I work as DIO’s ecologist for the South East region, spanning from Hampshire all the way over to Kent and up to London and Oxford.
One of the highlights of my role is getting out on the MOD estate and supporting hands-on conservation work. Recently, I had a chance to do just that at one of my favourite sites – Horsea Island in Portsmouth.
Within the context of the vast UK Defence estate, Horsea Island is a small site, at around 32 hectares in size. The landscape is partly man-made and partly natural, but perfectly adapted to support an abundance of wildlife.
Each year, the DIO ecology team funds some vital scrub clearance work to maintain the quality of the chalk grassland on site. This is particularly important as this area falls within the Portsmouth Harbour Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a nationally important site for nature conservation. It is the responsibility of MOD and DIO to ensure that SSSI features are protected and maintained in favourable condition, and we have our internally funded SSSI programme which helps to achieve this.
The works are carried out by a dedicated group of volunteers from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, and this year I went along to lend a helping hand, alongside colleagues from other parts of the MOD.
The work involved lopping, sawing, cutting and burning – essentially, pushing back the encroaching scrub (particularly dogwood and wild privet) from the edges of the grassland, followed by mowing which will allow this floristically rich habitat to develop and flourish. This is done in combination with other management techniques such as sheep grazing throughout the year.
This is a special area of grassland, unique in its origins. The land is made up of chalk deposited from diggings under the nearby Portsdown Hill, and over the years it has developed a diverse chalk grassland flora with significant invertebrate interest for its size. Some lovely calcareous plant species such as bee orchid, lady’s bedstraw and eyebright are regularly recorded.
For me, the day was a great opportunity to spend more time at the site, enjoy the ecological interest it has to offer, and get stuck in with some practical habitat management away from my desk!
Horsea was originally two islands, Great and Little Horsea, the former large enough to support a dairy farm.
Its military use dates back to the 1880s, when the two islands were requisitioned by the Admiralty and joined together to form a torpedo testing lake. This involved the excavation of thousands of tons of chalk from under Portsdown Hill, situated a kilometre to the north, with the chalk transported and used to bridge the space between the islands.
Over the decades Horsea Island has seen various uses, from being the site of one of the Navy's three high-power shore wireless stations in 1909, to the use of Horsea Lake as a testing site for ejection seats in the 1950s.
In the early 1970s, much of the adjacent harbour was reclaimed from the sea, connecting Horsea to the mainland. Despite this, though, the name Horsea Island has prevailed!
Today, the site continues to be used by the MOD, with a number of facilities predominantly focusing on diving and underwater engineering.
Horsea Island forms part of the wider HMS Excellent site, along with Whale Island on which HMS Excellent itself is situated.
A wide range of conservation activities are carried out across the series of man-made islands and low-lying peninsula that form HMS Excellent. Co-ordinated by the HMS Excellent Conservation Group, these include regular surveys of over a hundred different species, ranging from birds to butterflies and moths, along with plant and tree species. Other activities include managing bee hives and hedgehog releases, as well as conservation grazing in collaboration with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. The Conservation Group is chaired by HMS Excellent’s Environmental Protection Advisor, Ian Mackfall, and Ian plays an instrumental role in coordinating the time, creativity and effort needed to carry out this important conservation work across the establishment.
In 2022, the conservation work at HMS Excellent was recognised with a prestigious Gold Award in the South and South-East Britain in Bloom competition for Urban Communities – a remarkable achievement and testament to the efforts of all who are working to protect and preserve this unique and ecologically vital part of the Defence estate.
]]>RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus is an extremely busy military site, which supports operations in the region and is used as a forward mounting base for overseas operations in the Middle East.
On Wednesday, 14 February 2024, the area was hit by a Category three tornado, which caused significant damage across the station.
While it is a blow to see many of our buildings suffer serious damage, we are grateful that nobody suffered any injuries in the tornado. The safety of our personnel is always what is most important for us.
Without delay, DIO Regional Delivery (RD) teams were out as early as 2.30am on the morning of the tornado to clear up debris and carry out repairs on areas that had sustained damage.
