Rowland Brothers receives Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award

Rowland Brothers Funeral Directors has won the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award, the Ministry of Defence’s highest level of recognition for businesses that have demonstrated outstanding commitment to supporting the armed forces community. 

It comes as the funeral provider has actively promoted the Armed Forces Covenant, an initiative that pledges support to those who serve or have served in the UK Armed Forces, ensuring they and their families are treated with fairness and respect.

Over the years, the company has also undertaken various initiatives to provide employment opportunities and tailored services for former military personnel, building partnerships with veteran organisations and working closely with families to meet their specific needs. 

Steve Rowland, managing director of Rowland Brothers Funeral Directors, said: “We are incredibly honoured to receive the Gold Award. Supporting the armed forces is at the heart of our values. Our commitment to veterans and serving personnel, whether through employment, partnerships, or dedicated services, is a fundamental part of who we are as an organisation.”

The Rowland family, which has been in the funeral industry since 1873, have a history of military service spanning multiple generations. A few examples are: Admiral Sir Edward James, chairman Tony Rowland’s great-grandfather, served as the chief architect of the Royal Navy from 1863 to 1870; Clarence Rowland, Tony’s father, joined the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1939 at the outbreak of WWII; and James William Rowland, Tony’s uncle, also enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1942 and took part in the D-Day landings in 1944. 

Tony Rowland himself also completed his national service in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps from March 1957 to March 1959. He was stationed at Blackdown near Woking and later at Didcot, serving as a lance corporal, camp carpenter, and for six weeks as the regimental drill instructor.