Richmond-based employment charity The Poppy Factory has committed to warmly welcome and support members of the LGBT+ community who have served in the Armed Forces, by signing up to the Pride in Veterans Standard.

The programme, run by trusted LGBT+ military charity Fighting with Pride, aims to help veteran-focused organisations be more proactive in opening up to the whole ex-Forces community. It seeks to ensure all veterans are treated with dignity, respect and understanding.

Any LGBT+ veterans with mental or physical health conditions can register for The Poppy Factory's employment service, with one-to-one support from the charity's expert Employment Consultants. And the charity's newly launched Families Employment Service has opened up the employment service and wraparound care to partners and adult family members of LGBT+ veterans.

As part of Pride month, The Poppy Factory is hosting Fighting with Pride for a tour of its historic Richmond site with tea and cake on Friday 16 June, and encouraging LGBT+ veterans to come along and meet others. Veterans can register by email to [email protected].

The rainbow Pride flag has been raised on the roof of the factory and will be flown until the Pride in London event on July 1.

Amanda Shepard, Chief Executive of The Poppy Factory, said: "It's important for charities like ours to make sure everyone in the ex-Forces community feels welcome, included and able to access the support they need. We're proud of the work we do to help LGBT+ veterans on their journey into employment, but we can always do more. That's why we have signed up to the Pride in Veterans Standard and are committed to support LGBT+ veterans, including those affected by the pre-2000 ban on homosexuality in the Armed Forces."

By signing up to the Pride in Veterans Standard, The Poppy Factory has committed to:

·       Warmly welcome LGBT+ Veterans, serving personnel and their families

·       Ensure all staff, volunteers and members have an awareness of the different challenges faced by LGBT+ people, in particular, those who were impacted by the Armed Forces' "gay ban"

·       Have a clear understanding of the needs of LGBT+ Veterans, serving personnel and their families and tailoring support to meet their needs

·       Recognise, that for some LGBT+ Veterans, their experiences have impacted their mental health, and tailor support to meet their needs

·       Promote inclusion, dignity and respect for LGBT+ people in everything that you do

·       Recognise the different groups within the LGBT+ community and understand their specific needs

Alongside the Fighting with Pride event, The Poppy Factory is offering hosted discovery sessions in June, July an August. To book, go to www.poppyfactory.org/discoverydays