Month: June 2021

IT company announces paid leave for Reservists

Further to signing the Armed Forces Covenant earlier this year, Superfast IT has pledged its support by offering paid leave to employees serving with the Armed Forces Reserves. The announcement coincided with Armed Forces Week celebrations, taking place between the 21-26 June, and is part of the Birmingham IT company’s continued commitment to veterans, serving members of the Armed Forces and their families….

My journey from Reservist to Cadet Force Adult Volunteer

Petty Officer (SCC) Lisa Wood MA is the Officer in Charge of Redditch & Bromsgrove Sea Cadets. As a volunteer, Lisa has embraced the opportunity to help develop the lives of young people in her community; here she shares her journey to becoming a Cadet Force Adult Volunteer (CFAV). I served in the Royal Naval Reserves in Birmingham, at HMS Forward, for over…

Why military experience is great in your workplace?

Approximately 79% of working age Military veterans are employed in the UK. Many veterans have high quality transferable skills which they have gained through their Defence training. All of these skills are extremely desirable to civilian employers. We spoke to Barry Lewis a veteran and Director of Commercial Banking for NatWest in the West Midlands to find out more. “The world of work…

Shropshire Council, proud supporters of the Armed Forces

Shropshire Council are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and were immensely proud to receive the Military of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award in 2017. To further their commitment they have re-signed their Armed Forces Covenant this week, during Armed Forces Week. Since they last re-signed in 2016 they have done much more in terms of their support, policies and advocating…

Sandwell Council support the Armed Forces

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) is a proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and works with the Armed Forces to help and support current and former service personnel and their families in the local area. They are an organisation that supports their Reservists, veterans and cadets. The council encourages Sandwell businesses, community groups and individuals to work with them to pledge their…

A Gold Award company shows support for Armed Forces

Serve and Protect CU, a Birmingham based company, received their Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award in 2020 and are fully supportive of the Armed Forces community, both in terms of employees and customers. Serve and Protect CU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative, which helps to improve the financial resilience of those who serve the nation. They are here to help their members…

RAF Reserve and employer highlight benefits of employing from Armed Forces community

Senior Aircraftman Keith Herman lives in Greater Manchester but serves with 605 (County of Warwick) Squadron RAF Reserves. The Reserve unit based out of RAF Cosford, is the only RAF Reserve unit within the West Midlands area, and are specialist Logistics (Mechanical Transport Drivers, Suppliers and Chefs) and RAF Police Service personnel. Keith join the Squadron in 2017, when he was in his…

Transferable skills, military and civilian life

Sub-Lieutenant Victoria Duffield-Smith is a Reservist at HMS FORWARD, Birmingham’s Royal Naval Reserve unit. Victoria has recently assumed the role of Junior Officer Training Officer, developing the leaders of the future.  As a member of the Amphibious Warfare branch, she has experience of UK Maritime Enforcement Operations and in her civilian employment, she is currently an Inspector with Warwickshire Police, and is the…

Sea Cadets Commanding Officer champions benefits of volunteering

Sub-Lieutenant Althea Bumpstead is the Commanding Officer at Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth Sea Cadets.  As Commanding Officer, she oversees and organises the welfare, training and activities for the unit. Outside of the cadets, she works as a Development Officer for Forest Voluntary Action Forum, a charity that supports young people and youth groups. We spoke to Althea to find out why being a volunteer…