Major Steve Stewart, in particular, has received vast praise after getting involved in the clear up in the early hours of the morning, despite his own living quarters, personal possessions and car suffering damage. He immediately took the lead in damage assessment and got to work.
Sixteen service family houses were damaged during the tornado. These were a priority for us to repair for the wellbeing of the families involved and all were repaired very quickly, though unfortunately two families whose homes were more severely damaged did have to move out for a couple of days.
Two blocks of single living accommodation were damaged in the tornado, but within a matter of days, one has been made safe and occupants provided with alternative accommodation. The other building was the Officers' Mess and a small number of personnel have had to temporarily move out while roof tiles are replaced.
Operational buildings on site were also hit by the tornado, with the roof of the petroleum storage depot ripped off and the fuel supply temporarily disrupted, though there were no leaks. Buildings at the Mole, where ships dock, also had damaged roofs. Both of these were quickly returned to full functionality, with further repair works ongoing.
Meanwhile, a hangar also suffered damage and some aircraft have been moved to alternative locations until repair works are completed.
Staff from our Regional Delivery teams and our Hard Facilities Management contractor, Mitie, have all done fantastic jobs.
They jumped straight into action, assessing damage, isolating power, and alerting occupants to the damage of potentially unsafe buildings. As soon as it was daylight, the DIO teams began to compile a list of all damaged buildings to allow Mitie to undertake immediate works.
One member of my team told me by the time they had woken up in the morning, Mitie contractors were already out starting the clean-up works. They were collecting roof tiles from the road and clearing a path to make way for the fire service so they could carry out building inspections.
One of the houses that was worst hit had lost most of the roof tiles, which had been launched across the street, damaging a further two houses and a car in their wake. Some of the tiles were even embedded into a wall in an opposite house, really showing the force of the tornado. Uprooted trees also had to be cleared and debris removed from the airfield operating surfaces before aircraft operations could resume.
The teams from Mitie did a brilliant job in making buildings safe and removing hazards from houses, buildings, roads and pathways. The valiant efforts of all involved have meant injuries have been avoided and operations have returned to normal in a very short amount of time.
I was genuinely impressed by the speed of response and collaboration between DIO onsite team and Mitie to deal with the devastation the tornado left across Akrotiri. My personal thanks to all and particularly to Major Steve Stewart, who I spoke to the morning after, for his exceptional leadership and selfless commitment in the early hours to ensure people were safe, the immediate response was effective, and operations could continue as quickly as possible.
]]>As DIO’s Supplier Relationship Management Head, I am responsible for our supplier relationships which includes a deep understanding of our supply chains cross DIO. A few years ago, DIO’s role within the MOD shifted from being a ‘landlord’ to a strategic adviser and commissioning agent for our colleagues in other areas of the department. Since then, we have improved our services and modernised our commercial practices to become more responsive to market conditions, expand our supply chains and shape the infrastructure market to ensure long-term delivery for our front-line commands.
A few years ago we developed a Commercial strategy which is designed to inform our customers, suppliers and wider government stakeholders on how we tender opportunities, how we will do business and build our presence with industry. The strategy highlights how we will create and sustain a competitive market to deliver goods and services that meet the Department’s performance and affordability needs, now and in the future. Ultimately a wider range of firms bidding for DIO contracts gives us the best choice of suppliers to provide the expertise and level of service we need.
One strand of our Commercial Strategy is particularly focused on how we increase access for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to our supply chain, which also feeds in to the Defence Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Action Plan. We want to make sure we’re not just always collaborating with the same few companies and that there is opportunity for smaller companies within our supply chain. The appetite to increase diversity in our supply chain comes from the centralised MOD approach to supply chains and we are very much focused on that.
Engaging with SMEs is important for us to help bring innovation and change, increase supply chain resilience, and deliver services for our end users. We will ensure that the qualification criteria to collaborate with us doesn’t affect suppliers based on size or experience. We will encourage the suppliers we contract with directly engage with SMEs through regular market engagement events such as large conferences and smaller working groups.
