Iain Duncan Smith Visit

Last Friday we welcomed The Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Tracey Crouch MP for Chatham and Aylesford.  The Minister met many RBLI employees as we explained how our model of a Social Enterprise fits neatly into the Big Society Agenda.    The Minister also had an opportunity to meet some of the Armed Forces personnel who had sustained life changing injuries or illness attending our LifeWorks course.   They explained to him how the vocational assessment and employability training they had received during the week would help them to understand their employment options and compete more effectively for civilian work opportunities.   

We were able to feedback to the Minister some suggestions to enable us all to offer the widest range of services to former Armed Forces personnel

At the same time we hosted a meeting of representatives from KCC, Jobcentre Plus, G4S and Service Charities; including the Poppy Factory and Royal British Legion to explore how organisations could work together more effectively to improve access to services for former Armed Forces personnel seeking work.  We were able to feedback to the Minister some suggestions for quick and easy wins that would ensure better data capture and integration of services to enable us all to offer the widest range of services to former Armed Forces personnel.  Thus ensuring we can work together to help meet the principles of the Military Covenant.

The Secretary of State displayed a genuine feel and understanding of the work of RBLI.  He interacted positively with everyone he met and the visit was a most positive stimulus for all.  

Lord Lieutenant of Kent Visit

RBLI’s new President is The Viscount De L’Isle,  Lord- Lieutenant of Kent.  Royal British Legion Industries was honoured to welcome The Lord- Lieutenant and The Viscountess De L’Isle to Aylesford on Wednesday 23^rd November.  The Lord -Lieutenant spoke with staff in the Social Enterprise Signs Department and produced his own sign.

As a former officer in the Grenadier Guards, Lord De L’Isle was particularly interested in meeting the staff and students on the LifeWorks course.  This course provides vocational assessment, information and advice to Veterans with disabilities or health conditions.

The final part of the tour was a visit to RBLI’s high dependency care home, Gavin Astor House and the assisted living home, Queen Elizabeth Court.  Linda Alder, Head of Healthcare and Welfare hosted this visit which included a satisfactory ‘room inspection’ of former Chief Accountant of TRBL, John Riggs.

Youth Unemployment

My heart sank as I watched the news last night and saw that youth unemployment had risen to over 1,000,000 for the first time since 1992.  Those children lucky enough to have the benefits of a good education and a stable home life are finding it difficult to secure the right employment.  However, the challenges are particularly acute for the many youngsters who are disadvantaged by chaotic home lives, lack of education, low aspirations and low self confidence.

This all brings into sharp focus the important work we do here at RBLI, working with the disadvantaged and vulnerable.  We must renew our efforts in these difficult conditions, and ensure that we are able to help, whether through finding work for youngsters on the Work Programme, supporting young service leavers through Future Horizons, or employing apprentices here in our Social Enterprise.  We have made a good start but there is much more for us to do and I would like to see a further extension of the support we provide.  I am in fact currently looking at how we can increase the number of apprentices within the business, which I believe gives young people valuable experience and their first important step on the career ladder.

Working with Kent County Council and other partners we all have a responsibility to do everything that we can to help this group and I am certain that everyone will rise to the challenge.

Remembrance Service 11-11-11

Today RBLI paid its respect to heroes past and present with a short remembrance service followed by the traditional 2 minute silence acknowledging the commitment and sacrifice made by individuals and families to whom we owe the nations freedom.

Tracey Crouch MP for Chatham and Aylesford and Joyce Gadds, Chair of Aylesford Parish Council, joined me in laying wreaths at the Royal British Legion Village Memorial Garden.   Thank you to everyone who attended and helped us to honour our Armed Forces Communities.

Signs for the Minister

We were recently visited by Mike Penning MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport. The Minister had heard of some of the exciting work we have been doing, particularly in our signs division and wanted to see first hand what we can deliver.

The visit began with a site tour, where he was exclusively invited to see our top-secret new assembly project, and was keen to help out! Mr Penning was then shown around other parts of the organisation and got to meet some of our beneficiaries.  The Minster then participated in a roundtable discussion with representatives from KCC, Enterprise, TMP, Unipart Rail, Balfour Beatty Mott MacDonald and Gatwick Airport to identify way in which Government, Local Government, Commercial Businesses and Social Enterprises can work together to help those disadvantaged by disability or health conditions.

Mr Penning was extremely interested in our work, stating that he “had heard a lot of good things about RBLI but had no idea of the breadth of support that RBLI offer.” He went on to say that he was “genuinely impressed with our passion and commitment.”

Many thanks to Mike Penning MP for his enthusiastic support.  I would also like to thank Tracey Crouch, our local MP, who is a staunch supporter of RBLI and very much made this visit possible. (click here to view all of the event photos)

Remembrance Day

This is the time of year when we all remember the bravery and sacrifice of our veterans, past and present, who have given so much to this nation.  Many have paid a very high price for their service and far too many have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Every one of us owes these brave men and women a debt of honour and that is why the work that we do everyday is so important.  We give people their lives back, installing a new found sense of pride and direction.  We enable people to start again.

I am proud of the work we do and proud to be part of an organisation like Royal British Legion Industries.  Every one of us should share that sense of pride and redouble our efforts to reach as many of those in need as possible.

“They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.”

Laurence Binyon, For the Fallen

Future Horizons

I am absolutely delighted that we are working with COBSEO on the Future Horizons programme.  This is a programme designed to support early service leavers and some of the more vulnerable leaving the armed forces.  This innovative programme means that we will be working in partnership with some of the most experienced providers of employment support in the UK.  We will be pooling our resources, experience and commitment to work to a common goal rather than competing with one another.

This is a really exciting opportunity and one that I hope we can replicate on other important delivery models.  I truly believe that working together we can achieve so much more than we could by “going it alone”.

Co-operation is certainly the way of the future and I will look forward to future collaboration with our partners.

AtW Contracts Commence

We are proud to announce that our Access to Work contracts have commenced today. We are delivering two contracts, across London & the Home Counties and Southern England. This new Government funded contract is designed to support anyone with a disability or health condition and is managed by DWP and Job Centre Plus.

We are a specialist charity which, by working closely with our better known partner, The Royal British Legion, provide specialist vocational support to the armed forces community. As an organisation, we have supported veterans in the workplace for almost 100 years, so using this experience to support the wider public makes perfect sense.

 “As an organisation, we have supported veterans in the workplace for almost 100 years, so using this experience to support the wider public made perfect sense”

We are delighted to be able to offer this excellent Government service and we are all excited about meeting the challenges of providing this service and supporting individuals to sustain employment.

The new contract commences today and those that believe that they may be eligible for support or need further information on the service should look at the Direct Gov website or contact their local Job Centre Plus office.