Steve Sherry

LifeWorks Journey Week 2012 Update

2012-02-20T07:09:00.000-08:00

Thank you to our friends who have supported the LifeWorks Journey Week 2012 and shared our features, in particular: ABF the Soldier’s Charity (@Soldierscharity), SSAFA Forces Help (@SSAFAForcesHelp), The Army Families Federation (@the_AFF), St Dunstan’s (@Stdunstansnews), Honour Our Forces (@Honourourforces), Support Our Forces (@SupportUKForces), The British Forces Foundation (@BFFtweets), Shipwrecked Mariners (@ShipwreckedSoc) and I’m Getting Out (@imgettingout) to name but a few.

To mark the end of this feature we would like to finish with RBLI coach Shaun Maloney. With a 24-year Army career behind him, alongside his success in the training industry, Shaun has the experience and knowledge to guide veterans and service-leavers to meet their employment potential for success on Civvy Street.

For more information on RBLI’s LifeWorks courses;
call the LifeWorks specialist team free on 0800 319 6844
email lifeworks@rbli.co.uk
or view the interactive LifeWorks Brochure

LifeWorks Journey Week 2012

2012-02-17T07:34:00.002-08:00

Lifeworks, supported by ABF the soldiers’ charity, is an innovative employment guidance service for the Armed Forces Community, enabling them to build on their existing skills beyond the Armed Forces and achieve sustainable work.

This week (13-17th Feb) is RBLI's LifeWorks Journey Week 2012, each day we have been releasing former LifeWorks delegates’ video journeys to: http://www.rbli.co.uk/rbli/companynews/131/

To round off LifeWorks Journey Week 2012 we are releasing a new interactive LifeWorks Update Brochure which will explain how LifeWorks can help, when it will be provided and how the course has developed.

Open publication - Free publishing - More aremf forces

National Apprenticeship Week:

2012-02-07T05:22:00.000-08:00

RBLI starts National Apprenticeship Week by welcoming a further apprentice to our team and monitoring next steps for another. Callum Orpin joins our Property Services Team this week. One of the apprentices working in our Healthcare Team having recently completed her apprenticeship with RBLI has just commenced full time nursing training as a result.

For RBLI, having apprentices in our business continues to be a valuable and rewarding experience, providing a number of business benefits. We are confident our apprentices gain a wide range of benefits in return.

"The apprenticeship has proven to be extremely diverse, and I have been given the opportunity to undertake a variety of different roles and responsibilities each providing me with masses of knowledge, experience and skills that are invaluable." Nicole Freiter, RBLI Marketing Apprentice.

Nicole Freiter, currently serving an apprenticeship with our Marketing Team, is testament to that and you can read her story at http://www.rbli.co.uk/rbli/companynews/130/. For more information about apprenticeships visit http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/

2011 in numbers...

2012-01-25T01:34:00.000-08:00

When reviewing RBLI’s achievements in 2011 my eye was quickly drawn towards a series of numbers:

We have enabled 350 people to find employment through the Work Programme and have started assisting 4700 individuals who are long term unemployed.

We have given 5224 members of the Armed Forces community, employment and training information, advice and guidance through the Civvy Street programme.

LifeWorks, our new vocational assessment service, has worked with 45 wounded, injured and sick ex Service personnel.

65 members of the Armed Forces have attended the Army Recovery Courses (ARC) on our site in Aylesford, Kent.

We have supported 3 young ex-Gurkhas, one of whom has recently started employment in our Signs Department, by providing accommodation in our village.

We are proud to have a workforce consisting of 88 employees with disabilities.

300,000 pieces K’NEX (construction toy), have been assembled by our specialist team for a range of global displays (see our monster truck).

36,000 road and rail signs have been produced by our Signs Department.

237,000 new pallets have been built by our Pallet Department. 510,000 other pallets have been inspected, maintained and returned to the system.

Our village hosts 50 people in our high dependency care home, 38 in our assisted living home and a further 137 in our houses.

3 new apprentices have joined our team. We hope that this number will grow in 2012.

With a combined age of 153, 3 members of our Senior Management Team, successfully completed the Maidstone Half Marathon and the hope is that the number of RBLI runners will increase in 2012 thereby reducing the average age of participants!

54 local children with special needs and their carers attended a Christmas Party as part of our own charitable contribution to our community.

176 people ‘Like’ our new Facebook page

504 people ‘follow’ @RBLI on Twitter.

RBLI videos have been watched 1,047 time on YouTube.

A total of 300 RBLI staff made all of the above numbers happen. Of course, the numbers merely give some idea of scale of effort. What is less easy to describe is the dedication, passion and commitment that is required to deliver such high quality services that I see as I visit all of our activities. I do hope that our blog and social medias will, through articles and photographs, better illustrate the work of RBLI and all our staff.

From all at RBLI, I wish you a very happy 2012.

New Partnership Project:

2012-01-24T01:48:00.000-08:00

Next week we begin delivery of an exciting new pilot programme. Working in partnership with Russet Homes, we will deliver an assessment and preparation for employment course to 10 residents from a local housing estate. The project will run for 6 weeks and attendees will benefit from a range of employment related modules such as CV preparation and interview technique. When they have finished the programme, we hope that attendees will have opportunities to take up work placements with RBLI, Russet Homes or other local businesses. We are pleased to be working with Russet Homes to deliver this innovative project, which we hope will be the start of a long and successful partnership. The aim is to roll out the project to a wider group of residents and work with Russet Homes to support a range of employment initiatives that they are introducing to help residents get back to work.