To make the procurement and tender process more accessible for SMEs, who may not be used to bidding for work with an organisation like DIO, we encourage early market engagement and talk to suppliers for their input on the best ways to achieve our desired results. We are already seeing positive outcomes from working together in this way and are better engaged with a wider supplier group. For example, we have increased the number of suppliers who subscribe to our event and industry notifications to over 3,000 and the companies we network with to over 1,100.
On a quarterly basis, we publish the Procurement Pipeline, which complements the Commercial Strategy. It informs industry what we plan to buy on behalf of our customers. The regular updates ensure that the latest information is available so any company that may be interested in bidding has a good idea of the contract value, timescales and so on.
We want to break down the barriers that are preventing new suppliers from doing business with Defence. To help with this, we hold face to face ‘Meet the Buyer’ events attracting between 150 and 200 suppliers and host two virtual pipeline webinars annually, which more than 400 external suppliers usually attend.
I look forward to working with colleagues in DIO Commercial, the wider organisation, our customers, and the supply chain as we continue to grow our capability and capacity to deliver for Defence.
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My name is Tom Meadows and I am Technical Director and Deputy Head at the Security Services Group (SSG). This National Apprenticeship Week, I'm sharing my journey and how I came to be awarded an OBE.
I joined Defence as an apprentice Electrical Fitter in August 1974, and I can honestly say I have never looked back.
Over the last 50 years, I’ve had a varied career holding most roles within SSG including installation and maintenance of security systems, leading the team that designed the government’s in-house high security intruder alarm system and consulting on integrated security systems including intruder detection systems, perimeter intruder detection systems, CCTV, automated access control systems and physical security measures, among many others!
In December 2016, I was appointed to the role of Head of SSG Technical Solutions, where I led specialist teams delivering high security advice, professional support and quality and compliance services to customers across other government departments, the MOD estate and critical national infrastructure. I was also responsible for research and development, technical support, training and production. After a 6-month period in 2020 caretaking the Head SSG role, I now hold the position of Deputy Head SSG and Technical Director.
So far, it’s been an eclectic, challenging and at times both exciting and scary career, one that I hadn’t planned, but as the opportunities arose, I’ve embraced them and been rewarded with promotion, life experience and memories of times shared with equally minded colleagues.
I’ve been honoured with an OBE for my services to Defence and I’m extremely proud and humble by the award in recognition of the 50 years I have served. This is not only an honour for me, but also for SSG and I hope that I have shown everyone the art of the possible and that sometimes our efforts are recognised… not bad for a lad from a council estate in Warrington.
The OBE was established by King George V in 1917. The Order of the British Empire originally honoured those who served in a non-combative role and was later expanded to reward contributions from the arts, sciences, charitable work and public service. This is the second honours list for HM King Charles III since his Coronation in May 2023.
I’ve covered countless miles, by aeroplanes, trains and automobiles (not to forget the odd helicopter ride to some dangerous places and also a submarine!), I’ve covered the UK top to bottom and side to side and even underground, seen buildings and establishments that if I were just a member of the general public, would never have seen. I’ve travelled as far as the Falklands, Ascension Island, Cyprus, Kathmandu, Belize, the United States and several European countries.
My fondest memories would have to be a flight around Mount Everest and on another occasion, being flown to a facility on a coral island. After undertaking a survey and awaiting the return flight, I swam on a coral reef, walked around the island six inches above an aquamarine sea on white sand through palm trees and huts on stilts – and yes, I really did buy the T-shirt!
So, 50 years and counting. I look back on how fast they have passed and know that I’d do it all again, given the chance. That said, my next big challenge may be sailing off into the sunset on my narrowboat!
]]>Following a series of demolition projects at HMS Raleigh, I decided to do a ‘wind and weatherproof’ check of nearby buildings – which had been unused for some time. I’d seen a lot of contractors accessing the buildings for repair works, so it seemed an opportune time to look inside and check the buildings.
When I walked into Building 110, affectionately known as ‘Fieldhouse Block’, I saw something hanging on the wall something that would later become re-adopted as part of life at HMS Raleigh.
I was greeted by a six-metre long by 1.5 metre tall oil painting.
