Porthaven Care Homes Signs Armed Forces Covenant, Pledging Support for Veteran Community
Care home provider, Porthaven Care Homes, has formally pledged its support to the Armed Forces community by signing the Armed Forces Covenant, reinforcing its commitment to those who serve or have served in the military and their families.
The Armed Forces Covenant is a shared national promise by businesses and organisations to ensure that those who serve or have served in the armed forces and their families are treated fairly and with respect in the community, economy and workplace.
In signing, Porthaven has pledged its support to be an armed forces-friendly organisation. As part of this, the group will actively support the employment of veterans, while continuing to foster care environments where veterans feel welcomed, recognised and understood. The pledge also includes ensuring that no member of the Armed Forces community faces disadvantage in accessing care or employment because of their service.
Porthaven’s commitment to the Armed Forces community also extends to how veterans are supported within its care homes. Across the group, several homes have achieved accreditation through the Veteran Friendly Framework, a national framework designed to help care homes better understand and respond to the needs of residents with a military background.
Haddon Hall Care Home in Buxton became the first care home in its portfolio to achieve accreditation under the Veterans Friendly Framework in November 2025. Since then, Bourne Wood Manor in Farnham, Falkland Grange Care Home in Newbury, Deer Park Care Home in Ledbury and Cotswold Gate Care Home in Burford have proudly followed in the same footsteps, with further accreditations planned across the group in 2026.
The Veteran’s Friendly Framework (VFF) is a collaborative initiative developed by Armed Forces charities Royal Star & Garter and Royal British Legion, in partnership with the NHS Veterans’ Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA). The VFF is designed to help care homes identify and better understand the unique needs of veterans, reduce social isolation and loneliness, and ensure residents with a history of military service are meaningfully supported throughout their care journey.
Suzy Cooper, Group Head of Activities and Wellbeing, said: “We are truly proud to be supporting the VFF and committed to becoming a veteran-friendly care provider. The stories, conversations and memories shared by residents has invoked a sense of pride amongst staff and an understanding of the contributions and the sacrifices that our veterans experienced during their military service.”
Offering a personal view on what this commitment means in practice, Kevin Peck, home manager at Deer Park Care Home in Ledbury, added:
“As someone who served in the Royal Artillery for five years, Porthaven becoming Veteran Friendly and signing the Armed Forces Covenant means so much to me. Although my time in the forces was relatively short, it gave me discipline and shaped the person I am today; it truly made a man out of me. This commitment shows that the values I learned in service, like respect, loyalty and community, are recognised here. It is about ensuring veterans and their families feel understood, supported and valued. For me, it’s a promise that their sacrifices will never be forgotten.”
Porthaven joins a growing number of care providers and organisations such as the national Government, NHS and charities who are all committed to supporting the Armed Forces community.
