West Midland RFCA

Army Reservists take to the slopes for skiing expedition

Our Association provides funds in support of adventure training for Reserve and Cadet units and one of the latest trips we have supported is the 37 Signal Regiment’s annual skiing expedition. An account from the trip with the highlights and successes can be found below.   Exercise Dragon Sorbet is the Regiments’ annual skiing expedition to Kirtchdorf, Austria.  This year, twenty five personnel…

Reserve Centres go green

Eight Army Reserve Centres in our region are helping to reduce their carbon footprint after the installation of new EV Chargers at their sites. The project, managed by our Estates team and overseen by our Estates Officer Soft FM, saw secure plug-in charging stations installed at each centre to charge the unit’s official military vehicles and white fleet. Working in conjunction with the…

New multi-million pound Joint Cadet Centre in Stafford

Ground has been broken and work started on a new Joint Cadet Centre in Stafford.   The project, led by our Association, will provide new training facilities for the following units from Staffordshire and Birmingham (North Sector) Army Cadet Force (ACF): HQ Company, C Company (Stafford) unit, Corps of Drums. From the Royal Air Force Air Cadets the following units will move to…

Employers go behind the scenes at School of Technical Training

Businesses from Shropshire and Staffordshire were given a special ‘behind the scenes’ glimpse into the roles and work of No. 1 School of Technical Training and No. 605 (County of Warwick) Royal Auxiliary Air Force based at RAF Cosford. Hosted by No. 1 School of Technical Training and No. 605 (County of Warwick) Squadron, with support from Shropshire Council and our Association, the…

Gold standard employers celebrated

On 23rd October 2024 fourteen organisations from across the wider West Midlands area attended an awards ceremony in Shropshire to receive their Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Awards, recognising their exceptional level of support to the Armed Forces community. Held at Lilleshall House and Gardens in Shropshire – home to one of the UK’s National Sports Centres and the Royal British Legion’s…

Estates team welcome changes

Our Estates Team have embraced the introduction of the Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS). Having successfully completed the necessary pre FDIS contract training courses provided by Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) meant that they were able to proceed with the implementation date of 1st August 2024. As a part of the new FDIS Hard Facilities Management contract, we retain the responsibility for the management,…

Employers receive coveted Ministry of Defence Award

Thirty seven employers from the West Midlands region have been presented with their Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Awards. Our awards took place on Wednesday 11th September, at the National Memorial Arboretum. The ERS awards are now in their 10th year and continue to recognise employer support for the wider principles of the Armed Forces Covenant. The scheme encompasses bronze,…

New Chief Executive for West Midland RFCA

Colonel (Ret’d) Richard Maybery took on the role of Chief Executive at the West Midland Reserve Forces & Cadets Association (RFCA) in December 2017 after a 35 year career in the regular Army. After nearly seven years in the Colonel Maybery is retiring and handing over to Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Richard Hopkins. Colonel Maybery commented: “It’s been an enormous privilege to have been…

Organisations win Gold Award for supporting Armed Forces community

  193 organisations, nationally, have been recognised with a Gold Award from the UK Government, the highest badge of honour for supporting the Armed Forces community.   The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award recognises the positive role that employers play in supporting defence and inspiring others to do the same.   This year organisations of all sizes, from all sectors and from…

New Hard Facilities Management arrangements for Reserves and Cadets

New arrangements to provide Hard Facilities Management (HFM) to Ministry of Defence (MOD) sites used by Reserves and Cadets have come into effect today (1 August 2024). The MOD’s existing Built Estate contracts, which provide HFM services to Defence sites across the UK, were amended to add the additional sites into their scope. The Built Estate contracts were awarded to Mitie Defence, VIVO…