Author: Michael Brash

Royal Engineers sports spotlight
The National Army Museum is hosting a special day of activities showcasing both the work of the Royal Engineers and British Army Sport.
Highlights of the day will include:
- The chance for you to get up close with some of the equipment and vehicles used by the Royal Engineers
- Talking to real serving soldiers about their experiences
- Try your hand at an assault course, bricklaying and welding
- Royal Engineers divers showcasing the work they do under the waves in a dive tank
- Army, Airbourne and Commando engagement standsIn 2023, the National Army Museum acquired the Army FA Archive
- You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about the history and role of football in the British Army by exploring some of the Archive that will be exclusively on display and celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Royal Engineers winning the FA Cup
In 1875, a football team from the Corps of Royal Engineers won the FA Cup, making this the only time a military team has won the competition.
For more information, click here.
25th March 2025
BFA members dominate Elite Franchise Awards

British Franchise Association franchise members swept the board recently, winning 10 out of the 11 awards at the prestigious EF100 Awards.
At this year’s annual event, held at the Leonardo Royal St. Paul’s in London, BFA members walked off with the majority of the awards, highlighting the industry-leading standards of association members.
Launched in 2017, the Elite Franchise Top 100 (EF100) is an annual league table that celebrates the best of the UK’s franchisors. Judges score brands on growth, innovation and excellence. Entries are judged by a panel of industry professionals and the event is supported by major sponsors including HSBC UK Bank plc.
Pip Wilkins QFP, CEO of the BFA said:
‘What an absolute triumph for BFA members at the EF100 this year. Name, after name, after name was called and we knew them all; it just underlines how utterly professional and exceptional our members are, and we could not be more proud of them.
“Our remit at the BFA is to constantly raise the standards in franchising in the UK, which we do through our initial audit of the brands, our extensive ongoing educational events and the brand’s commitment to upholding our code of ethics. It is our standards that set BFA franchisors apart from the competition and we thank each and every one of them for being such great examples of successful and professional, business format franchising.”
The BFA brands that won awards at the 2025 EF100 were:
HSBC Exceptional Performance of the Year Award: Right at Home
Worldpay Emerging Franchisor of the Year Award: Walfinch
Businesses For Sale.com Innovation of the Year Award: Home Instead
Natalia Shvarts Community Builder of the Year Award: Banana Moon Day Nursery
AdSmart from Sky Sustainability of the Year Award: Dyno-Rod
Knights PLC Diversity and Inclusion of the Year Award: Conexus Tuition
Elite Franchise Top Supplier Award: Atlas Mapping
Rising Star of the Year: Greensleeves Lawn Care
People’s Choice Award: MOLLY MAID
EF100 No.1 Winner 2025: Snap-on Tools
Jodie Marsh, commercial director at Elite Franchise said:
“We’re incredibly proud that 10 out of our 11 winners at the EF100 Awards were members of the BFA. Their success is a true reflection of the professionalism, dedication, and high standards that BFA members uphold. Together, they are not only driving excellence within their own networks but also helping to raise the bar for the entire British franchising industry.”

24th March 2025
Service Dogs UK – Call for veterans with PTSD

Service Dogs UK, a charity dedicated to supporting Armed Forces and Emergency Services Veterans with PTSD, is excited to announce the opening of a new training hub in the Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire area this Spring.
This expansion marks a significant step forward in providing life-changing PTSD Assistance Dogs to Veterans in need, helping them regain confidence, independence, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Service Dogs UK partners with Veterans to transform dogs, mainly from rescue, into highly skilled PTSD Assistance Dogs. As part of this process, we are calling on the local Armed Forces and Blue Light communities in the Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire and Greater London regions to get in touch to find out how they can benefit from our support.
Calling Veterans with PTSD
If you are a Veteran of the Armed Forces or Emergency Services living with PTSD, we encourage you to apply for our assistance dog programme. We will pair you with a dog to provide vital companionship and support, via a training programme that will enable you to navigate daily life with greater independence, confidence and ease.
“The Buckinghamshire training hub will allow us to help even more Veterans by through dedicated support and PTSD Assistance Dogs,” said Garry Botterill, Founder and Operations Director of Service Dogs UK. “We welcome anyone who has served, and living with PTSD, to get in touch.”
Service Dogs UK’s new hub, funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Trust Fund and the Heart of Buckinghamshire Community Fund, will begin operations this Spring, with the first group of dogs and Veterans starting their training shortly thereafter.
To apply for an assistance dog, visit www.servicedogsuk.org or contact via getintouch@servicedogsuk.org

