On Thursday 15 May, Lowland RFCA members came together at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) for the Association’s Annual General Meeting.
The university, which received a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award in 2020 for its outstanding support of the Armed Forces Community, warmly welcomed military and civilian members and guest speakers in the campus’ Govan Mbeki building, where they enjoyed a chance to mingle and catch up over tea and coffee.
Once all the guests had arrived, the meeting opened with a welcome from Jim Castle, GCU’s Armed Forces Champion, and from recently elected Chair of Court Colonel Yvette Hopkins, whose illustrious career includes service as a US Military Intelligence Officer, as well as board memberships across the space, women’s enterprise, sustainable construction, and charity sectors.
Next came the confirmed appointment and authorisation of Lowland RFCA Board members from Ms Moira Niven MBE, the Association’s President and Lord-Lieutenant for West Lothian. As part of her introduction to the evening’s proceedings, Ms Niven reflected on the recent VE Day 80 commemorations that took place across the UK, and the role played by the Lowland community during the Second World War, not just on the front lines but ‘in the factories, firms, mines and shipyards.’
Ms Niven was also pleased to present a quaich to Colonel Alex McNamee to thank him for his outstanding dedication to Lowland RFCA and the Army Cadet Force as a Board member, Vice Chair (Cadets) and Colonel Cadets.
Next came Chairman Air Commodore James Linter OBE’s report, further reflecting on the themes raised by Ms Niven and how the world order that has existed since 1945 has shifted in recent years.
Further updates followed from Brigadier Jody Davies MBE, Commander Joint Military Command Scotland, and Brigadier Lisa Brooks DL VR, Commander 19th Light Brigade. Both briefings touched on the state of Defence in the Lowlands and across the UK as a whole, activities within their respective Brigades, Reservist recruitment and retention strategies and the importance of fostering strong relationships with Forces-friendly employers to ensure their Reservist employees remain capable and deployable for whenever the need arises.
The Cadets and Youth element of the meeting was delivered by two former Cadets who have since returned as Cadet Force Adult Volunteers. First, Sergeant Instructor (SI) Jenni Lang spoke passionately about how she first joined West Lowland Battalion as a shy fourteen-year-old, and soon found herself eagerly signing up for every possible opportunity after having an amazing time at her first Annual Camp.
A key theme in SI Lang’s briefing was how the Army Cadets provided a positive and stabilising influence to her when her academic and everyday life was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic: throughout the lockdown period, she looked forward to the weekly Detachment meetings on Zoom, and even got a chance to speak with Cadets in Canada through the online conferencing tool.
Thanks to the skills and qualifications she gained through West Lowland Battalion, SI Lang has since taken on an apprenticeship with BAE Systems, with the prospect of a funded degree in civil engineering further down the line. It is little wonder, then, that Lang was ‘ecstatic’ to return to her Battalion as an adult volunteer, keen to provide the next generation of Cadets with the same support and opportunities that she received.
Following SI Lang’s briefing, 2166 Hamilton Squadron’s Flight Lieutenant Matthew Haley explained how the qualifications he gained as a Royal Air Force Air Cadet in leadership, coaching and health and safety have greatly benefitted his career as a pharmacist and pharmacy manager.
Now serving as the Commanding Officer for the same unit he first joined at thirteen years of age, Flight Lieutenant Haley was full of praise for 2166 Squadron for giving him not just a happy and fulfilling childhood, but gave him the resources he needed to stand out in the working world with a well-rounded CV.
Once the briefings concluded, the Association members engaged in a lively open forum to discuss the topics covered by the guest speakers, including the encouraging increase in Cadet numbers across the Lowlands and the subsequent need for more adult volunteers, and the importance of connecting Cadets to employers so that they can continue to grow and thrive as confident, mature adults.
Many thanks to everyone who joined us for the meeting at GCU, either in person or online. We hope it was an insightful and enjoyable evening, and we look forward to welcoming you at our Autumn Association Meeting in October.
