Portsmouth News scoops Bronze award after pledging to the Armed Forces Covenant

The paper is the latest city business to join the covenant and pledge to do what it can to support military personnel and their families.

The announcement follows an award-winning campaign by The News highlighting the veteran suicide crisis.

Two years of investigative reports led to a debate in the House of Parliament in which it was agreed more would be done to officially record the number of military personnel taking their lives - something charities and campaigners said was vital in tackling the problem.

And the paper has among its staff its first armed forces reservist, in defence correspondent and chief reporter, Tom Cotterill.

Editor Mark Waldron said: ‘As well as Portsmouth being the proud home of the Royal Navy, it is also a place where hundreds of veterans and serving soldiers and RAF personnel live.

‘As a paper, we pride ourselves in being a regional voice for this community, which is part of the very fabric of the city.

‘Our pledge to the Armed Forces Covenant is not a token gesture but a genuine commitment: from our award-winning veterans in crisis campaign, to our countless reports of naval homecoming - and now to supporting our first reservist in Tom - we are proud of our role we can play in supporting the area’s military personnel and will continue to do this into the future.’

For details on how to pledge to the Armed Forces Covenant and employer recognition scheme, see armedforcescovenant.gov.uk/