24th March 2025
Fundamental changes to better support women in UK Defence

As part of a series of changes to eradicate unacceptable behaviours in the military, and step-up support for women across UK Defence, a new Tri-Service complaints unit for the Armed Forces has been announced.
The new team will be independent of the single Service chain of command to provide individuals with greater confidence and help ensure that the most serious complaints are dealt with quickly, fairly and in a standardised way across the Armed Forces.
Building on the change in 2022 when complaints were taken out of the direct chain of command, providing greater independence and confidence.
The change will see Bullying, Harassment, Discrimination related service complaints dealt with by a team outside the commands of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. This builds on the successes of the tri-service approach to sexual offending, within the Defence Serious Crime Command which was set up in 2022.
In addition, the Ministry of Defence will set up a Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Taskforce, led centrally by Minister for Defence People and Veterans Al Carns to cohere and drive the work to change culture from the heart of the department.
The Minister will be supported by a network of regional champions who will help raise awareness of and tackle violence against women and girls across the military, and a Defence Voices Panel – a challenge group made up of service personnel and civil servants to provide honest feedback and lived experiences.
The Minister set out these new measures before the House of Commons Defence Select Committee where he gave evidence alongside Service chiefs. The Minister said:
“This government was elected on a manifesto of change, and we are delivering for Defence. I am personally committed to ensuring that we do everything within our power to root out unacceptable behaviour and ensure that the Armed Forces is a place where everyone can thrive.
“Women in the armed forces play a vital role in our keeping our nation safe. This is not just a matter of basic justice and equality, it is essential to military effectiveness. Our people have spoken, and we have listened.
“We are moving at pace to create a new Tri-Service Complaints team to take the most serious complaints out of the chain of single Service command for the first time and to launch a central taskforce to give this issue the attention and focus it deserves.”
The MOD’s VAWG Taskforce will include regional support network, trained on topics including domestic violence and sexual offending. These roles will use a network of multidisciplinary experts to support Armed Forces personnel, including healthcare providers, social workers, and HR advisors and will link into the Victim Witness Care Unit.
These measures are part of the government’s commitment to improving Service life and renewing the contract with those who serve and have served and support this government’s foundation of strong national security.

21st March 2025
Come along to our Adult and University Advice Event!

This is a fantastic opportunity for you to explore the wide range of courses we offer, designed to suit all abilities and available at various levels.
Whether you’re looking to develop new skills, change careers, or further your education, we have something to meet your needs.
At the event, you’ll have the chance to meet our expert tutors who can provide valuable insights into your chosen course and answer any questions you may have. Our experienced team will be on hand to guide you through the different study options available, ensuring you find the perfect fit for your goals.
We understand that financial concerns can be a barrier to education, which is why we will also provide information on how you can get help with fees and finance. You may even be eligible to study for FREE, depending on your personal circumstances. Our advisors will help you explore all the funding options and loans available to make studying more affordable.
In addition, our flexible study options allow you to fit your education around your home and work life, ensuring you can maintain a healthy balance while working towards your goals. Whether you’re pursuing education to enhance your career or searching for a profession you’re passionate about, we are here to help you achieve your aspirations and take the next step in your journey.
You can find information and register your interest below:
Accrington
Nelson

