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EKC Group confirms commitment to Armed Forces Covenant 

4 June 2026
East Kent Colleges Group (EKC Group) has confirmed its commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.  

East Kent Colleges Group (EKC Group) has confirmed its commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.  

It comes after the Group’s CEO, Lucy McLeod, signed a formal pledge. 

The Armed Forces Covenant is a Government initiative to acknowledge and understand that those who serve, or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, including the bereaved, should be treated with fairness and respect in their lives. 

The pledge was signed by the Group's CEO, Lucy McLeod

The covenant recognises that through the unique challenges of service life, it’s easy to become disadvantaged compared to the general population. By committing to the Armed Forces Covenant, EKC Group confirms the actions that it will take to fight against this, and empower members of the Armed Forces community within education, and employment.

Lucy McLeod, Chief Executive Officer of EKC Group, said: “I think the Armed Forces Covenant is really important because these members of the Navy, Royal Air Force, and Army have given a lot for all of us.

“EKC Group is at the heart of our communities, and it’s really important that we support these families within our community.

“It can be really hard when you come out of the service, and when you’ve been institutionalised, but they have so many skills that we can benefit from in our staffing.”

Lucy McLeod is the CEO of East Kent Colleges Group

EKC Group’s pledge aims to not only ensure fairness in recruiting, but to support current, and former service members, and their families in daily life during their time at the Group.

The Group has committed to:

  • A guaranteed interview scheme (as long as the applicant meets the essential job requirements).
  • Additional paid leave for attending training as part of the reserve forces.
  • Additional leave for members of staff who have seen combat to attend support groups or reunions.
  • A commitment to supporting national events such as Armed Forces Day, Reserves Day, and Remembrance Day.

Lucy added: “I’m really proud that we are doing this. It’s another aspect of our commitment to our communities.” 

The pledge comes after the Group recently achieved Disability Confident Leader status, and sits alongside the support also offered to those currently, or formally in care.