We are pleased to be working with Russet Homes to deliver this innovative project, which we hope will be the start of a long and successful partnership.

This project is one of a range of partnership projects that RBLI will be developing and delivering over the coming months. Look out for more details on each of these as they progress.

K’nex Big Build Unveiled:

2012-01-23T01:11:00.000-08:00

This week our latest K’NEX big build project was finally unveiled. After 1,000 hours of work and 6 weeks of trans atlantic travel, the life size Grave Digger monster truck arrived in San Antonio to start its tour of America.

Grave Digger was built to commemorate the 30^th anniversary of the American Monster Truck and 20th anniversary of construction toy company K'NEX. Working in partnership with K’NEX and Feld Entertainment, the life size truck was built by the Assembly team here at RBLI using no less than 226,000 pieces of K’NEX.

The monster truck had become a familiar site in our factory at Aylesford as staff and visitors watched it progress from a very large pile of K'NEX pieces into a resplendent copy of the original Grave Digger truck. It had become so much a part of RBLI, that we were sorry to see it loaded into its container in late November to begin its 5,000 mile journey. It will now tour the Monster Jam festivals across America before reaching its final resting place – Digger's Dungeon in North Carolina.

This has been another great K’NEX build project for the RBLI Assembly Team and we await with anticipation details of the next one! Watch this space for videos of the construction process!

And finally...

2012-01-12T01:30:00.000-08:00

We also look forward to continuing working in partnership with TRBL as they progress work on their employability strategy. This is a real opportunity for a group of ex Service charities who already work closely both with TRBL and each other informally to take a more strategic approach to working in partnership for the benefit of our mutual beneficiaries. The organisations involved are the Poppy Factory, Poppy Scotland, RFEA and the Officers’ Association and the aim is to develop and deliver an employability support model which will provide better access to information, advice and guidance through a ‘one stop shop’ approach.

Launching ‘VICTOR’

2012-01-10T01:29:00.000-08:00

Continuing the theme of working in partnership, which will be a key focus of our work through 2012, we are also pleased to be working with the charity, Blue Sky to deliver ‘VICTOR’ – a project aimed to provide support to ex Service ex offenders.

This project will provide employment support to move individuals into sustainable employment and reduce the risk of re-offending. Customers will be given support with CV writing, developing job search skills, interview techniques whilst undertaking temporary employment and training in grounds maintenance work. The first project launches in April with Medway Council who will contract out grounds maintenance work to the Victor team. We look forward to further such initiatives being developed with other Organisations over the coming months.

Looking Forward...

2012-01-09T01:24:00.000-08:00

Future Horizons:

This week sees the launch of the Future Horizons Programme. This important initiative, which will run for the next 12 months, will help around 600 early service leavers transition out of the Army and back into civilian life. The programme will be delivered by a partnership of ex Service charities and private organisations that have pooled their expertise and experience to develop it.

Early service leavers are individuals who, for a range of reasons. complete less than 4 years of their Armed Forces career. They are therefore not entitled to the full suite of transitional support available. Often their career with the Armed Forces is cut short unexpectedly and they find themselves experiencing real problems with transition, resulting in increased vulnerability to issues such as crime and alcohol abuse. The initial pilot project will be delivered from the Army base in Catterick, engaging early service leavers before they leave to help them better adjust during transition. RBLI is one of a number of organisations partnering up to deliver Future Horizons and was instrumental in developing the assessment tool that will be used to identify support requirements on leaving. We will also deliver support to those who choose to settle in the South East of England with RBLI Advisers providing pre employment advice and linking individuals with mainstream programmes such as Work Programme.

"The initial pilot project will be delivered from the Army base in Catterick, engaging early service leavers before they leave to help them better adjust during transition"

The Future Horizons Programme will be funded by the Forces in Mind Trust. The launch of the Trust was announced this week at the premiere of ‘War Horse’, the new Steven Spielberg film. The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry has pledged partnership support and will back Trust funded projects with its own grants.

RBLI is proud to be a partner in this important initiative which will demonstrate how ex Service charities and private organisations can effectively use their combined expertise to provide an holistic approach to supporting Armed Force personnel.

Christmas comes early at RBLI

2011-12-22T08:23:00.001-08:00

A Christmas party for children with disabilities was held this week in memory of David Rowlands, MBE a former director of RBLI. The children enjoyed party food, face painting, an entertainment show and meeting Santa and his reindeers.

Special thanks to everyone involved at M4S, for their help inviting the families involved and much appreciated help on the day.

It was a fabulous day and a great finish to 2011.

A Festive Update

2011-12-20T07:23:00.000-08:00

In the run up to the festive season, I’m pleased to report that we remain very much on track with delivery of the Strategy we launched earlier this year. There have been a number of successes which demonstrate this. We have continued to support the work of the Army Recovery Capability, having just hosted a further assessment and training course. Our training team has delivered a number of LifeWorks courses and we are proud to report that delegates from these courses are now moving into employment and further vocational training.

Our training team has delivered a number of LifeWorks courses and we are proud to report that delegates from these courses are now moving into employment and further vocational training.

Social Enterprise has recently secured a contract to provide services to the MOD as well as adding a number of new customers for signs, mail house, printing and fulfilment services to its portfolio. The number of customers supported into work through Work Programme continues to grow and we have successfully implemented two Access to Work contracts for the delivery of workplace assessments across the South of England, London and the Home Counties.