20th March 2025
Why UK employers should hire veterans

In today’s competitive job market, UK employers are constantly looking for candidates who bring a unique blend of skills, reliability, and adaptability.
One often-overlooked talent pool is the community of military veterans. With over 15,000 individuals leaving the British Armed Forces each year, veterans offer a wealth of transferable skills that can add immense value to organisations across various industries.
Here’s why UK employers should seriously consider hiring veterans:
Strong leadership and teamwork skills
Veterans have been trained to lead teams under high-pressure situations where critical thinking and decision-making are vital. Whether they’ve led small units or managed large operations, veterans understand the importance of motivating a team, assigning responsibilities, and achieving objectives effectively. Even those who haven’t served in leadership roles have honed strong collaboration skills, working closely with colleagues to achieve common goals.
Benefit for Employers: Veterans excel in management, project coordination, and team-driven environments where collaboration and leadership are key to success.
Adaptability and problem-solving under pressure
The military prepares individuals to perform in unpredictable and high-stakes environments. Veterans develop the ability to assess situations quickly, think on their feet, and implement solutions, often with limited resources. This adaptability translates seamlessly into fast-paced industries where agility and quick decision-making are critical.
Benefit for Employers: Veterans can bring a calm, solution-focused approach to crisis management and time-sensitive tasks, making them invaluable in dynamic sectors such as logistics, healthcare, and project management.
Discipline, reliability, and work ethic
Military life instills a sense of discipline, punctuality, and responsibility that stays with veterans long after they leave the service. Veterans are trained to follow processes meticulously while maintaining high standards of professionalism. They understand the importance of accountability and commitment, which often makes them highly dependable employees.
Benefit for Employers: With their strong work ethic and reliability, veterans can be trusted to meet deadlines, adhere to protocols, and contribute consistently to organisational goals.
Technical skills and certifications
Many veterans leave the military with specialised technical training in fields such as IT, engineering, cybersecurity, and logistics. Additionally, military personnel are blessed with generous allowances to obtain certifications that are directly applicable to civilian industries, reducing the need for extensive onboarding or training.
Benefit for Employers: Hiring veterans can bridge skills gaps in areas where technical expertise is in high demand, offering a cost-effective solution to upskilling a workforce.
Resilience and mental toughness
Veterans develop exceptional resilience through exposure to physically and emotionally demanding environments. Their experience in handling stress and remaining composed under challenging conditions allows them to thrive in high-pressure corporate settings.
Benefit for Employers: In industries where stress management and resilience are essential, veterans can bring a sense of stability and perseverance that strengthens team dynamics.
Commitment to diversity and inclusion
Employing veterans promotes a culture of diversity and inclusion. Veterans come from all walks of life, representing various backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. Their unique experiences contribute to a richer, more inclusive workplace environment.
Benefit for Employers: Building a diverse workforce enhances creativity, problem-solving, and innovation, all of which are key to business growth.
Tax incentives and funding opportunities
In the UK, various government schemes and support networks exist to encourage the hiring of veterans. For instance, employers who recruit veterans can claim one year free from NICs. Additionally, initiatives like the Armed Forces Covenant offer financial incentives and support to employers who commit to hiring veterans.
Benefit for Employers: These programmes reduce the financial and logistical challenges of recruitment and onboarding, making it easier for companies to integrate veterans into their workforce.
Conclusion
Hiring veterans is not just about supporting those who have served their country – it’s a strategic decision that brings exceptional value to any organisation. With their transferable skills, resilience, and unwavering dedication, veterans can strengthen teams and contribute positively to company culture and performance. As more UK employers recognise these advantages, veterans will continue to play a vital role in building stronger, more capable workforces.
For businesses ready to make a positive impact while gaining skilled and loyal employees, hiring veterans is a win-win.
Get in touch today to discover how Pathfinder can help you add veterans to your team.

20th March 2025
Grave of missing Windsor soldier of World War I identified in Belgium

More than a century after his death, the previously unmarked grave of Corporal of Horse (CoH) Charles Edward Dean has finally been identified and marked.
A rededication service, organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘War Detectives’, was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Bedford House Cemetery, Belgium, on 18 March 25).
JCCC Caseworker, Alexia Clark, said: “I am grateful to the researcher who originally submitted evidence suggesting the location of Charles Dean’s grave. In rededicating his grave today, we have reunited his mortal remains with his name, ensuring that his sacrifice will not be forgotten.”
Charles Edward Dean was born in 1877 to James Albert Dean and his wife Fanny, in Wiltshire. James was a boiler maker, and Charles grew up with six siblings – four older and two younger. In 1900 Charles joined the Household Cavalry, signing up for 12 years long service with the Life Guards on 9 March.
He had been promoted to the rank of Corporal by the time he married Ada Josephine Taylor in Rotherhithe on 25 April 1908. Shortly after the wedding Charles and Ada moved to Windsor where they had four children together – Edward born in 1908, Ada in 1910 (who died in infancy), Elsie in 1912 and Charles who was born two weeks after his father’s death in May 1915.
Being a regular soldier, Charles was put into action quickly on the outbreak of war in 1914, and we know that the first detachment of the 2nd Life Guards sailed for Belgium on 6 October 1914. By May 1915 the Life Guards were in the Ieper (Ypres) area, digging trenches and receiving instruction on how to use gas masks, following the first use of gas in the area just a few weeks earlier.
On the night of 12 -13 May they were tasked with relieving The Buffs from the trenches near Potijze. The Battalion War Diary is scant on information about what happened that night, but in total 35 men of the 2nd Life Guards lost their lives on these two days, Charles being one of them. Half of these men have no known grave to this day.
In July 1921 a casualty of the war was discovered by the teams looking for field graves. His resting place was not marked in anyway, but was near Crump Farm, between Potijze and Verlorenhoek. The team responsible for documenting the discovery of the body and ensuring his reburial could find nothing to identify him by name, so they recorded instead that he was an unknown Serjeant Major of the 2nd Life Guards – a description they derived from his clothing, the crown and chevrons on his uniform, and his numerals.
Two other men from the 2nd Life Guards were also recovered from the same spot. All three were buried a few miles from where they were found at Bedford House Cemetery. Only one of the three was identified by name, Lance Corporal WH Butler who was carrying a disc with his name on it. The third man had only a numeral which meant he could be identified as a member of the 2nd Life Guards, but no rank could be attributed to him.
In 2020 a case was submitted to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in which a researcher claimed to have identified the unknown ‘Sergeant Major’. They correctly pointed out that this rank does not exist in the Household Cavalry, but that the same insignia can be attributed to the rank of Corporal of Horse. Research showed that only one man of this rank was missing in this area at this time, and as such he could be identified as Charles Edward Dean.
The service was supported by serving soldiers of the Household Cavalry.

