Morale boost for local Army families

Service personnel repatriated to Wiltshire due to the Covid-19 outbreak have received a helping hand from Aspire Defence.

More than 130 Service personnel and their dependants were evacuated from overseas bases at short notice in April, flying into the UK from countries including Kenya and Nepal. The majority were moved into new Service Families Accommodation at Larkhill, which has been delivered for the Army Basing Programme (ABP), but with the fast-moving situation they had to leave most of their belongings behind.

An urgent appeal to support the families’ resettlement was launched soon after their arrival and the three Aspire Defence businesses responded, by pledging £3k to a welfare fund set up by Larkhill Garrison Command.

The cheque was presented (at a safe 2m distance) by John Fogarty, Operations Director (West) Aspire Defence Services Limited (ADSL), to Lt Col Pete Gentles, Deputy Garrison Commander Larkhill, on behalf of ADSL, Aspire Defence Capital Works and Aspire Defence Limited. ADSL has also organised a staff donation drive for toys and games to be gifted to the soldiers’ children (see photo below).

Allan Thomson, Chief Executive of Aspire Defence Limited, said:

“The Army has played a vital role in the national response to the Coronavirus crisis, which has included deployment of regiments based within our Project footprint to assist the NHS. So we are delighted to be able to support the military community ‘on our doorstep’ and hopefully give these families a bit of a morale boost, as they settle into their new homes here in Wiltshire.”

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation recognises that this has been “an anxious time” for Service personnel and families stationed abroad, and states that it continues to work closely with Army Regional Command and industry partners “to provide the best possible support”.