Page 66 - Bugle Issue 18 Auntumn 2021

MIDLANDS
RIFLE OFFICE NOTES
As the third lockdown dragged on well into the Spring, the Rifles Midlands Office continued to operate a “skeleton” service, with Andrew Trelawny and Heather Morgan alternating their stints behind the desk.
Activity in the Cadet (ACF and CCF), Associations and Communities pillars remained minimal or non-existent. The Office continues to support welfare and benevolence efforts amongst our veteran community.
With much regret, an early decision to cancel the 2021 Light Infantry and RIFLES Association Reunion was taken in February, but the event will take place next year (for your diary, Sat 18 Jun 22). It is hoped that full manning of the office will restart very soon, but Riflemen of all cap badges, serving or retired, should not hesitate to contact us by e-mail or leave a voice mail if they need to do so.
The first step towards the creation of the VOC at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt (RJAH) Orthopaedic Hospital at Gobowen near Oswestry, Shropshire was taken on 14 Jun 21 when the Chairman of the Headley Court Trust, Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Tony Stables CBE, broke ground in front of an audience of guests from the NHS, local government and the Armed Services. In support were Stan Wilkinson and Don Somers of the Light Division and Rifles
Buglers’ Association, who sounded fanfares to
mark the arrival of the Lord Lieutenant of
Shropshire, Mrs Anna Turner JP DL and the breaking of the ground.
The £6.5M centre, funded almost entirely by a generous grant from the Headley Court Trust, will contain orthopaedic examination and treatment rooms for former servicemen and a dedicated veterans’ hub staffed by members of Shropshire Council and military charities. The Veterans’ Orthopaedic Service (VOS) was established in 2014 by Lt Col Carl Meyer, a
serving RAMC officer and NHS surgeon, to provide orthopaedic treatment for veterans of all ages. Former servicemen who may require hip or knee replacement surgery need only ask their GP to refer them to the VOS where they will quickly be seen by Lt Col Meyer’s team. Also present was Lt Col (Retd) Ian Sawers, a former Light Infantryman and Rifles City Colonel for Merseyside, a trustee of the League of Friends at the RJAH and a patron of the VOC fundraising campaign. It is hoped that the new centre will be fully operational by the end of 2022, before which date veterans will continue to be seen by the team as before.
It is hoped that the new centre will be fully operational by the end of 2022
BUGLERS HELP BREAK GROUND AT VETERANS ORTHOPAEDIC
CENTRE (VOC)