Our Property Services team have been invited to tender to provide grounds maintenance work around Kent and a new and exciting project which will provide employment for ex Service, ex offenders that we will deliver in partnership with Blue Sky will now go live in Spring 2012. The Welfare and Healthcare Team continue to support an increasing number of beneficiaries with high quality care, accommodation, advice and guidance.

The latest K’nex ‘Big Build’ project, which has generated much interest and intrigue over the last few weeks will be unveiled early in the New Year when it finally reaches its destination in Houston, Texas. We look forward to providing more detail on this project in January, including information and video footage relating to the build process.

We look forward to providing more detail on this project in January, including information and video footage relating to the build process.

I’d like to wish all our customers, partners and friends a very Happy Christmas and New Year. Thank you for your ongoing support; I look forward to working with all of you to continue our Strategy delivery in 2012.

Christmas Baubles Image by Petr Kratochvil

RBLI video content now online

2011-12-14T03:16:00.000-08:00

I am excited to reveal that RBLI now have several videos available to view online: http://www.youtube.com/user/RBLIndustries/videos.

This content will be increasing into the New Year, as we aim to raise the profile of our various charitable and commercial activities. This dynamic platform will be utilised to allow potential clients to preview and meet the people behind our services, such as our training courses for the Armed Forces or our Leatherhead based printing, mailing and distribution projects.

You can vote for the RBLI service you would most like to see video content for here: http://on.fb.me/uQqIGs

Farewell to a familiar ‘friend'

2011-12-02T04:16:00.000-08:00

Today we said goodbye to something which has become a very familiar sight here at RBLI. Following the successful build of the world’s tallest toy train track from Tomica pieces at St Pancras station earlier this year (video here), we’ve just completed our biggest 'bigbuild' yet out of K’NEX peices which is now en route to America for unveiling.

You can keep up to date with RBLI's BIGGEST special assembly project yet, on our Twitter or Facebook pages. More information to follow!

More successes for our Social Enterprise

2011-12-02T04:03:00.000-08:00

I’m also pleased to report that our Social Enterprise has achieved yet more success! We’ve just been accredited a preferred supplier to Carillion plc.

One of the key factors to our success as a Social Enterprise is that we operate on a par with any other organisation when competing for business, which means that quality accreditations and approved supplier status are vital elements in terms of differentiation and added value. We know we do a great job but it’s always a major boost for us to have this recognised by external organisations. We have a long term aim to provide more employment opportunities at RBLI and becoming an approved supplier to Carillion is yet another step in our journey to achieving this.

Great results for our beneficiaries

2011-12-02T03:48:00.000-08:00

Last week, we were delighted to hand over the keys to one of our houses to an ex Ghurka soldier, now resident in the UK. Yuvaraj moved into the village with his family following a period of rehabilitation resulting from an illness. The Army Welfare Services pulled together a number of charities and support services, including Social Services, Army Benevolent Fund, St Dunstans and Help for Heroes to ensure Yuvaraj has everything he needs to live independently.

This has been a great example of charities and local services working together to achieve practical results for our beneficiaries. We welcome Yuvaraj and his family to the village and wish them well.

Iain Duncan Smith Visit

2011-11-28T01:37:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-24T08:20:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-17T10:54:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-11T07:59:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-11T07:42:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-10T05:47:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-04T05:05:00.000-07:00

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

2011-11-04T04:20:00.000-07:00

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.

Free Recruitment Service – KENT & SUSSEX

2011-10-31T08:18:00.000-07:00

The Not So Good News

"Mass public sector redundancies and recent fears about a slide back into recession have pushed UK unemployment to its highest for 17 years."

The total out of work rose to 2.57 million, whilst unemployment amongst under 25’s has hit a record high of 991,000. There have been deep cuts in state spending, which have been keenly felt by us all at RBLI, which will lead to the loss of more than 300,000 public sector jobs, adding more pressure to the slowing economy.

For businesses operating in this contracting economy, the landscape is particularly challenging. Slowing sales and rising costs make the environment a particularly difficult one to operate in.

Good News!

It is therefore important in this environment for businesses to have a clear approach to their recruitment needs and work with organisations that can support them with filling vacancies and sourcing well qualified, motivated candidates.

This is where RBLI can help: We are able to work with businesses on a day to day basis and use our skills and expertise to analyse recruitment needs, source candidates, ensure that they have the requisite skills and experience, provide training and support them into the workplace. We can even work with them once they are in work to ensure that they settle into the role and are a good match for the business. And the greatest thing about this tailored service? It’s entirely free to businesses. Our specialist teams are currently working across Kent and Sussex, led by David Jessop, supporting local and national businesses with their recruitment needs.

"I believe that this vital service will provide valuable support to businesses throughout the region and will ensure that we remain at the heart of the economic recovery. "

For more information on how we can support your business with your recruitment needs, contact Claire Bonthrone who will be delighted to help.

National Stress Awareness Day

2011-10-31T02:25:00.000-07:00

Stress management has never been more relevant or important than it is today. Recent research suggests that stress levels have doubled in the last 4 years. This can be linked to increasing financial pressures, fears about job security and fears for the future.

“Stress is one of the biggest health issues facing employees today and is the leading cause of absence at work”

This means that stress is now a major problem for employees and for businesses alike. It leaves me gobsmacked therefore that most businesses are so woefully ill-prepared to deal with this huge problem. The cost, both to the health of employees and the bottom line of businesses, is colossal and action is therefore crucial.

