Armed Forces Champions 

The Council has a champion of cadet and Armed Forces issues.

Honorary Alderman Leslie McDonnell

HA McDonnell is a former major in the TAVR and Army Reserve, the Council's representative on the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (RFCA), and President of the Putney branch of the Royal British Legion.

HA McDonnell can be contacted at leslie.mcdonnell@lineone.net.

Please note: HA McDonnell is not the first point of contact for the Armed Forces community (see the directory Reserve forces, cadet and legion units for further details), but is available to assist in any dispute or complaint resolution.

How they can help

Examples of the type of issues that the Armed Forces Champion can help with have included:

  • Children’s education/school places for Armed Forces Community (AFC) families moving into the borough
  • Assistance with parking permits for AFC personnel resident within the borough
  • Discounted rates at leisure centres
  • Facilities for Regular and Reserve forces training
  • Assistance with eligibility for social housing
  • Support on estate/premises matters for locally-based Reserve units
  • Facilities and advertising for Regular and Reserve forces recruitment
  • Granting Freedom of the Borough for relevant Regular and Reserve units
  • Homecoming receptions and parades for units returning from active service
  • Support for Council and Enable Leisure and Culture staff serving in the Reserve forces

If you are unable to identify the right service or member of staff in the Council to deal with an issue, or if you feel you are disadvantaged or receiving an unfair service as a result of your being part of the AFC, then please contact the Council’s Armed Forces Champion and we will do our best to help you. Special consideration may be possible only in certain circumstances.

HA McDonnell and Jack Adam also constitute the Local Covenant Partnership (LCP), with additional members as and when relevant, responsible for considering and endorsing applications from the Borough of Wandsworth to the Government’s Covenant Fund. 

Up to Support for the Armed Forces

Updated: 30/03/2023