Month: June 2019

Reserves Day Business Breakfast success

During Armed Forces week our Association held a Business Breakfast event in partnership with the Black Country Chamber of Commerce to celebrate Reserves Day on the 26th June. The event was held at the West Bromwich Army Reserve Centre, home to 237 Supply Squadron who are part of 159 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps.  It provided an opportunity for regional businesses to network with…

Black Country Army Reserve unit to receive Freedom of Dudley Borough

A Stourbridge based military intelligence unit will be officially granted freedom of the Borough of Dudley at Himley Hall and Park during the council run Armed Forces Day on Sunday 30th June. The unit, based at an Army Reserve Centre in Swinford Road, Stourbridge, will be presented with a freedom scroll by the Mayor of Dudley.  Troops will parade on the lawn in…

Police Inspector leads the way with role in Army Reserve

A serving Police Inspector from Warwickshire is championing the benefits of a different uniformed service as part of the upcoming Reserves Day and Armed Forces Day celebrations. Lucy Sewell is a full-time Inspector at Warwickshire Police Force and also the Officer Commanding of 48 (City of Birmingham) Signal Squadron, an Army Reserve unit based in Birmingham, in her spare time. She explained:  “I…

Halfords sail ahead for supporting Reserve Forces

A Birmingham-based Royal Naval Reservist will be one of many to celebrate Reserves Day with her employers this week. Charlotte Kertrestel, 28, works full-time as a Digital Product Owner for the cycling and motoring retailer Halfords.  In her spare time she is a Sub-Lieutenant with HMS Forward which is the only Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) unit in the land-locked West Midlands region. At…

The Courtyard sign Armed Forces Covenant

The Courtyard pledged its support for military personnel and families by signing the Armed Forces Covenant. The Courtyard became the 46th organisation in Herefordshire to pledge its support and signed the Covenant on Monday 24 June, during Armed Forces Week. Courtyard Chief Executive Ian Archer signed the Covenant on behalf of The Courtyard in front of Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire, The…

Association sponsors gala dinner

On 21st June 2019 the West Midland RFCA sponsored the Birmingham Youth Sports Academy’s (BYSA) Annual Gala Charity dinner at Villa Park.  The evening was to celebrate its seventeenth year and mark an exceptional year for them, having signed the Armed Forces Covenant, launched their mentoring and education programmes, as well as an interview with BBC news. The event was attended by local…

Commissions and Awards aplenty for Sea Cadets

In 2017 Her Majesty approved the adoption of a single bespoke Commission for Officers of the Cadet Forces of the United Kingdom, the first of its kind for 155 years. The Commission was granted to recognise the immense contribution made by volunteer staff as leaders of national uniformed youth organisations sponsored by the Ministry of Defence. On Thursday 13th June 2019 the Officers of…

Employers fly high at Cosford Air Show

Following on from a successful visit to Horseguard’s Parade for Trooping the Colour, our Association took a group of employers to watch the spectacular 2019 RAF Cosford Air Show on Sunday 9th June. The RAF Cosford Air Show is an annual showcase of static and flying aircraft displays, demonstrating the skills, technology and power of both the Royal Air Force and its international…

Trooping the Colour 2019

On Saturday 8th June our Association took a group of our region’s most Armed Forces-friendly and supportive employers to witness the spectacle that is the Trooping of the Colour for the Queen’s Birthday Parade at Horse Guards Parade in London. The parade takes place annually and involves over 1400 parading soldiers, 400 musicians and 200 horses.  Trooping the Colour is a fantastic display…