"The cost, both to the health of employees and the bottom line of businesses, is colossal and action is therefore crucial."

That is why I am supporting National Stress Awareness Day on 2^nd November 2011. This is the 13^th of these and is aimed at celebrating beating stress! The theme this year is “Wellbeing and Resilience at Work”, which fits perfectly with our own experience and expertise of helping others cope more effectively. Our commercial team have a wide range of services and products that support wellbeing at work and are aimed at easing this significant workplace problem. I know that our support, services and products can make a real difference to the lives of people suffering the horribly debilitating effects of stress, and to businesses who can see a huge return on any investment they make in stress management programmes.

For more information on our services and how we may be able to help, contact Emma Carty. For more information on National Stress Awareness Day visit www.isma.org.uk/national-stress-awareness-day/

Armed Forces Covenant

2011-10-21T04:55:00.000-07:00

I am a passionate and vocal supporter of the Armed Forces Covenant, which defines the relationship between the Armed Forces community, the Nation and the Government. I believe that we have a moral obligation to the members of all three services and their families. They deserve our respect, support and fair treatment.

‘This agreement is one that we at RBLI embrace fully. ’

The covenant aims to ensure that those that serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, should face no disadvantage. This obligation involves the whole of society and includes charitable organisations such as ours, private organisations and individuals. I believe that it is vital that we should honour the commitment and sacrifice of the Armed Forces, celebrate the work of those who support this community and make sure that we build close links between the Armed Forces and wider society.

‘Without this joined up approach to support, we will fail these committed and brave men and women.’

I welcome the Government’s formal acceptance of responsibility and a duty to ensure that there is no disadvantage to members of this community. Without this joined up approach to support, we will fail these committed and brave men and women.

This agreement is one that we at RBLI embrace fully. I want to make sure that we do all we can to support our veterans and ensure that they too can look back on their careers with pride, from a position of independence and security.

CIPD Absence Management Report

2011-10-19T02:43:00.000-07:00

I read with interest the recently published CIPD report on Absence Management. This annual survey often shows some interesting developments and this years was no different. It seems now that stress is the leading cause of absence for both manual and non-manual workers and that mental health problems have also increased within the workplace.

It went on to report that absence was costing employers around £836 per person and that in most organisations managers were under prepared to deal with this increase in stress related absence.

‘Absence costs employers around £836 per person’ CIPD report

This is a startling finding and questions the ability of managers to support vulnerable colleagues in the workplace, which is exactly why I am delighted that we have a range of solutions designed to address exactly these needs. Support and training for managers is crucial, but it is also vital to give the individual the tools to recognise and manage the symptoms of stress. RBLI courses give people these important tools and can help in the ongoing management of stress and depression in one’s life, whether at home or at work.

'RBLI courses give people important tools and can help in the ongoing management of stress and depression in one’s life, whether at home or at work.'

Our team of consultants, led by Sharon Patmore our Occupational Psychologist, have designed ever more effective tools to support staff and managers. We, at RBLI are here to help individuals, managers and businesses perform to optimum efficiency. For more information about our courses click here.

High Sheriff Visit

2011-10-18T01:34:00.000-07:00

On Thursday 6^th October our Chairman, Edwin Boorman and I had the privilege of meeting the High Sheriff of Kent, Mrs Georgie Warner and her husband Charles Warner. During an informal tour of the RBLI Social Enterprise and Care Homes here in Aylesford.

Mrs Warner was extremely impressed with our range of services and met with many of our beneficiaries. She even got hands on with some of the assembly and fulfilment projects that we deliver for many blue chip organisations across the UK.

'Mrs Warner was extremely impressed with our range of services and met with many of our beneficiaries'

Mrs Warner expressed her surprise at the sheer number of services we provide for the disabled and vulnerable, saying that she would certainly spread word of our work on her travels throughout Kent.

A Chance in a Lifetime

2011-10-06T02:39:00.000-07:00

At 7am last Thursday I was running alongside World Champion Haile Gebrselassie in a training run in Hyde Park. A chance in a lifetime and certainly a dream come true. Haile is an Olympic Ambassador for G4S with whom we work on the Work Programme.

'A chance in a lifetime and certainly a dream come true'

I was fortunate enough to be invited to take part in this run which was truly inspirational. We were put through our paces with a warming-up session, a 3km run (not at Olympic speed!) and then a warm down with Haile dispensing advice on how to look after our bodies. Haile is a wonderful ambassador for athletics, his country and G4S and I was both honoured and inspired to meet him.

Army Recovery Capability

2011-10-03T05:32:00.000-07:00

I recently attended a study day for the Army Recovery Capability. Chaired by Colonel Paul Mitchell of 4^th Division in Aldershot, the delegates heard how the Personnel Recovery Units are developing to meet the challenges of this programme.

Colonel Paul Meldon, who runs the Personnel Recovery Unit in the South East presented his development plans and included a testimony from one of the first of his soldiers who has successfully reintegrated his way into civilian life. This soldier was on our first assessment course here at RBLI earlier this year, which goes to indicate our contribution to a much broader support system for wounded, injured or sick soldiers – something that we should all be very proud of.

I am extremely pleased RBLI has the opportunity to be involved in this important programme and look forward to doing more with the Personnel Recovery Units over the coming years.