At first, I didn’t know what the painting depicted, but I’ve since learnt that it tells the story of a quiet day at Bluff Cove, that, as you look from left to right, all breaks down within seconds as the area was attacked. Jet engines, bombs and explosions descend on the cove and the day turned into a fiery nightmare. It is the bombing of the RFA Sir Galahad during the Falklands War.
HMS Raleigh was built initially for World War 2. For recruits who passed out after it was rebuilt in the 1970s, the Falklands War was the first conflict that they might have known.The Captain in charge of the base was thrilled to see that a new piece of Raleigh history had been discovered; she knew that this was something very special and needed to be on display.
She said to me, “I need you to find me a wall where we can hang this.”
I looked all over HMS Raleigh to find somewhere for this to go, and it was no easy feat to find somewhere with an empty seven-metre wall that seemed appropriate for this piece to be displayed.
The only place I found was the back wall of the trainees’ bar, which had only recently had a generous grant from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) to refurbish it and, whilst beautifully appointed, had only one picture on its walls – it was a blank canvas.
A team known as the ‘Buffers’ took great care in dismantling the solid wood frame and wrapping the two sections of the canvas before taking them to the workshop where the frame was cleaned and prepared – removing flaking varnish and years of grime, before re-staining and treating the wood. They re-sited the picture and its refurbished frame in the dead centre of the wall where the seating and lighting frames it perfectly.
I let the Captain and Commander of HMS Raleigh know that the picture was up and ready for viewing and they brought a small crowd with them.
I had been unsure if this were the right place for this to hang – the picture is stunning but there are images within that some may find a little disturbing. But the Captain commented that in her view, this was the right place.
The picture has since become a source of local interest. The recruits see it, the bar is used for meetings during the day, allowing attendees to experience it too. The General Manager of ESS, one of our contractors, makes a point of showing it to people when she interviews for positions too.
Part of working for DIO is about being respectful of Defence and its history, and that is exactly what we’re trying to do with the painting. We want to showcase the importance of works like this, while reflecting the sacrifices made in conflicts throughout history.
As yet we still do not know who the artist was or whether the painting comes from imagination and interpretation or from someone’s memory.
For now, this has pride of place in the Trainees’ Bar, making a commanding presence in the room and forever providing a talking point to visitors.
Anybody who knows who may have painted the artwork is urged to get in touch with DIO by emailing dio-corporatecomms@mod.gov.uk, or via our social media channels.
]]>Congratulations to the DIO staff who have recently been recognised with honours for their work!
Leading the way was Tom Meadows, Deputy Head of Security Services Group (SSG) and Technical Director, who was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List for his services to Defence. SSG is DIO’s team of experts which provides and maintains security systems for MOD sites, and from time to time, other important buildings. For example, they installed a security system at Westminster Hall for HM The Queen’s lying in state.
Tom joined SSG as an apprentice electrical fitter all the way back in 1974 and has risen through the ranks in the years since, receiving his OBE in his 50th year of service. He had to keep the honour a secret between finding out in November and the end of the embargo on 29th December, when the details were made public. Happily, he was able to suprise his family with the unexpected news during a Christmas get-together.
Twice a year alongside the honours list, the MOD publishes the Vice Chief of the Defence (VCDS) Commendations. These are awarded to service personnel, MOD staff and contractors who have provided exemplary service to the MOD.
DIO and Sodexo’s Soft Facilities Management team in Cyprus was included in the list in recognition of their sterling work supporting Op POLAR BEAR. This was the evacuation of over 2400 UK nationals from Sudan to MOD bases in Cyprus in April and May last year. The team worked tirelessly to support the increase in military personnel and the civilians they evacuated. This included providing over 100,000 additional meals, and ensuring the availability of products such as sanitary towels and shower gel. Due to the nature of the evacuation, much of this was, by necessity, at extremely short notice and required hard work and dedication from all of the DIO and Sodexo personnel involved.
Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS) Operational Manager, Graham Kerridge, also received a VCDS Commendation. He was recognised for his and his great team’s work at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, used by the United States Air Force. After a couple of calls to make sure he wasn't being pranked, Graham was quick to credit his team, which also won the DIO Customer Excellence Award last year.
