July 11, 2023
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To celebrate Reserves Day, Highland RFCA invited guests to a reception on HMS Prince of Wales – one of the Royal Navy’s two Elizabeth-class warships.
The £3bn aircraft carrier is currently alongside in Rosyth Dockyard, Fife.
The purpose of the 21 June event was to thank Reservists and their families from RMR Scotland and RNR Scotia who have delivered valuable service in support of the Maritime Reserves over the past year.
It was also be an opportunity for the more than 100 visitors to observe a signing of the Armed Forces Covenant by Port of Aberdeen. By signing the Covenant, Port of Aberdeen has become one of the 10,000+ organisations to pledge support to the Armed Forces community.
The document was signed by Port of Aberdeen’s Chief Commercial Officer Roddy James, with Captain Richard Turley RN (Navy People) co-signing on behalf of Defence.
Port of Aberdeen also received the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Bronze Award. The ERS Awards encourage employers to support Defence and inspire others to do the same. The prestigious Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards are for employer organisations that pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to Defence and the Armed Forces community, and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant.
Emphasising the significance of the Covenant signing, Jeanine Maindron, Head of People and Culture at Port of Aberdeen, said: “It is with a great sense of pride that we enter into this partnership with the Armed Forces. As an employer of former Service personnel, the signing of the Covenant demonstrates our recognition of their contribution to our organisation, our community and to the country. It cements our commitment to providing meaningful employment opportunities and support to Service personnel, Reservists, veterans, the cadet movement, and military families.”
HRFCA Regional Employer Engagement Director Ray Watt said: “We’re delighted to be able to welcome the Port of Aberdeen into our Armed Forces Covenant family and Employer Recognition Scheme. This is a superb company that delivers so much facility and support to enable many other thriving businesses to deliver their role in the North Sea. We look forward to supporting and working with them in the future.”
HRFCA’s guests included representatives from: IED Training Solutions Ltd, Kongsberg Maritime Ltd, Port of Aberdeen, The MacRobert Trust, Trident Maritime Systems, and the Scottish Ambulance Service.
All of those organisations have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and, between them, are holders of multiple Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Awards, holding two Golds, two Silvers, and two Bronze Awards between them.
Also present from the HRFCA-area was the Lord-Lieutenant of Dundee (Lord Provost Bill Campbell).
All guests enjoyed a reception with a hot buffet in the 65,000 tonne 284-metre long ship’s internal hangar before returning to dry land for the journey home.
● Port of Aberdeen is a multimodal port with the largest berthage in Scotland, supporting offshore energies, general cargo, cruise and ferries. The Port was recently named as Business of the Year at the Northern Star Business Awards. For more info, click HERE.
