From Strength to Strength in Employment Solutions

We go from strength to strength in Employment Solutions where, as the end of the year fast approaches, it is perhaps time for some reflection and also to peer into the future. This year has seen a number of resounding successes by RBLI. Our Welfare team was awarded an ‘A’ grading by Kent County Council for its exceptional performance in delivering the Supporting People Programme and our wonderful staff in the Workstep team continued to deliver above target both on job outcomes and sustainments. The team also executed a professional and comprehensive handover to the new Workchoice providers. Although sad to see some of our people transfer over on TUPE to the new providers; this is very much the way of life in the Welfare to Work industry. However, we remain in touch through our successful RBLI alumni programme.

We have also said farewell to a few of the management and support staff due to the cessation of Workstep in the South East. However, we have welcomed new staff with a new Project Manager for our exciting training delivery programme with the Army Recovery Capability; two new advisers on our Business to Business team and have reinforced our Work Programme team to ensure we provide our normal first rate quality of service to the Prime Contractors on the Work Programme framework agreement. Our Access to Work Assessment team is growing in size to match the success and growth in this area. We are currently helping over 500 clients on the Pathways Programme. Also, early in 2011 we have plans to launch a vocational assessment service (called Lifeworks) which will have national coverage for the Armed Forces Community. Busy days ahead I think.

Our Manufacturing Division, with over 104 disabled employees, also goes from strength to strength and is now formally accredited as a Social Enterprise and will be re-titled early in the New Year. Our ‘Fulfilment’ team achieved a world record for the construction of the tallest model railway at St Pancras Station and the order books are filling up as a result.

Our strong links with Kent County Council are also developing further with our mutual ambition to ‘do more’ together to assist disabled people back into employment and reach out to those from the Armed Forces Community. This will reinforce our ability to deliver sustainable outcomes in the new Work Programme.

A Fascinating Week

In which we warmly welcome Jonathan Shaw as an Associate of RBLI. Jonathan is a former government minister and qualified social worker.

Our Aylesford offices sits inside Jonathan’s previous parliamentary constituency and so he brings a wealth of local and national knowledge and experience to help our charitable aims.

The senior management team and the Board of Trustees held a most productive day designing and agreeing, in principle, the new Strategy for RBLI to be launched in early 2011.

Signs of Stranger Danger

This week we linked up with some of the younger members of our community when three children from local primary schools visited for a tour of our Social Enterprises. As part of the ‘Stranger Danger’ initiative run by Kent Police, children from Burham, Wouldham and Eccles primary schools entered a competition to design signs for local parks. The three worthy winners, Mia Fazzani, Emily Wilkinson and Nicole Williams, were invited to see how we produced the signs from their designs.

Staff at RBLI were delighted to be involved in such an important campaign by being asked to produce the signs. The tour and presentation, which also included representatives from Kent Police, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, were enjoyed by all. The children were presented with replicas of their winning signs. I have to say I was extremely impressed by the creativity and imagination displayed by the winners in their designs. I am sure that the signs will go a long way to helping children understand the potential dangers of talking to strangers. Our three young visitors should be proud of the contribution they will make to helping keep our children safe as we were to offer our support to this initiative.

From the desk of Steve Sherry - November 2010

A week for reflection and thought about those who have given so much in the service of defending our country over many years. The Poppy is the iconic symbol of our remembrance of all those who have been affected by conflict. The poignant Field of Remembrance service at Westminster Abbey on Armistice Day, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month organised so well by The Poppy Factory set the tone for a weekend of sombre reflection. The annual Festival of Remembrance organised by TRBL at the Albert Hall and televised to millions on national television was an emotional rollercoaster for all those who watched it. The blend of old and young, yesterdays wars and today’s conflicts, the harsh reality of life for grieving relatives and friends of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, were an inspiration to those of us in a position to do more. It was also a reminder of the challenges faced by those injured and traumatised in conflicts.

The RBL Village Branch held its own Remembrance Service here in the Capel Morris Centre on Sunday with veterans from World War II and many subsequent conflicts since. Local Territorial Army soldiers about to deploy to Afghanistan were also amongst us.

Remembering is of course important. However, this period of reflection has inspired me, and I hope others, to do everything we can to help those within the Armed Forces Community who need our suppo

Service to others

Is the hallmark of Matt Baker, our Welfare Officer who is leaving RBLI after 9 outstanding years of serving the interests of our residents here in Aylesford. Matt has served in the Regular Army, is now a member of the Territorial Army and departs RBLI to join Kent Fire and Rescue Service as an Emergency Life Support Instructor. A life of service to others.

I wish Matt every success in his new role and thank him for providing quality support to all in RBLI!

RBLI is back on the map!

Last week was an exciting week with a series of high level visitors to the Aylesford Site and also a fantastically successful Employment Solutions Conference (200 attendees) in Ashford. (This is covered elsewhere).

On Monday I had the privilege of hosting the Chairman, Air Marshall Tony Stables, and Secretary, Lieutenant Colonel Mike Bray, of the Confederation of British Service and Ex-Service Organsations (COBSEO). The visit gave us a great opportunity to share ideas and exchange information and the feedback from Tony Stables was most positive. I will be attending the COBSEO AGM on 27th of this month.

On the same day we also had the honour of Tracey Vennai from the Veterans Department of the Ministry of Defence conducting a fact finding tour on behalf of the Minister. I am grateful to Tracey for giving us her time and support.

On Wednesday, Chris Simpkins the Director General TRBL visited to explore ideas on our respective emerging strategies. There was considerable agreement on the key issues and I am confident that our mutual opportunities to help ex- Service personnel will go from strength to strength.

Helen Grant, MP for Maidstone visited on Wednesday afternoon. Helen is also the Vice Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (Army) and has also volunteered to take part in the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. I am so pleased Helen gave us her time and interest so early in her new career as an MP. I am sure we will see much more of Helen.

A Number of 'Firsts' - RBLI's 85th Annual General Meeting

Royal British Legion Industries held its Annual General Meeting at the Royal Engineers’ Museum in Chatham on 21st September 2010.

I am pleased to be able to open the new RBLI website with an update from our 85th Annual General Meeting. Not only is the website brand new but the AGM followed a new format and was held, for the first time, at the Royal Engineers’ Museum in Chatham. It was also my first AGM as Chief Executive so it was most pleasing to have our Vice President, Countess Mountbatten of Burma presiding. I am also grateful to the Mayor and Mayoress of Medway for their support. The Mayor closed proceedings with some inspiring words as we prepare our new 5 year strategy to be launched early next year.

RBLI continues to put its beneficiaries at the heart of our business and the trustees, members, friends and senior management team expressed their full support to contribute their utmost in the next 12 months. My wish is to expand the number of ‘Friends of RBLI’ so that we double the number at the next AGM.