Congratulations are also due to Christina Williams, who is Sodexo’s Deputy Service Manager for the Falkland Islands. She has worked with Sodexo since 1995 and her commendation recognised the entirety of that time, but with a focus on a few particular acts of service. In 2015, Christina led the Sodexo team in supporting the evacuation of nearly 250 people from a cruise ship near the Falkland Islands. The team ensured sufficient accommodation was clean and available for use, arranged meals and phone lines, and Christina co-ordinated the provision of clothing donated by colleagues. During the Covid pandemic, Christina worked to ensure sufficient cleaning supplies were available despite a logistic chain made fragile by the challenges of the pandemic, as well as leading her team to make sure high standards of cleaning were maintained, helping to prevent infection and ensuring flights could continue to operate.
As well as the VCDS Commendations, a number of DIO staff from our South East Region were honoured with an Air Officer Commanding Commendation.
Scott Tizzard and Stuart Dent were recognised as part of the RAF Vampire Block Operations Support Team, ensuring this operational building is well-maintained. Jon Lisle, our Airside Senior Facilities Manager for RAF Brize Norton, was also commended. His award was particularly in recognition of his role supporting works on the airfield operating surfaces. Finally, the Sodexo In Flight Catering team, also at RAF Brize Norton, received a commendation after a busy year where they supported Op POLAR BEAR and the training of Ukrainian troops.
Congratulations and thank you to all!
]]>It’s been a busy year for us at DIO. From supporting the Coronation of King Charles III to supplying more than 20,000kg of turkey to Armed Forces personnel over Christmas, our teams have been working hard to help our Armed Forces to live, work, train and deploy.
Here are just some of our many highlights.
In January, we launched the Historic Environment Record, a new tool to help our teams manage the Defence estate. We look after more than 800 listed buildings, 700 scheduled monuments and tens of thousands of archaeological monuments.
Meanwhile, a project to re-establish a population of white-tailed eagles in parts of Southern England took a step forward, as our teams discovered two of the released birds had settled at Lulworth Ranges. The white-tailed eagle is Britain’s largest bird of prey.
Work began on a new £12 million band facility at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in February. The purpose-built facility, part of the Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) programme, was designed to house and support the musicians who serve in the British Army Band Sandhurst. The project, which completed in September, saw a new instrument store, music library, rehearsal rooms and a crew room built.
Rugby star Mike Tindall spent a day out on Salisbury Plain Training Area learning how to stay safe when accessing military land. As part of our Respect the Range campaign, he explored the training area in a Warrior vehicle, experiencing first-hand the risks that can arise, including live firing, unexploded ordnance and fast-moving military vehicles.
DIO hosted the 32nd Sanctuary Awards in March, celebrating the outstanding sustainability and conservation efforts that are taking place across the Defence estate.In April, we celebrated 10 years since the MOD Guard Service (MGS) became part of DIO. There are now more than 2,700 MGS security officers delivering a high-quality service to ensure the safety of everybody at over 100 sites across the country.
In the same month, we saw the completion of a £6.96 million project to extend the lifespan of runways and taxiways at the Mount Pleasant Complex airfield in the Falkland Islands. The project, completed by Mitie Defence Limited, saw markings repainted, airfield signage replaced and coating the runway with a layer of bitumen to extend the life of the surfaces.
In May, DIO completed the first phase of a £10 million project to deliver 34 new homes for service families at RAF Akrotiri. The homes were the first to be built under DIO and UK Strategic Command’s APOLLO programme.
As thousands of Armed Forced personnel descended on London to prepare for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, DIO staff and contractors worked around the clock to offer support. In addition to supplying food, accommodation and cleaning services, our teams also helped with tailoring military uniforms, the provision of temporary stables for military horses and cobbling.New Net Zero carbon accommodation was formally opened at the Defence School of Transport (DST) in Leconfield. The new buildings included rooftop solar panels, air source heat pumps and heat recovery systems.
A £150 million contract to provide key services in Germany and Italy was awarded to Mitie Defence Limited in July. It will provide hard facilities management, such as maintenance, repairs and servings alongside limited soft facilities management, including waste disposal and laundry services. It was the second contract to be awarded under DIO’s Overseas Prime Contracts programme this year.
