As the county prepares to celebrate Armed Forces Day on Saturday 27 June, people from across Staffordshire are being invited to pay tribute to members of the Armed Forces.
Because of the Coronavirus restrictions, this year people are being encouraged to commemorate the day online and on social media using the hashtag #SaluteOurforces. To join in, people can simply share a photo or video of themselves or their friends or work colleagues saluting on Twitter using #SaluteOurForces
The National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas are also running a digital programme on social media, replacing physical activities, as the 150-acre site will only be accessible to limited numbers of pre-booked visitors. This content will help families learn about the wide variety of roles performed by the Armed Forces and the importance of remembrance, including their Online VJ Day Illustration Workshops on 23rd & 27 June.
The Armed Forces Day flag will be raised at the Arboretum on Monday 22 June and the County Council will also be flying the flag from its ceremonial County Buildings in Stafford.
Philip Atkins, Leader of Staffordshire County Council said: “As a big supporter of our Armed Forces, I do hope that people will find some time on Saturday to join in the online tributes to show their support.
“It’s sad that we can’t pay tribute in the normal way such as physical events and services because of the Coronavirus pandemic, but by using #SaluteOurForces we can still show our thanks.
“This is a really simple way for anyone to pay tribute to the British Armed Forces community for their hard work, dedication and efforts to keep us safe in the UK and across the globe. I would urge people to join in.”
Staffordshire companies, organisations and groups are also being reminded about the Armed Forces Covenant and to sign up for it. Signing the covenant means that organisations are supporting their employees as reservists and veterans and 
benefiting from the wide range of skills and experience that the Armed Forces can bring.
Kath Perry, Chairman of Staffordshire County Council added: “Every year we celebrate Armed Forces Day and pay tribute to the brave service men and women and the work they do to keep us all safe. It’s a great day to show our appreciation and I would encourage people to join in with the online activities.”
By supporting the Armed Forces community, organisations will also have the opportunity to apply for a number of funding opportunities, which they can find out more about at https://www.armedforcescovenant.gov.uk People can read more about the online activities for Armed forces Day at https://www.armedforcesday.org.uk/get-involved/saluteourforces/
