Aspire Defence Services Ltd Support to OP Golden Orb

In the weeks leading up to and following the coronation of HM King Charles III on Saturday, 6 May 2023, the Aspire Defence Team at Aldershot delivered a wide range of support services crucial to the successful delivery of the event.

Additional accommodation with temporary shower units, toilets and laundry services were provided at the Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre, the Bell Pub and 27 Regiment Gymnasium, alongside 20 Portaloos ,11 additional commercial waste bins and some portable floodlighting.

The teams made sure that the facilities were in excellent order for the 1200+ troops supporting the rehearsals and parade; installing fire alarm systems at less than 5 days’ notice within the gym spaces used for overflow accommodation, and ensuring living spaces were kept clean and in excellent condition.

Besides housing and feeding an additional 600 soldiers during the week around the coronation, with Sodexo providing 25,000 additional meals throughout the day and night, additional retail outlets were made available during the parade rehearsals to help support many of the parading troops with hot and cold drinks to supplement their packed lunches, and convenience shops and cafes were kept open and well stocked.

Meanwhile, more than 600 alterations of Army uniforms were made across PAC, with an additional 170 from Infantry personnel recently issued new uniforms, and thousands more amendments expected in the coming months as all the buttons and badges, numbering in their hundreds of thousands, will be replaced.

In addition to providing logistical support with road closures for the Guards Parade practices and supporting marching practices for up to 1,500 soldiers, the Aldershot Transport Services team provided Airport transfer services transporting more than 360 Commonwealth passengers and dignitaries to local Concentration Areas.

Additional self-drive requests received required significant planning and pulling together of resources at short notice however, despite the short time for delivery, more than 20 vehicles were made available by the team to both 10 & 27 Regiment RLC for Real Life Support.

The Aspire Defence drone team supported drill staff with overhead footage of troop formations to assist with after action reviews that helped ensure marching lines were as precise as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This footage, alongside others captured by the Aspire Media Service during marching practices and parade rehearsals, is currently being put together into a short film to serve as a historical documentary of the once in a lifetime event.

 

The excellent support and service delivery provided by the Aspire Defence teams involved with Operation Golden Orb has received many positive comments and feedback, with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) issuing individual thank you notes to all the people involved.

John Fogarty, ADSL’s Operations Director, said,

“Once again at short notice, the ADSL team and contractors have leant into the operational support for the Army’s parade rehearsals and the live support of those units who stayed in Aldershot during the actual Coronation period. Just making things happen on the ground and taking our usual ‘what do you need’ approach made it all work”.

Lt Col Nick Burley, Aldershot Garrison Commander, said,

“ADSL’s approach focused on the delivery of the highest standards of support to both the enabling units and personnel partaking in Op GOLDEN ORB. Throughout, they struck a fantastic balance between delivering routine activity and enabling operational effectiveness”.