July also saw work begin on a new passenger and freight handling facility at RAF Akrotiri – another project under APOLLO. The existing facility dates back to the 1960s and it is being expanded to meet current requirements.
Our Respect the Range campaign lit up the sky in Tenby in August to highlight the importance of staying safe when accessing military land.
More than 100 drones put on a light show in the early hours of the morning contrasting everyday activities with military images to promote how use of MOD land can change from calm to combat in an instant. A cyclist turned into a tank, a dog into a soldier and a bucket and spade into a missile to illustrate the important safety message.
DIO supported the opening of the first of the King’s Nature Reserves in September. The nature reserve, on the Lincolnshire coast, includes areas of land owned by the MOD. DIO plays a key role in the management and conservation of the Defence estate at Donna Nook as part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing biodiversity and nature recovery.
To mark World Mental Health Day in October, we reflected on the work done through Operation Nightingale, and the positive impact the project has had on veterans. The DIO project assists the recovery of wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans by involving them in archaeological investigations.
DIO worked with the British Army and Cornwall Wildlife Trust to improve sand dune wildlife at Penhale Training Area in Cornwall. Four 16-tonne diggers were used in the project to remove areas of overgrown scrub and expose bare sand to encourage new habitats.
We announced an investment of £400 million into Service Family Accommodation over the next two years. This investment will help to modernise thousands of homes, with work to refit kitchens and bathrooms, boiler and heating upgrades and new doors windows and roofs already planned for many homes.
To round off the year, DIO launched its very first advert – to encourage sustainability across the estate.
The video, made by our talented Campaigns and Marketing team, follows Father Christmas around DIO HQ switching off lights, monitors and other electrical items to help us all live more sustainably.
These are just some of the highlights DIO has seen during 2023. The work performed by our teams has demonstrated the true value of DIO as the estate expert for Defence and supporting our Armed Forces.
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It’s the most wonderful time of the year – but that doesn’t stop the hard work that goes on behind the scenes across the Defence Training Estate every day.
Our ecology and environmental management teams work tirelessly alongside the military to ensure habitats and species across the training estate can thrive, in balance with military training requirements.
The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD’s) estate spans 169 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) across the country, covering over 82,000 hectares.
Across these vast and varied landscapes, there’s no shortage of work to be done year-round to help conserve hundreds of species of plants and animals. Given it’s the Christmas season, we’re taking a celebratory look at some of the most festive flora and fauna that can be found across our estate.
It may be known for the spot to sneak a Christmas smooch, but beware! Mistletoe is poisonous to humans. It contains a toxic substance called phoratoxin, which can be found in the leaves, stems and berries of the plant.
It does have benefits for wildlife though, as the white berries can be an important winter food source for birds such as the mistle thrush, and winter visitors like redwings and fieldfares. While it is not an endangered species, a decline has been noted in the UK, so it’s best to enjoy this plant from afar when out on the Defence Estate.
One of the most recognisable festive plants, holly is commonly used to decorate homes around Christmas time. But it also has many benefits to wildlife across our training estate, as the shrub is often used as a shelter for birds and provides hedgehogs with a cosy place to hibernate.
Holly branches have been used to decorate homes during winter for hundreds of years, due to the tree being seen as a fertility symbol and a charm against witches, goblins and the devil.
Ivy is often accused of strangling trees, but it doesn’t harm the tree at all, and even supports at least 50 species of wildlife, being a food source for insects and birds, and providing shelter for birds, bats and other small mammals. Ivy can be found at many of our training areas across the UK.
The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that wearing a wreath of ivy leaves around the head would prevent one from getting drunk – with the Roman god Bacchus, the god of intoxication, often depicted wearing a wreath of ivy and grapevines.
Historically, both holly and ivy were important symbols during winter as they were both evergreens, hence the Christmas carol ‘The Holly and the Ivy’.
While our festive forage across the Defence estate may not have located all the birds of the famous 12 Days of Christmas Carol, we did uncover one very special species, the turtle dove, which is finding a haven at MOD Shoeburyness in Essex. In 2012 the RSPB launched Operation Turtle Dove to encourage the return of the birds across Southern and Eastern England, including on parts of the Defence estate.
