own military commitments, has helped him understand the far-reaching effects of conflict.
“As a reservist, my perspective has changed from the way I viewed war and Remembrance Day as a kid. Nowadays I see just how easy a war could start, in a complicated geopolitical landscape, and how powerless a soldier is in where they get sent or who they fight,” he said.
He said his role means maintaining the standards and traditions of those who served before him, while preparing to help protect the country. With Rooftop’s support and flexibility in the workplace, Leon can use his reservist leave and volunteering leave to attend a two-week training camp each year. This helps him maintain the standards required in his reserve role and gives him the opportunity to take part in large-scale training exercises overseas, including Estonia.
At Rooftop, our commitment to the Armed Forces community goes beyond Remembrance Day. As a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and a recipient of the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Bronze Award, we are committed to recognising the contribution of the Armed Forces community and supporting their needs.
This includes supporting the employment of veterans, reservists and military spouses and partners. We also offer flexibility to colleagues who need time for military training or deployment and to support those who wish to use volunteer leave to help local cadet units.
Our commitment extends to customers and their families. We work with local authorities and partner agencies to help veterans who are homeless access suitable accommodation, taking their housing needs and eligibility into account.
We’ve reviewed our sign-up process for new customers, whether they are veterans or serving personnel who may need additional support, to signpost them to specialist, money management advice and benefits where needed.
As Kirsty and Leon’s experiences remind us, by listening, recognising individual experiences and providing support, we can help the Armed Forces community feel valued.
Are you part of the Armed Forces community?
If you or anyone living in your household is currently serving in, or has previously served in, the Armed Forces, please let us know. By sharing the information with us, we may help identify additional support or signpost you to services that meet your household needs.
Call: 01386 420 800 or email to: enquiries@rooftopgroup.org.
If any members of the Armed Forces community would like to know more about housing or employment opportunities at Rooftop, visit our webpage: ‘Home for Veterans’ for more details.
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