News

Tributes paid to brave Dambusters raid airmen

Today marks 75 years since the RAF’s now legendary Dambusters set off on their audacious raid to destroy three German dams at the heart of the Nazi war machine.

Fifty-three pairs of gloves laid out by the RAF Benevolent Fund at the Bomber Command Memorial were a stark reminder of the lives lost that night, the families left without a loved one. RAF Chaplain Michael Chatfield paid tribute to the 133 brave airmen who set off on the raid in 1943 and RAF bugler Corporal Andrew Lofthouse signalled a minute’s silence with the Last Post.

RAF Benevolent Fund Director of Fundraising and Communications John Trampleasure laid a wreath in memory of the airmen killed.

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Volunteers needed to make Aberdeen Poppy Day a day to remember

It was a fun event that captured the imagination of the city in 2017, but organisers of this year’s Aberdeen Poppy Day are already hard at work behind the scenes to make it even bigger and better this time around. And to boost this worthwhile event further, they are sending out a plea in the hope of recruiting more volunteers.

Matt Fyfe, who is the Poppyscotland Area Organiser for Aberdeen, said: “We have a great team of volunteers here in Aberdeen, but we need a few more willing individuals or groups to come forward to lend a hand on the day.

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Northampton blind veteran to take on 22-mile walk along D-Day beaches for military charity

A blind veteran from Northampton is currently training to take part in a 22 mile walk along on the Normandy coastline to commemorate the anniversary of D-Day.

Peter O’Malley, 61 and from Duston, will take part in the event alongside five other blind veterans supported by Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women. The challenge will take place on 6 June, the anniversary of the 1944 Allied invasion of occupied France.

Peter says: “I know that it will be hard work, particularly as I am vision-impaired and the course takes in rough terrain, but I don’t think sight loss should stop you taking on a challenge.”

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Military Charity Blesma, The Limbless Veterans seek people for fundraising week

A military charity that supports veterans and serving personnel who have lost limbs, or the use of limbs, are looking for people across the UK to sign up to Blesma Week and hold a fundraising event in their local area.

Blesma Week kicks off on Monday 28 May and will include two bucket collections at Canary Wharf and Kings Cross Underground stations. During the week of fundraising and awareness-raising, communities and companies all over the UK (and even overseas) are encouraged to get involved in a Blesma event or organise their own fundraising activity.

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Scotland’s state band comes to Kilmarnock

Scotland’s best-known military band, which is in the midst of its first-ever national tour, is all set to perform in Kilmarnock after receiving a warm welcome today from the Provost.

The Band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland is performing at seven venues across the country as part of its “Walking with Heroes” centenary tour which is aiming to raise tens of thousands of pounds for leading Armed Forces charity Poppyscotland.

Scotland’s State Band, as it is also known, will be performing at the Kilmarnock Grand Hall on June 15th, but, earlier today, members of the Band local to the area joined East Ayrshire Provost Jim Todd and the Poppyscotland team to spread the word about the eagerly anticipated concert.

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The Challenges of Buying a Business

Sometimes it makes sense to purchase an existing company rather than starting your own.

Simon Watson, a former RAF Wing Commander who runs ET Cleaning Services and Swift Cleaners, discussed his own experiences during a recent webinar.

Find an appropriate company to buy, search online or through word of mouth. Dalton Business is a good place to start, as the leading website for buying and selling businesses and franchises. Once you have found a potential business to buy you need to test its commercial viability by doing your due diligence. Remember, you alone are responsible for checking the viability of the business before making the purchase.

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How do you network effectively?

Neil Williams, a former Royal Marines officer and now CEO of recruitment agency Crucial Group Ltd, shares his networking top tips.

When I decided to leave the Royal Marines I had no plan other than doing ‘something in business’. Networking was vital in helping me identify and pursue a new career.

At its heart, networking is just a conversation, and the military trains you to be an effective communicator. It gives you the opportunity to meet successful and interesting people, learn from their experiences and find opportunities.

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15th May 2018: OA Webinar – Inside the UK’s pre‑eminent delivery company, Royal Mail

This webinar will provide an overview of Royal Mail in the current climate. Former officers, Lyanne Maclean, Head of Fleet, and Simon Carpenter, Regional Head of Delivery Product Deployment, will share their own experiences of the organisation and provide advice on possible career paths for service leavers.

Royal Mail Group is a £10.8 billion business and is the leading business parcel delivery service in the UK, making them well positioned for the online shopping boom. With a workforce of over 160,000, Royal Mail is in the top five largest PLC employers in the UK. The size of the organisation means that there a good quality roles available across the country.

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17th May 2018: OA Event – ONWaRD Networking – Manchester

Kindly hosted by Barclays, we will be joined by a variety of local employers who will share their industry insights, and discuss the transition from the military into civilian employment. This is a fantastic chance to hear from officers now in civilian careers and gain some transition top tips. Networking at any stage of your career is vital, and during this event you can make new contacts, hear about opportunities and discuss challenges.

ONWaRD are a free to all networking group hosting monthly meetings in the Manchester. The informal meetings are a chance for officers to network in the North West region and provide support for one another in civilian employment.

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Afghanistan support

In light of recent events in Afghanistan, please find information and support resources here