East Anglia Reserve Forces & Cadets Association

Ian Twinley, Chairman of the Regional Employer Support Group for East Anglia, is aiming to help raise money for injured service men and women at the end of this month by rowing across the English Channel. The challenge for the 16 people taking part should take approximately 6 hours to row the 21 miles, weather permitting.

You may have seen that on Prince Harry’s recent trip to America that he attended the Paralympics Warrior Games. These games are for injured service men and women and it is seen as an important element of the rehabilitation process for many of them. Prince Harry has announced that he hopes to bring the Warrior Games to the UK as he believes it would be a great sporting spectacle. A team of 35 from across the UK competed this year thanks to donations from organisations including Help for Heroes. For more information, please see this BBC article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22491487

Ian Twinley explained his motivation for wanting to raise the money: “We are hugely indebted to the military personnel who put their lives on the line for this country and this is a way of showing our gratitude to them by helping those who are injured and showing Prince Harry that there is public support for the Warrior Games in the UK.

“I was fortunate enough to travel to Afghanistan in 2008 and witness the fantastic work going on by our reservists and regular armed forces but I can tell you that the most humbling moment was when I visited the Camp Bastian field hospital.”

If you would like to make a donation then please visit www.justgiving.com/ian-Twinley

20th May 2013

On 25th February the SaBRE (Supporting Britain’s Reservists and Employers) department honoured employers of reservists in Hertfordshire. The event took place at Moor Park Mansion and those who attended were treated to breakfast and talks from Major Adrian Coulson, Sergeant Derek Simms and Sergeant Rod Kelson.

Eight certificates of support were handed out to supportive employers in recognition of the valuable contribution they make in supporting the Armed Forces. The employers to receive certificates were Berkhamsted School, East and North Herts NHS Trust, Herts Fire and Rescue, MCM Facilities Management. Morrison Utility Services, The Post Office – Supply Chain and VINCI Construction. The certificates were signed by Phillip Hammond, the Secretary of State for Defence and were presented by the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, The Countess of Verulam.

The SaBRE department put on events to recognise employers from across all 6 regions of East Anglia. These events are important in showing employers how valuable their contribution to defence is particularly as the reliance on the Reserve Forces grows in the future.

If you have any questions about these events or the relationship between SaBRE, the Reserve Forces and their employers then please contact Kristina Carrington, Regional SaBRE Campaign Director, or Louisa Blakemore, SaBRE Administration Officer.

11th April 2013