20th March 2025
Royal Navy and RAF shadow Russian Task Group returning from Syria

Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset, along with minehunter HMS Cattistock, RFA Tidesurge and Navy helicopters reported on every move as four Russian ships carried cargo back from the Eastern Mediterranean through the English Channel and the North Sea.
The Russian ships included destroyer RFN Severomorsk, landing ship RFN Alexander Shabalin and two transport ships, MV Sparta IV and MV Siyanie Severa.
HMS Somerset and her Merlin helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron began shadowing the Russian task group’s escort, Severomorsk, south of Portsmouth on Sunday after tanker Tidesurge had monitored the destroyer in the North Sea and through the Strait of Dover.
The RAF also deployed a P8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth, collecting vital information as the Russians made their journey.
The Udaloy-class Severomorsk met the cargo and landing ships in the western reaches of the Channel, off Cornwall, where minehunter HMS Cattistock was already monitoring the Russian group.
Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said:
“Russia should be in no doubt that the UK will defend our waters. I’m grateful to all the personnel who shadowed this Russian convoy.
“National security is a foundation of the Government’s Plan for Change and ensuring freedom of navigation contributes to our economy.”
As the Russian ships sailed east through the Channel and the North Sea towards the Baltic Sea, the Royal Navy ships deployed powerful sensors and launched the Merlin and Wildcat helicopters to report on every move.
Commander Joel Roberts, Commanding Officer of HMS Somerset said:
“Over the last few days HMS Somerset has escorted Russian ships through UK waters in resolute support to our national priorities.
“As ever, the ship’s company have shown great professionalism whilst conducting the operation that involved the integration and coordination of other ships, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft, including those from our NATO allies.
“There is strength in a coordinated NATO response, and our unity and ability to deliver integration of air and maritime operations remain some of our greatest assets.”

19th March 2025
How Defence contributes to prosperity and supports the economy

The UK defence sector is a national success story, a world leader in defence capability, supporting our own armed forces and those of our allies and partners by delivering unique export opportunities across the world.
Pumping £20-billion into industry, defence’s impact is felt in every region of the UK. From a small medium enterprise supplier building crucial F-35 equipment, to major employers supporting whole communities through major defence procurement projects.
Defence strengthens the union by creating rewarding, highly skilled jobs and encouraging investment in every region of the UK.
Defence makes a significant contribution to the UK skills base by being one of the nation’s largest employer of apprentices and the positive impact of defence on UK science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) capability.
As a uniquely national sector with a worldwide reach, the work of defence underpins the government’s industrial and economic strategies and continues to drive British innovation on the international stage.

19th March 2025
National Insurance contributions relief for veterans

Organisations employing former UK military personnel can claim relief on secondary national insurance contributions (NIC) for the first 12 months of a veteran’s civilian employment.
The relief is available for any former member of the regular armed service (Army, Royal Navy or Royal Air Force). Guidance states that a veteran is defined as anyone who has completed one day of employment in the armed services and includes those who completed at least one day of basic training.
The 12-month relief period starts on the veteran’s first day of civilian employment and subsequent employers will have to confirm this date to make their claim. The onus is on the employer to check whether an employee qualifies for the relief and to keep records proving this, as well as the start date of the veteran’s first civilian employment.
The guidance confirms that the relief only applies to earnings up to the secondary threshold and for earnings over this threshold, NIC will have to be paid as normal.
Employers should also note that the relief is not an exemption of secondary NIC but a zero rating, which means it is included in calculations for the apprenticeship levy.
From 6 April 2022, the relief has operated automatically via payroll software.
The relief is also available where a veteran has concurrent employments, (ie, more than one job at any one time), as well as for consecutive jobs within the 12-month timeframe.
Businesses can claim this relief retrospectively for any qualifying employees who joined their business in the last 12 months.
Learn more here.

18th March 2025