May 2023

STF HOST WELLBEING DAY FOR SOLDIERS IN YORKSHIRE REGIMENT

It’s been a busy week for our therapy team here at the Foundation as Tuesday saw us host a Wellbeing day at Dale Barracks for nearly 400 soldiers and officers of the Yorkshire Regiment.

Our Founder Andy Reid MBE kick started the day with an opening motivational talk to rally the troops. Our lead Mental Health Counsellor Phil and Wellbeing Advisor Chris, then led group sessions tackling Mental health and Wellbeing, and Addiction prevention. Huge thanks to one of our partner agencies – Allisons Financial, as they also ran vital sessions on Financial planning to help set the soldiers up when they leave.

Phil ran 4 Meditation groups throughout the day, demonstrating the calming effects that meditation has on the Amygdala part of the brain. This results in improved stress management and the ability to solve problems more efficiently.

Here are the guys in action!

 

Thanks so much to all the officers and soldiers for having us, and for the beautiful shield we were presented with!

If you want to find out more about our Wellbeing days and what we can offer you, please get in touch!

STF GRANTED SILVER AWARD UNDER ARMED FORCES COVENANT EMPLOYER RECOGNITION SCHEME!

Today it has been announced that the Ministry of Defence has granted 56 organisations and businesses the Silver Award under the Employer Recognition Scheme. Standing Tall Foundation are one of the lucky organisations!

Fifty six organisations from across the North West of England have been awarded Silver under the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme for their support to Defence and the wider Armed Forces community. 

The Employer Recognition Scheme was launched to reward employers who support Defence People objectives and encourage others to do the same. This includes employing serving and former members of the Armed Forces community, and demonstrating flexibility towards training and mobilisation commitments for Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers. 

This year the following employers from across the North West of England have been awarded Silver: 

AF&V Launchpad Limited
Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
Ashfields Primary Care Centre
Blackpool FC Community Trust
Bolton Council
Broughton House Veteran Care Village
Cammell Laird Shiprepairers and Shipbuilders Ltd
Challenge The Wild Ltd
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Connolly Ltd
Crest Medical Ltd
CSC2 Ltd
Cumbria Chamber of Commerce & Industry Ltd
Dig In CIO
DosaFil Limited
Expleo Engineering UK Ltd (EEUK)
Fournet
GGR Group Limited
Go North West
Green Pass Training LTD
Hard Hitters Fitness & Wellbeing
In Professional Development Ltd (InPD)
Irwell Valley Homes
James Fisher Subtech
Keep Safe Solutions Ltd
Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
Liverpool Football Club Foundation
Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust
Manx Radio
Mayfield House Residential Care Home Ltd
Mid Cheshire Hospital Foundation Trust
MJ Quinn Integrated Services Limited
Muller MMID
New Generation Training and Consultancy Limited
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB
Northern Estates Services Limited
Nuclear Waste Services
Roq Ltd
Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
SolidTek Limited
Standing Tall Foundation 
The University of Salford
The Walton Centre NHS FT
Thin Blue Line Group Limited
tmc3 Ltd
TransPennine Express
UKK9 Security Group LTD
VTA Recruitment
Warrington & Vale Royal College
Wellacre Academy
William Howard School
Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Workforce Recruitment (North West) Ltd
Wragg Mark-Bell Solicitors Ltd 

Commenting on the announcement of the 2023 Employer Recognition Scheme Silver awards; Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Reserve & Cadets), Major General Marc Overton said: 

“I would like to thank and congratulate the recipients of this year’s Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Awards. A Silver award recognises the fantastic efforts of employers throughout the UK who have both elevated their commitments under the Armed Forces Covenant and provided actual benefits to the Armed Forces Community. 

 The winners should all be proud of their life-changing impact and fresh opportunities they are providing to our Reservists, veterans and their families. The number of winners this year yet again shows that the Armed Forces family talent pool is also providing tangible business benefit.” 

Commenting on the announcement of the 2023 Employer Recognition Scheme Silver awards; Colonel Mark Underhill OBE DL, Chief Executive at the North West of England and the Isle of Man Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association (NW RFCA), said: 

“On behalf of the Ministry of Defence we are honoured and delighted to be able to recognise the outstanding support and commitment given to the Armed Forces Covenant by businesses and organisations in the region, through the Employer Recognition Scheme awards. Each recipient has demonstrated not only that their support to the Covenant and the wider Armed Forces community, but also that they are prepared to support their Reservists, Service Leavers, Spouses, Veterans, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers and Cadets in the workplace.” 

We are absolutely delighted to be awarded this and super proud to be recognised for the support we give to the Armed Forces Community.