LifeWorks Taster Day

2011-09-30T03:56:00.000-07:00

We were recently visited by 14 guests from various organisations including TRBL, SSAFA and Regimental Associations. Some had travelled to Aylesford from as far afield as York to take part in the LifeWorks Taster Day (Vocational Assessment) which was organised and delivered by Sharon Patmore and her team.

‘an important opportunity to spread the word about the importance of vocational assessment’

The day began with an opportunity for the guests to mingle and get to know one another before the hard work began. All were put through their paces, participating in a number of tests and sitting the same assessments as our beneficiaries. Sharon tells me that there were no dramatic surprises and our guests all left comfortable with their career choices!

This was meant to be a fun day and I am sure that everyone that attended enjoyed themselves. However, it was also an important opportunity to spread the word about the importance of vocational assessment in the overall mix of support to our veterans.

Well done to everyone involved in the planning, preparation and delivery of the day.

RAF Visit

2011-09-30T03:33:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to welcome to our village site Garry McCormack from the RAF Benevolent Fund and John Hickman from the Personnel Holding Flight, the unit that supports wounded, injured or sick airmen and women.

LifeWorks & Social Enterprise

Our visitors were very keen to understand a little more about the work we do and were particularly interested in the LifeWorks programme and the work of Social Enterprises. They were extremely impressed by what they saw and commented on the professionalism and dedication of our teams.

Increasing our LifeWorks Referrals

It was very important to me that we were able to engage with the RAF as RBLI is a tri-service organisation and we need to ensure that our support services resonant with the whole of the Armed Forces Community. As a consequence of this visit we can now expect to see more referrals to LifeWorks from the RAFBF, which is wonderful news and ensures that we can now reach more people in need.

Making the Work Programme Work in Crawley

2011-09-29T07:37:00.000-07:00

Henry Smith MP Crawley

The local Conservative MP, Henry Smith, organised and chaired a meeting of organisations committed to making the Work Programme work. The meeting was held in the RBLI/G4S Work Programme office in Crawley and included representatives from G4S, RBLI, Crawley Councillors, the Principal of Central Sussex College, Richmond Fellowship and Job Centre Plus, amongst others.

Sean Williams G4S

Sean Williams, Managing Director of G4S Work Programme, stated that Work Programme is the most ambitious plan to tackle worklessness that has ever been seen. He went on to explain that it was aimed at not just finding employment, but sustaining people in employment. Martin Derby, a RBLI consultant working in the Crawley office, related two powerful testimonies from his clients which demonstrated the breadth of support that we provide to our customers.

Lenny Walker Crawley Council

Lenny Walker, a Crawley Councillor, said that the Work Programme has a real need for partnerships and that our commitment to organising these events to bring people together was crucial to the development of those partnerships.

Overall the day was a great success and was well received by everyone that attended.

Apprenticeships

2011-09-29T07:02:00.000-07:00

The UK has a long tradition of Apprenticeships and I am very pleased that RBLI will now be continuing this important tradition with the recruitment of a number of Apprentices, initially in Gavin Astor House and the marketing team.

'We have developed a robust training plan'

Our Apprentices are here to do real jobs and develop their skills and experience, and we have developed a robust training plan for them to work through, which will ensure that they are able to develop personally and professionally within RBLI.

Helping youngsters take their first steps on the career ladder is a subject that is very dear to me and I expect to see the numbers of Apprentices within the organisation grow. As ever, I’m sure that everyone will come behind this initiative and welcome our newest recruits to the RBLI family.

Training Courses

2011-09-09T05:09:00.000-07:00

I have been most impressed by our newly updated portfolio of training courses. Utilising RBLI’s expertise in employment solutions for both civilian and military customers, Emma, Sharon and the training team have designed, tested and piloted an extensive range of flexible training courses. We are already using these courses for our own staff and the feedback is enormously positive. I look forward to external feedback as our commercial customers begin to experience these new offerings.

The courses are all focused on improving outcomes for individuals and organisation and include:-

Chrysalis Motivational Workshop - Our specially designed personal development programme
Feeling Good Workshops - A series of workshop which help delegates understand how anxiety, stress, low mood can affect you at work and home, as well as how to manage physical health to cope at work
Coaching for Change - understand the stages of transitional change and how better to manage resulting feelings, thoughts and behaviours
Healthy Working Workshop - understand how some of the more common health and wellbeing topics can affect work
Managing Stress - Our workshop provides support and guidance to managers, ensuring that they are better equipped to identify early signs of stress and understand and manage staff with stress related illness
Disability Awareness - Workshop aimed at assisting participants to better understand what the terms disability means and its difference from ill-health
Managing DSE Assessments - Bite sized training workshops, provided in house, designed to fully meet your employee DSE training obligations
Workplace Ergonomics - Workshops designed to identify ergonomic support to individuals and teams in the workplace

Well done to the team for producing these exciting new courses to such high standards. These are exciting times and developing our people to meet the employment challenges of today and tomorrow is at the heart of our training division.

Access to Work Blog

2011-09-09T04:55:00.000-07:00

I am absolutely delighted to be able to confirm that RBLI has been announced as the preferred bidder for the Access to Work contract in both London & The Home Counties and Southern England.

This represents a fantastic win for RBLI and is confirmation of the quality of service that is already provided by our current team in the North West. We will now begin the process of negotiation of the final contract with DWP. The implementation team has been formed and the process has been started with a view to delivery beginning in November 2011.

However, this news is also tinged with sadness as our current North West team will be leaving RBLI under TUPE to join the new contract holder in the North West, Capita. I’m sure that they will be a considerable asset to the Capita team and they will be sorely missed by us here.

