A fantastic evening at the Shropshire Armed Forces Drinks Reception and Engagement Event hosted at Hatfields Land Rover.
Guests were able to enjoy delicious canapés and fizz, wonderful performances from the Shropshire Brass Ensemble, the stirring sounds of the Shropshire Army Cadet Force Bugles, and the chance to explore an impressive display of vintage military vehicles.
A huge thank you to MC, Samantha Brettell DL, who kept the evening flowing, and to the inspiring speakers:
– Oliver Benbow, General Manager of Hatfields
– Colonel Marius Coulon, is the Honorary Secretary to the Shropshire ACF Trust
– Charlie Hall, former Cadet with Shropshire ACF and now a second year operations apprentice with Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL).
– Francis Acton, Chair of West Midland RFCA and Army Reserve Officer.
– Melvyn Downes, former 22 SAS Sergeant-Major and Author of Unbreakable, and also a member of the Directing Staff on SAS:Who Dares Wins.
– Ted Shirley, former infantry soldier with 1 Royal Welsh, served two tours of Afghanistan as a sniper and Author of Afghanistan Sniper: Trauma on the Front Line and Beyond.
Dr Graham Wynn OBE, Head of Wynn Foundation.
Sean McCarthy, Health and Wellbeing Directorate and Sport & Physical Activity Co-ordinator – Shropshire Council.
Having spent a decade navigating severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and moral injury, Ted has dedicated his civilian life to breaking the silence surrounding military mental health. Melvyn shared how resilience, hard work, timekeeping, and a good sense of humour are just a few skills that members of the Armed Forces community bring to workplaces.
It was an honour to be joined by the Shropshire Lord Lieutenant, adding to what was a truly memorable occasion. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the evening such a success.