OUR FOUNDER ANDY REID MBE ANNOUNCED AS FINALIST AT BRITISH EX-FORCES IN BUSINESS AWARDS!

We are ecstatic to announce that our Founder Andy Reid MBE has been shortlisted as a Finalist for the Inspiration of the Year Award at the British Ex-Forces in Business Awards 2023!!

This is the sixth annual awards, and the flagship showcase of the vast and exceptional talent within the UK’s Armed Forces community. Today the shortlist is revealed from a record-breaking number of over 800 nominations. 

Enriched by the experience of serving their country and equipped with skills and values that employers in other sectors crave, the 15,000-plus people who leave the British Armed Forces each year form a unique and highly capable talent pool. But an awareness gap and a lack of visible role models have presented barriers to service leavers hitting the ground running, while depriving companies of a superb way to fill their skills gaps. 

To tackle these challenges head on, the Ex-Forces in Business Awards were established in 2017. By promoting the vast breadth of achievements by veterans in second careers, the prestigious awards programme, which is the largest of its kind globally, shines a light on the veteran talent pool while also increasing visibility of business role models for service leavers, giving them the confidence to pursue their own post-service aspirations. 

The Ex-Forces in Business Awards have led the way in showcasing the second-career achievements of over 1,200 UK veterans and reservists at events which have been attended by thousands of employers and engaged with by millions more online. This year’s awards programme, which returns to London for the sixth time on 29 June following last month’s Scottish edition, has attracted more than 1,100 nominations. Each one, in its own right, exhibits the business case of hiring from the ex-forces community. 

Lt. Gen. Sir Andrew Gregory, CEO at SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, said: “As a former Chief of Defence People, I know just how important it is to have strong visibility of forces friendly employers and of veterans who have transitioned into meaningful second careers. These awards lead the way in amplifying that visibility, which makes us very proud to once again be the official charity partner of this important awards programme.   

“Our warmest congratulations and sincere thanks go to all those who have been shortlisted for this year’s British Ex-Forces in Business Awards. They set such a tremendous example for how military-gained skills and values can be successfully applied across all sectors.” 

The winners of this year’s British Ex-Forces in Business Awards will be announced and celebrated at a glittering awards ceremony at the Grosvenor House hotel’s prestigious Great Room on Park Lane. TV presenter and broadcaster Jacqui Oatley MBE returns as the host to welcome over 1,100 business and military leaders to the landmark event. 

Sponsors of the British Ex-Forces in Business Awards include AECOM, BAE Systems, Barclays, Capgemini, FDM Group, Galliford Try, Kier, QA, Santander, Serco and Vistry Group. The winners are decided by an independent judging panel of business leaders from organisations including Boeing, EY, Irwin Mitchell, Knight Frank, Lloyds Banking Group, MBDA, the Ministry of Defence, the NHS, Serco and Provident Financial Group.

The British Ex-Forces in Business Awards is the world’s largest celebration of military veterans in second careers. The high-profile annual programme and event uncovers the achievements of ex-military, presenting them as important role models for current and future service leavers. The Awards highlight the military-gained skills and values that have helped enable their second career success and recognise the organisations that have supported them.

We wish Andy a huge congratulations on making it onto the shortlist as a finalist and fingers crossed for the winners on the night! 

You can view all of the Finalists here:

https://exforcesinbusiness.co.uk/2023-finalists-uk/

FOUNDATION HELPS MAINTAIN GARDEN IN MEMORY OF HUSBAND

Here at the Foundation, our core aim is to help others “because it’s the right thing to do”. This is not only through the variety of mental and physical health and addiction support services we offer, but also on a direct and individual basis where help is needed.

We recently helped a local lady by the name of Gill in Rainford, who having recently lost her husband in sudden circumstances, was finding it impossible to maintain and manage her garden, as well as look after 2 small children. After speaking with her, we offered to pay for it to be landscaped and become a place that she could go and sit and remember her husband with fond memories.

This will hopefully have a positive impact on improving Gill’s mental health and wellbeing, as well as being something that we wanted to do to give back to the community  and bring some happiness into her life after such a tragedy.

Gill has this to say:

My husband died suddenly, leaving me and 2 young children. The Standing Tall Foundation have helped me by making our garden much more manageable and low maintenance so it’s not as overwhelming for me to maintain. It has meant the world to me as it has allowed me more time to look after our children, and has given us a lovely space to sit and reflect. Thank you to Andy, and everyone at the foundation for your help

Here are some before and after pictures!

 

We wish Gill all the best in the future and her new garden!

If you are struggling or need help  – please don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us.

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