A Message to the Regimental Family from Ian Robinson
As the Regiment approached its 60th anniversary a review was undertaken to examine how we can improve the service levels we’re able to provide to our veterans, our serving soldiers and our broader Regimental family and friends. The review concluded that we must modernise and evolve our thinking and approach. We must make better use of our existing veterans network, the broader Regimental family and business advocates and also make better use of modern communications technology.
Attached to this bulletin is a vision paper written by the President of the Regimental Association and endorsed by the Regimental Council, I would encourage everyone to read it as it is this vision paper that guides the work currently being undertaken. The paper focuses on our veterans community but I would emphasise this is about more than our veterans it’s about our whole Regimental family with the overarching aim of connecting us more closely so that we may draw on the Friendship, Support and Opportunity that all can provide.
I’ve been employed on a part-time basis to work with RHQ, our Charity Trustees and the wider Regimental family to deliver on the vision paper and specifically: To connect and bring together the Regiments veterans’ community and the day to day running of our Regimental Charity into an organisation that improves the service levels we can provide to our veterans, our serving soldiers and our broader Regimental family and friends. It must inspire both those still serving and our veterans to become more involved, by raising it’s profile and improving communications both inside and outside of the Regimental family.
The most important part of any Regiment is its people. You are the Regiment and it’s to you I turn to help with what is a once in a generation opportunity to build an organisation that can deliver Friendship, Opportunity and Support to all of our Regimental family, serving soldiers, veterans, families and supporters. This new organisation will be open to all, free to join and flexible enough to respond to the needs of its members in a timely and effective manner. It will enable the activities its members are interested in and In time will also provide well-being & welfare support, transition and employment opportunities. If we are to achieve all of this it will only be by harnessing the knowledge, ideas and drive of the whole Regimental family. Over the next few months I will meet with members of the Regimental family individually, at association branch meetings and at several town hall style events/forums to be held across the Regimental area and beyond. I would ask any of you who are able to please attend these meetings, have your say and share your ideas. For those who are unable to attend but have an interest in the future of the Regimental family please e mail me at Ian.Robinson@royalanglianregiment.com with your thoughts or comments. Alternatively if you would like to host a meeting locally, contact me to arrange a date.
The aim is to formally launch the new organisation to coincide with the Regiments 60th anniversary on 1st September 2024 however change will take place over time and will be evolutionary not revolutionary. I feel privileged to have been selected to fulfil this role for the Regiment and am looking forward to the challenge of maintaining and reinforcing all that is good about our Regimental Charity and veterans community whilst introducing new initiatives that will help us modernise, evolve our thinking and approach and deliver improved service levels to the whole Regimental family.
Planned meetings/forums:
- Bedford – Friday 6 September 1930hrs – The Keep, Walcourt Rd entrance, Kempston, Bedford, MK42 8AJ
- Finedon – Friday 13 September 1930hrs – Gladstones Working Mens Club, 103 Wellingborough Rd, Finedon, Wellingborough, NN9 5LG
- London – Thursday 26 September 1830 for 1900hrs – The Edward Bridges Room, Civil Service Club, 13-15 Great Scotland Yard, London, SW1A 2HJ
- Hemel Hempstead – Tuesday 1 October 1130hrs – Royal British Legion, Queensway, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 5DF
