Forces Live Events (CSE) has won the prestigious Gold EVCOM Clarion Award in the Diversity and Inclusion category, which promotes tolerance, diversity and inclusion.
CSE is part of BFBS, a military charity which entertains, informs, connects and champions the UK armed forces and has been delivering morale boosting live entertainment to the UK armed forces for over 75 years.
With the draw-down of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, CSE identified a need to diversify the services it offered with more focus on delivery in the UK. One of the key themes to these new activities is promoting equality, diversity and inclusion within the armed forces community.
In the awards entry CSE showcased two specific events as examples of its diversity and inclusion work. The first of which was the Gosport Service Families Picnic, an event which brought a number of service families together. The children who attended the event were treated to experiences like meeting The Gruffalo, learning circus skills and Marz v Murz, a Bruno Mars and Ollie Murs tribute act who performed the greatest hits, all provided by CSE and fully funded from its beneficiary fund.
The second example was Portsmouth International and Diversity Day where CSE partnered with military medical unit Joint Hospital Group South to help them celebrate cultural and LGBTQ diversity. CSE sourced the keynote speaker for the day, former Team GB Boxer and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Anthony Ogogo, who delivered a fascinating speech.
Sgt Christine Hawkins who attended the Awards, approached CSE for help with this project which became the first of many diversity events undertaken by the team.
Sgt Hawkins, who collected the award alongside Sakina Bugge from CSE said:
“Portsmouth International and Diversity Day took place because we began looking at diversity and inclusion within our unit and recognising how many individuals we’ve got from different units and different countries. It is absolutely amazing to achieve an award for the collective efforts of Joint Hospital Group and CSE”.
Angie Avlianos, Events Manager for CSE said
“We are thrilled to receive this Gold EVCOM award, and are honoured to work alongside military units, helping them to champion their diversity and celebrate the unsung heroes of the forces community, recognising the changing needs of that community and supporting them in new ways to maintain morale and welfare.”
For more information please contact laura.mcturk@bfbs.com / 07957 170 829
Note to Editors:
About BFBS
BFBS is a military charity and broadcaster that informs, entertains, connects and champions the UK Armed Forces.
We bring entertainment, news, sport and information services to the military, their families and veterans worldwide. We spread happiness and keep people in touch, building morale among the military overseas – offering them a valuable connection to life back home, and a way to share experiences and build communities.
We are also the home of military content, championing the military by keeping their activities in the public eye on our Forces digital channels and on our national TV channel.
And our commercial services, which provide income for our charity, span training, digital and creative services and pioneering technology solutions that enable media and communication in the hardest to reach places.
