J Taylor

Record number of companies supporting the region’s Armed Forces

This week was a notable achievement for West Midland Reserve Forces & Cadets Association (RFCA) region as Love Your Postcode Ltd became the 500th company within the West Midlands region to sign the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) and pledge their support to the Armed Forces family. The AFC was introduced by the Ministry of Defence in 2014 and is used across the country…

Army Reservist releases first single to help Combat Stress

A reservist Army officer, who is also an accomplished singer-songwriter, released her first single at the end of February. Lieutenant Colonel Thao Nguyen, of Birmingham-based 202 Field Hospital, has recorded a song, Trapeze, about mental resilience. The single was released across social media, including iTunes and Spotify, with proceeds going to Combat Stress, the UK’s leading charity that helps military veterans deal with…

Carl Chinn’s guided tour for Gold Alumni

On 29th January West Midland RFCA hosted their annual Gold Alumni Association (GAA) event. This year the event was held in Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter with a private tour provided by local historian Carl Chinn. Our GAA is now made up of 17 companies who have met all of the criteria and been awarded one of Gold Employer Recognition Scheme Awards. Of the…

One Army in Action: Reservists mobilise for operational tour

Army Reservists made history by mobilising for the British Army’s largest ever deployment of the Army Reserve in a single, formed unit under its own command. Approximately 240 Reservists from 7 RIFLES and 5 FUSILIERS have been mobilised for the British Army’s contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping mission on Cyprus.  Their first parade as a formed battlegroup saw them swap their regimental…

Halfords nominated for Award at ‘The Millies’

The Sun Military Awards, also known as ‘The Millies’, is a star-studded event, with the world’s media focusing on the dedication and commitment of our Service men and women. This year, the well-known cycling and motoring business, Halfords, was nominated for an award in the Support to the Armed Forces category. Exactly a year to the day of the Awards ceremony, Halfords signed…

St. Modwen signs Armed Forces Covenant

St. Modwen has signed the Armed Forces Covenant, a commitment to supporting those who serve, or have served in the military, and their families. The property developer has created a bespoke armed forces career pathway, providing employment opportunities and training courses to inspire members of the armed forces community to join the house building and construction sectors. It has also pledged to create…

New Year’s Honour for RFCA Board Member

Education and Employment Colonel (Ret’d) George Marsh MBE TD DL was educated at King Edward’s School in Birmingham and Sheffield University. Following which he went into a career in construction and is now chair of Arden Estate Partnerships based in Coventry and providing estate solutions to the healthcare sector. He has been involved in education governance for 30 years, formerly as Chair of…