Congratulations though to all involved in the Access to Work bid. This really is excellent news and puts us in a great position to roll out new services across the whole of the south of England.

Armed Forces Forum

2011-08-08T03:38:00.001-07:00

We recently had the pleasure of hosting and attending the South East Coast Armed Forces Forum which has been established to act as a liaison between Kent PCT’s and the MoD and to provide strategic overview of the military health work for Kent PCT clusters. The forum includes many of our strategic partners, such as MoD, NHS Medway, NHS West Kent, the Strategic Health Authority and KCC.

We will be hosting the next meeting of the group in September at our state of the art and newly refurbished training centre, Capel Morris and will be exploring the possibility of organising a formal event to assist in a familiarisation programme for the members to understand one another’s organisations a little better so that we can all better support the Armed Forces Community.

This is a great opportunity to get involved in the provision of support to the service community and develop even greater links and relationships with our partners across Kent.

The Royal Engineer’s Statue

2011-08-02T05:01:00.000-07:00

36 Royal Engineer Regiment has been associated with the County Town of Maidstone for 60 years and to mark this year’s anniversary an appeal has been lodged to raise funds for a life-size bronze statue of an engineer from the regiment, commissioned by Mary Cox. The statue has been requested by the people of Maidstone, to commemorate the hard work that the regiment has contributed in the current tours, especially within Helmand. The trust aims to raise a total of £35,000 by November, when the statue is expected to be unveiled in Brenchley Gardens, Maidstone.

I am genuinely pleased to announce that we have made a donation of £2000 to this appeal and am proud that we will be associated with this worthwhile cause. Councillor Dan Daley a trustee of the Maidstone Trust, came to our Aylesford site to accept the donation.

Today many soldiers from Royal Engineers are on the front line in Afghanistan dealing with improvised explosive devises and our local regiment has lost six of its number in pursuit of this dangerous yet essential work, which no doubt has saved many more lives.

It was to assist those injured soldiers from the Continent in 1919 that we were established and today, we remain committed as ever to assisting those serving, and those who have served our country and therefore it seems entirely appropriate that some of the proceeds from our industries contribute to this noble and publicly spirited appeal.

Strategy Launch

2011-07-19T05:55:00.000-07:00

After an incredible amount of planning, organising and sheer hard work, the Strategy Launch night went ahead without a hitch

It was a fantastic night with live music performed by the Band of the Corps of the Royal Engineers. The night was attended by over 350 people, including our Guests of Honour, the Adjutant General, Lieutenant General Mark Mans CBE and Viscount De L’Isle MBE DL, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Kent.

The concert and night were to mark the launch of “RBLI 2016” but as I am sure many of you will know we have already embarked on that journey. We are working closely with the Army Recovery Capability supporting wounded and injured veterans and providing care in our high-dependency home for veterans. We are also working with disadvantaged individuals from all walks of life as part of the Government’s Work Programme and employing disabled people in our Social Enterprises.

I was delighted to be able to launch our strategy for the future and know that by building on the strong legacy we have been left by past generations, we can ensure that RBLI will be here in another 100 years.

Life Skills Course

2011-07-19T05:53:00.000-07:00

Sharon Patmore and her team have just successfully delivered a Life Skills residential course to a number of delegates from the Army and RAF.

Life Skills focuses on employability skills for those leaving the Armed Forces and provides practical advice and guidance on issues such as CV’s, job seeking, understanding the civilian job market, help with applying for jobs and interview practise.

Initial feedback from both delegates and an Army evaluation, suggests that all individuals now felt better placed to gain civilian employment and were more confident about finding work after they leave the Services. This is great news as this clearly demonstrates the value and importance of this service and I want to ensure that we continue to provide this excellent level of care.

Well done to all in the Life Skills team.

Matrix Re-accreditation

2011-07-19T05:52:00.000-07:00

The Matrix standard is a Government quality mark, awarded to those organisations that excel in providing information, advice and guidance (IAG) support to individuals. It is awarded on outcome evidence rather than paper based processes ensuring that support really is of the highest standards.

Having held the award for three years, we all knew what a task it would be to ensure that our support services were not only of a high standard but also demonstrably improved. Complacency can sometimes creep into any organisation and lead to unexpected and sometimes shocking results.

However, I am delighted to hear that we did not succumb to complacency and that our service delivery has indeed demonstrated continuous improvement as we sailed through the accreditation process and have successfully gained the Matrix Standard for a further three years.

Well done to everyone in RBLI. Focussing on successful outcomes for our beneficiaries remains key to all that we do.

Access to Work

2011-07-12T08:17:00.000-07:00

The Access to Work contract (ergonomic and technical in-work support assessment) has been a huge success for us here at RBLI and our service and quality has been praised by many. The contract will be ending in November of this year and our BD team have just submitted bids for the new A2W contract. We have bid in the North East, North West, Central England, London and the Home Counties and Southern England.

The contract is slightly different this time as the assessment service is based upon a holistic service and is now disability led, which will play to our strengths as an organisation with many years of experience supporting individuals with disabilities.

We are now waiting to hear the outcome of this bidding round but I and the Senior Management Team are hopeful that we have submitted strong bids with a good track record and strong reputation.

Commercial Sales

2011-07-12T08:15:00.001-07:00

Many of you have been busy creating new products and services, or developing existing ones, so that we can go out to the market and sell these commercially. I am very conscious of the amount of work and effort that has gone into this and we now have an exiting range of services to offer, including Ergonomic Assessments, Job Coaching, Absence Management Solutions and training programmes.