MOD Shoeburyness is particularly well known for breeding turtle doves, with its scrub habitat proving to be ideal for nesting. DIO has been working with the RSPB and QinetiQ to implement scrub management to further benefit the species.
Robins can be found across the UK and the Defence Training Estate is no exception, with the red-breasted bird being spotted all over our training areas.
Robins are present all year round, but their link to Christmas actually comes from the Victorian era. The tradition of sending Christmas cards began during the reign of Queen Victoria, and during that time, postmen wore red jackets, earning them the nickname ‘robins’, and as people waited to receive their cards they would welcome the appearance of the ‘robins’.
While we might not have any penguins waddling around on the Defence estate in the UK, we do have plenty of these much-loved, flightless flappers on our estate in the Falkland Islands.
In fact, five of the world’s 17 species of penguins can be found on our estate, these being the King, Gentoo, Rockhopper, Magellanic and Macaroni species. The Falkland Islands are home to the largest population of Gentoo penguins on Earth.
To discover more about the conservation work taking place across our UK and overseas estate, as well as the MOD’s commitment to sustainability, you can read Sanctuary Magazine, which is published in print and online annually.
If you are planning to take a walk on the Defence Training Estate over the Christmas period, please ensure you follow these simple steps to keep yourself and our training personnel safe:
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Ronnie Patterson is a trainer for the MOD Guard Service (MGS).
Before joining the DIO, Ronnie served in the Forces for 12 years, seeing action in the Gulf War and in Northern Ireland. He then had a successful career as a firefighter for over 20 years.
In 2021, he was diagnosed with penile cancer, which only affects around 400 men in the UK each year. He was subsequently diagnosed with PTSD due to the catastrophic effect of his cancer diagnosis.
Penile cancer is specific to men and although rare, can be deadly. It occurs when abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled way; changes to the colour or texture of the penile skin can often be an indication of this cancer.
Now 16 months in remission, Ronnie wants to use his experience to raise awareness of penile cancer, as well as showing the importance of looking after both physical and mental health.
He is sharing his story today, on International Men’s Day, in the hope that more men can avoid experiencing what he has been through.
It was 2016 when I noticed that something wasn’t right. A small area of red skin, that I first thought was just a rash, was actually the first sign that I had cancer. A friend of mine who worked in the funeral industry told me about somebody he had seen who had died from penile cancer. When I Googled it, the pictures looked very similar.
So, like most people would, I booked an appointment with my GP, but they told me it wasn’t cancer and I believed them. Now looking back, I realise I’m incredibly lucky that the cancer was slow growing, otherwise I could be long gone by now.
I carried on as normal until I retired from the fire service in 2020, when further changes to my skin began to develop. But by then we were in the middle of a global pandemic – GP surgeries were closed, and hospitals were filled with Covid-19 patients.
It wasn’t until December 2021, that I was finally diagnosed with penile cancer. By then, it had developed, meaning my treatment needed to be much more aggressive. What could have been treated with a chemotherapy cream five years before now needed a partial amputation and several skin grafts.
I’d always thought I had dealt with my experiences in the Army and fire service well – mainly with dark humour and alcohol, as many others will attest to.
But everything I had compartmentalised over the years came bursting out when I received my diagnosis. It was then that my PTSD began to develop.
Throughout my cancer recovery, my family noted changes to my personality. I had become less tolerant; my emotions were all over the place; angry then sad, with no explanation. I had bouts of sleepless nights and would often wake in a cold sweat. I couldn’t function as I once had – both physically and mentally.
My family pleaded with me to speak to a therapist, but it was a long time until I realised I had a problem. It was actually my son who convinced me that I needed help.
It was around the time that Russia had invaded Ukraine and Liz Truss had appealed for any ex-Forces personnel to go over to Ukraine to help. I’m in a lot of Facebook groups with other veterans and they all cleared out, almost overnight. So many people were going over to help and play their part.
I was determined to go too. I started preparing when my son stopped me and just said “Dad, you need help.”
