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The Jewellery Quarter Development Trust (JQDT) has signed the Armed Forces Covenant, pledging their commitment to offer continued support for Armed Forces personnel and their families.

Bringing a full month of activities, arranged by the Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID) to a close, the signing of the covenant marks a statement by the JQDT in their promise to support the Armed Forces community. It was signed by Luke Crane, Executive Director of the JQDT.

Luke Crane said:

It’s been a privilege to learn more in the past few months about the range and breadth of work the Armed Forces undertake. We are proud to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and will continue to support and highlight the work of current and former personnel through events like Birmingham Poppy Day.

Lt Col Paul Walkley, Lead Office for Engagement for the Army West Midlands, said:

I am delighted to have been invited to sign the Armed Forces Covenant this evening alongside Luke as the Executive Director of the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust.  It is fantastic that the trust has chosen to recognise the sacrifices made by members of the Armed Forces and their families by this public commitment of support. The trust joins a growing array of organisations who are determined to ensure that servicepersons and their families are not disadvantaged as a result of their service to the nation.  I am confident that this will be a symbiotic relationship between the trust and the Armed Forces, and greatly look ahead to building on this relationship going forwards.

Demonstrating the JQBID’s commitment in supporting both the Royal British Legion and the Armed Forces, various events took place over the course of November, including raising funds for Birmingham Poppy Day, inviting World War reenactors to engage with the public, and installing an exhibition in the Jewellery Quarter train station.

Thanks to volunteers from the Royal British Legion and the JQBID donations were raised by the local business community and Jewellery Quarter residents on this year’s Birmingham Poppy Day. Further donations were also raised by members of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment Re-enactment Group who brought historical and replica military artefacts to the Golden Square. They engaged passers-by in conversation about life as a soldier during the First World War.

It was fitting to have re-enactors present in the Jewellery Quarter as many local employees and residents joined the regiment during the First World War to form the infamous “Birmingham Pals” – there was even a short-lived jeweller’s company. These and other stories from the area were highlighted in the exhibition installed inside the Jewellery Quarter train station. With a mix of archive images and illustrations, as well as stories of local workers and factories, the exhibition shines a spotlight on how local businesses and residents were affected by the two world wars. The Jewellery Quarter & The World Wars exhibition will remain in place inside the train station until the second week of December 2019. The exhibition forms part of the wider station improvement programme, as part of the Adopt a Station scheme with West Midlands Railway.

This is the second year that the JQBID has supported the Royal British Legion’s fundraising efforts as part of Birmingham Poppy Day.

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