Emma Carty and her team have been hard at work co-ordinating these activities, selling the services and delivering the training. In fact, just this week we will be delivering Life Works and conducting a number of Ergonomic Assessments for a leading UK charity.

Commercial Sales is a crucial element of our strategy for the future and I would urge you all to get behind Emma and her team and offer them all your full support.

Strategy Launch

2011-07-12T01:07:00.001-07:00

The clock is ticking and we are all making those frantic last minute decisions in preparation for the RBLI Strategy launch on Wednesday 13^th July.

We have invited over 400 people and have over 300 confirmed guests. With an evening of live entertainment, a drinks reception and some interesting guest speakers we are all really excited about the evening.

Everyone involved has been working really hard on this and I am sure the evening will be a great success.

Office Visits

2011-07-12T01:06:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday I had the pleasure of visiting our Work Programme Offices in Crawley, Chichester and Brighton. RBLI, working in partnership with G4S, now has over 800 clients referred to us in the first 4 weeks of the programme.

I joined in our of the induction courses for 8 new clients in one office where I was impressed by the enthusiasm and motivation of staff and customers alike. The induction sessions include an in depth one to one between the client and their consultant and this session sets the scene for designing a bespoke package of support for each individual. One client said “It is nice to be treated like an adult”.

The offices are equipped with job search computers for clients to use at anytime and a full programme of courses to help individuals prepare themselves for employment is on offer.

More work for RBLI Signs

2011-07-08T05:55:00.000-07:00

I am absolutely delighted to hear that we have been selected as a key supplier to Balfour Beatty, who are the Highways Agency current sign contractor. From now on, when you’re driving on the motorways in the South East, those familiar blue signs you’ll see will be made here in Aylesford by RBLI.

This is a fantastic opportunity and is the culmination of a great deal of hard work from Jonathan Shaw and the whole of the Social Enterprise team.

Medway Office Opening

2011-07-08T05:52:00.000-07:00

Now that the Work Programme is upon us, we are getting on with the job at hand – helping people find new jobs and build new futures. In Chatham I was delighted to welcome our local MP, Tracey Crouch, to perform the opening ceremony of our new Medway office located in the Pentagon Shopping Centre. Tracey met with our customers and staff and said how impressed she was with the work we do and our professional yet caring approach.

A big thank you to Tracey for taking the time and to everyone involved in the delivery of the Work Programme.

Bishop of Rochester

2011-07-07T02:38:00.000-07:00

The day ended with a wonderfully warm and encouraging visit by the Bishop of Rochester, James Langstaff and Reverend Jim Brown. This was very much a familiarisation visit and the staff and residents in Gavin Astor House, our high dependency care home and Mountbatten Pavilion, our sheltered accommodation, were pleased to have the opportunity to chat with the Bishop. The Bishop was pleased with the wide range and high quality of care and welfare services provided by RBLI.

Land Rover

2011-07-07T02:37:00.000-07:00

Thursday started with a Kent Messenger photo shoot of myself and the RBLI Property Services team on and around a refurbished 1982 Land Rover. The Land Rover was about to be scrapped last year when the local Territorial Army Field Ambulance Unit came to the rescue. No it was not the doctors but rather their Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) detachment who saved the day. They needed some training for their vehicle mechanics and the Land Rover was just the project to provide realism.

Work Programme

2011-07-04T02:49:00.000-07:00

Well the Eagle has finally landed and Work Programme is now upon us. After months of hard work for everyone we are now helping our first customers. This new programme concentrates on achieving sustainable employment and we have a range of new initiatives to help individuals. At a time when unemployment remains high, it is going to be a big test for all providers but I am very confident that we have an outstanding team who are more than a match and will rise to the challenge.

Employee of the Year

2011-06-22T02:33:00.000-07:00

My heartfelt congratulations go out to Rena Patel who was last week named as RBLI’s Employee of the Year. This is a remarkable achievement and one that Rena should be rightly proud of. In a time of great change and uncertainty Rena has shown great commitment and dedication to RBLI, making a huge difference to the HR team and the wide range of activities she has been involved with.

However, we should not forget the other nominees for the award, Sharon Pout, Steve Hammond and Clive Matthews. Everyone has shown tremendous energy and really put in the extra effort and the final decision was a difficult one to make.

I’m delighted to be working in an organisation with such dedicated and professional people and know that, working together, we can all provide a truly quality driven service to make a difference to the lives of the disadvantaged individuals who come to us for help.

Well done Rena and thank you all for your continued hard work and commitment to RBLI.

LifeWorks Plus

2011-05-31T07:28:00.001-07:00

Well, it seems that the first residential course of LifeWorks Plus went off without a hitch last week. We had a team of 5 from the Parachute Regiment staying with us and taking part in our specially developed Vocational assessment held in Capel Morris.

We have spent a long time develop LifeWorks and the feedback we’ve had so far has been extremely positive. People have enjoyed the surroundings and atmosphere of the Village and the newly refurbished Capel Morris centre has been particularly well received. In return, we were impressed by its diligence, determination and application shown by all 5 soldiers. Most impressive!

Obviously I am delighted that we have started this process as it is particularly close to my heart. Many of the Service men and women that I served with would have really benefited from this type of assessment, which can ultimately make a huge different to an individual’s chances of finding and, most importantly, keeping a job. We need to keep working together to develop new initiatives to help our colleagues in the armed forces, particularly in these times of austerity, with increasing cuts to MOD budgets and greater demands made of the individuals in the services.

