March 21, 2023
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Highland RFCA’s Highland Gold Network (HGN) met to once again share best practice in advocacy and support for the Armed Forces.
Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award recipient Wood PLC hosted the gathering on March 15 at Sir Ian Wood House in Aberdeen.
At the meeting Wood PLC’s Chief Information Security Officer Malcolm Norman stepped down from his role as Network Chair. He handed the reigns over to Stephen Massetti, Director of National Operations for the Scottish Ambulance Service. Sharon Faulkner from Angus Council has become the Deputy Network Chair. She is the council’s Head of HR, IT and Organisational Development.
Guest speakers were Barry Haldane of the Career Transition Partnership (CTP); Lieutenant Commander (Retired) Susie Hamilton, the Scottish Veterans Commissioner; and Martin Wing of X-Forces. Martin is also the Deputy Co-Chair of the Gold Alumni Association (the GAA is the UK-wide version of the Gold Network) and spoke about the core objectives of the GAA.
The other network attendees included:
IED Training Solutions Ltd – Ian Clark
Knockhill Racing Circuit – Stuart Gray (virtual)
Scottish Water – Craig Causer (virtual)
Abertay University – Eddie Simpson (virtual)
HRFCA – Both REEDs and AOs
From an initial 20 members, the HGN has now expanded to 28 members drawn from the Highland RFCA area of responsibility.
The 28 public and private sector employers have all achieved coveted ERS Gold status. Many of them had been part of the GAA based in London. However, as the GAA expanded, it was decided that each RFCA should have its own regional group to represent local interests as well as national ones, and thus the Highland Gold Network was set up.
Image shows, from left: Ian Clark (IED Training Solutions Ltd), Roy McLellan (HRFCA), Malcolm Norman (Wood plc), Stuart Gray (Knockhill Racing Circuit) on screen, Stephen Massetti (Scottish Ambulance Service); Hayley Munro (HRFCA), Ray Watt (HRFCA), and Sharon Faulkner (Angus Council).
