A PIONEERING minerals company in Cornwall has signed an agreement showing its support for the armed forces.

Cornish Lithium has announced it has signed the Armed Forces Covenant at a ceremony held at one of its sites in the county.

A spokesperson for the company said: “The Armed Forces Covenant is an agreement that formally recognises the company’s commitment to the fair treatment of employees who are armed forces veterans or who are the family of armed forces personnel, as well as its commitment to supporting armed forces reservists and volunteers in their training and postings.

“The covenant was signed by Cornish Lithium’s chief executive officer, Jamie Airnes, at the company’s Penryn site and was attended by employees with armed forces connections, including veterans, a reservist and the partner of a serving member.

“Also in attendance were Ministry of Defence (MoD) defence relationship management regional employer engagement director Jon Beake and co-signatory British Army liaison officer Lt Col Ant Sharman.

“By signing the Armed Forces Covenant, Cornish Lithium joins almost 13,000 organisations that have publicly committed to upholding the values of ‘fairness, respect and opportunity’ for those who have served their country.

“Cornish Lithium’s commitments include promoting the armed forces, supporting events such as Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday, and providing support to reservists, service leavers, veterans and their families, in recognition of the unique demands they face.

“This includes offering flexible working arrangements, training and development, and ensuring a supportive environment for service members transitioning to civilian careers.”

Jamie Airnes said: “We are honoured to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and publicly announce our ongoing commitment to fair treatment for veterans, reservists, serving personnel’s families and volunteers.

“Cornish Lithium already benefits from the knowledge, values and skills of those who have served, including our founder, Jeremy Wrathall, who served with the British Army’s Parachute Regiment prior to embarking upon his career in mineral exploration.

“This pledge is also personal to me, as my father served in 2 PARA, the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment. I know first-hand the difference that this kind of support can make.

“It is a pleasure to stand alongside our veteran and reservist colleagues in making this public declaration. I also hope it encourages other organisations to recognise and value the wealth of expertise and insight that military professionals bring.”

Jon Beake said: “It is fantastic that Cornish Lithium joins around 1,300 other organisations based across the South West that have pledged their support by adopting their own Armed Forces Covenants; it has been a pleasure tailoring the pledges with them to make them relevant and mutually beneficial.”

The ceremony also marked the launch of a series of “Meet Your Army” events by the Army engagement group across the South West, offering employers the chance to learn how military experience can bring valuable skills and experience to the workplace.

Founded in 2016, Cornish Lithium currently employs 99 members of staff across its sites at St Dennis, United Downs and Penryn.