This week is Armed Forces Week, including Army Reserves Day and we’re proud to support both current staff working in the reserves, and former veterans in our ranks.

We have previously received the Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award from the Ministry of Defence in recognition of our efforts to ensure staff who also work in the armed forces have the time they need to train.  

To win the award, organisations must provide 10 extra paid days leave for Reservists and have supportive HR policies in place for veterans, Reserves, and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers, as well as the spouses and partners of those serving in the Armed Forces.

One of them is Abbie Syche, shown here as a Private in the Adjutant General’s Corps 103 Regiment Royal Artillery, who also serves as a receptionist in our urology department. She says she is proud to work in both roles.   

A number of our staff and volunteers are also former forces veterans. These include our volunteer Mac Greenwood.  Mac was in the Royal Air Force back in the 50s, first training as a fighter plotter, and completing the rest of his two years in Fighter Command.

He spent the majority of his working life as a journalist, and since retiring became a volunteer for the Alzheimers Society, the Samaritans and for Blind Veterans, before joining as a volunteer in 2010. He currently works providing admin support to our ENT secretaries as one of our valued volunteers.