A big thank you our Condition Management Practitioners (CMP) team who delivered the course and to Sharon Patmore for her work in designing and developing the programme. Further thanks to the ABF Soldiers Charity and to the Parachute Regiment Welfare organisation who combined to make this inaugural LifeWorks Plus course possible. Let’s keep up this good work!

Work Programme

2011-03-01T01:47:00.000-08:00

Following the recent ministerial announcement regarding Organisations that have been selected as preferred bidders for Work Programme, we were delighted that RBLI is a partner for both of those who were successful in Kent, Surrey and Sussex. We look forward to working with them to deliver innovative and successful solutions for Work Programme customers.

The Work Programme is the Government’s flagship employment programme which combines most of the current programmes into one. Its aim will be to deliver innovation, customised support and sustainable jobs, all of which are at the heart of RBLI activities. The current economic climate will undoubtedly create some challenges for those delivering this new programme. However we believe our Social Enterprise model, condition management programme, motivational workshops, employability training courses and in work support services will ensure RBLI is well placed to overcome these.

In addition we continue to progress a range of initiatives which will enable us to increase the number of beneficiaries we support. Many of these can also be integrated into Work Programme to provide enhanced support to specific customer groups. Plans to set up the Learning Café at our head office site continue to progress. We are also excited about our involvement with the charity Blue Sky, as we work together to develop employment and training opportunities for ex Service personnel who also have a history of offending. Blue Sky run a number of projects which offer employment to ex offenders and amongst the group of individuals with whom they work have reduced re-offending to one quarter of the national average.

Social Firms

2011-02-20T01:45:00.000-08:00

Our assessment for Social Firms has now been completed and we’re delighted to be accepted as full members of Social Firms UK, a charity formed in 1999 to lead the development of the Social Firms sector in the UK. Acceptance as a full member is recognition of the fact that RBLI operates under the Social Firms model. Not only does this formally acknowledge that our values and objectives in terms of our beneficiaries are at the forefront of our business but it opens up a range of marketing potential, such as the Social Firms Trade Directory which is actively promoted to and accessed by Organisations wishing to include Social Firms as part of their supply chains to buy quality products and meet some of their corporate social responsibilities. It also gives us access to advice on developing new activities within the business under a social firms model, helping with advice on set up funding etc.

Formal membership recognises the following:

• That we trade for social purposes and any profits we make are reinvested back into the business to help us achieve our social purpose
• One of our main social purposes is to create real, good quality jobs with opportunities for training and development to severely disadvantaged people, in a commercially focused environment

The Social Firms have three values:

• Enterprise (at least 50% of the turnover must be gained from commercial activity)
• Employment (at least 25% of the workforce will be severely disadvantaged in an open labour market)
• Empowerment (commitment to social and economic integration of disadvantaged in an open labour market)

Recognition from Social Firms UK confirms our belief in focussing on successful outcomes for our beneficiaries. It is also full alignment with our strategy to develop our Social Enterprises to benefit even more people.

RBLI Scores Top Grade

2011-01-15T01:44:00.000-08:00

RBLI scores top grade (STRONG) in rigorous Provider Assurance Team (PAT) audit conducted in December 2010.

The audit covered contractual compliance and processes against contracts as well as core delivery practices to our clients. This confirms RBLI’s position as a robust, data secure provider which delivers as promised and has the training, systems and ethos to ensure compliancy.

Quoting from the report
“RBLI has a strong company ethos revolving around helping others”

We are proud of our customer service and this once again shone through as being really strong. The introduction of our ‘So Thin’ application to protect data provides a secure platform but it is the quality of the management and people which has ensured this top rating of STRONG. A fantastic team effort and a wonderful foundation for us to find further ways to improve delivery.

A great start to the New Year.

2011-01-05T01:43:00.000-08:00

RBLI has quickly slipped into top gear in the early days of 2011 with the completion of final preparations for an assessment course for the British Army’s injured soldiers. The first course will run in mid February and Lieutenant Colonel Paul Meldon, the Commanding Officer of the region’s Personal Recovery Unit, is leading on the Army’s input to this important 2 week course.

Paul Meldon will also join RBLI staff later this month in the discussions with Paul Carter, Leader of Kent County Council, about RBLI and KCC’s alliance on the Welfare Pathway to improve the support to the Armed Forces Community in Kent. KCC is one of 3 Authorities leading the way with this important pilot scheme.

We are in the planning stages of the creation of a Learning Café, as a social enterprise, here on our village in Aylesford. The Café will not only serve as a drop in centre for injured service personnel, but will also be a focal point for the village. In addition, the Café will live up to its name by providing employment, placements and training for injured service personnel transitioning to civilian life.

Watch this space as RBLI will be looking for support for the Learning Café with sponsorship, volunteers, trainers and partners.

In addition to all of this, RBLI Employment Solutions continues to deliver high quality services to people on Pathways, Access to Work and other Welfare to Work services. The slight improvement in the weather has allowed us all, RBLI employees and clients, to get out and about that much more and as a consequence secure more employment.

A great start to the New Year.

From Strength to Strength in Employment Solutions

2010-12-01T01:42:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-01T01:28:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-23T01:39:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-20T01:34:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-15T01:30:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-10-27T01:25:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-21T01:21:00.000-07:00

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.