It was then that it hit me and made me realise that I did need professional help to get me through this thing I hadn’t even known I was struggling with.
Getting the right help wasn’t easy; local services had 14-week waiting lists just for a Zoom call, and a call over a computer isn’t going to cut it. For PTSD, you need to be in the same room as someone, seeing the whites of their eyes, with plenty of tissues on standby.
Putting a label on what was going on with my mental health was the start of my recovery. I learnt coping mechanisms and realised that there are people out there to help.
Having the support from my family, friends and colleagues aided my recovery, another thing that helped was taking about my journey.
I can be out and about and if I hear someone mention cancer, I’ll ask them if they want to hear my story. They might think I’m mad, but talking about it not only helps me, but also helps to get the existence of this cancer out there.
Unfortunately, most men have no idea of the existence of penile cancer and most, if not all men, don’t like to talk about these things.
But that is what I want to change. If we can talk about it and make sure more men know this is possible and can happen, then hopefully we can catch it before it’s too late.
I’d say all men could benefit from checking that area, but some people who could be particularly vulnerable include those that are overweight, heavy smokers, those with skin issues such as psoriasis, or who have suffered trauma to the area. It has also been linked the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
As with any cancer, if you have any concerns, go and get yourself checked out. It’s half an hour out of your day, but it could prevent it from taking thousands of days off your life.
Anyone who want to find more information about cancer can contact Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support or Orchid Fighting Male Cancer – Penile Cancer, which is a charity for this specific cancer.
]]>Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) is the UK’s largest military training area, covering 11% of Wiltshire and a small part of Hampshire. Ensuring the fine balance between providing a place for our Armed Forces to train safely and maintaining public access to Salisbury Plain’s unique landscapes takes a lot of hard work – from both our teams here at DIO and through the work of dedicated volunteers.
These volunteers give up their own time to make SPTA a safer place for everyone – whether it’s someone out walking their dog or soldiers training for combat.
Since April this year, the Salisbury Plain Rights of Way Volunteers have already given 370 hours of their time, equating to 46 working days. To date, the volunteers have installed, repaired or replaced more than 2,000 rights of way signs and waymarks across the training area.
This vital work has been carried out since 2006, when the group of volunteers was established by Nigel Linge MBE, then working as Range Safety Officer for the training area.
A retired Lieutenant Colonel, Nigel has a long history of supporting the balance of military training requirements with public access across SPTA. If you’ve been following the MOD’s annual Sanctuary Awards and magazine, you may recognise the name – Nigel was the worthy winner of the coveted Silver Otter trophy in 2021 for his work with the volunteers.
Despite retiring in 2014, Nigel continues to be an invaluable ally to the MOD, giving up his time to lead the group of volunteers whose continuing role in maintaining safe public access to SPTA has now been recognised in a formal agreement.
The Volunteer Arrangement for the Salisbury Plain Rights of Way Volunteers provides a framework for ongoing support from DIO Senior Training Safety Officers, who have a broad remit in overseeing military training activities and use of SPTA. It also supports the continued provision of funding and materials through the DIO Conservation Stewardship Fund, which is delivering a programme of conservation and environmental stewardship projects across the Defence estate.
The arrangement will also see Wiltshire Council provide support for the volunteers, ranging from induction training to providing appropriate insurance so volunteers can carry out their work safely.
This new agreement also sets out a formal process for the appointment of a future Volunteer Coordinator to lead the team when Nigel Linge eventually hands over the role, following many years of service to the military community and wider public.
The agreement is welcome news for everyone involved, and it’s a perfect example of the positive ongoing partnership work between DIO, Wiltshire Council and the Salisbury Plain Rights of Way Volunteers.
The agreement will ensure longevity within the volunteer community at the same time as securing a commitment to continued support from DIO and Wiltshire Council – all towards the crucial aim of balancing military training with safe, appropriate public access across SPTA.
If you are planning to visit Salisbury Plain Training Area, please follow these simple steps:
• Check live firing times on GOV.UK
• Stick to public rights of way and marked permissive paths and tracks
• Take notice of red flags, red lights and signage which indicate where and when access is prohibited
• Never touch military debris on the ground. Report it for safe removal