In his final duty before retiring this month as Armed Forces Advisor to the London Borough of Wandsworth, our Trustee Paul McCue was delighted to secure a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award for the London local authority.
The award is the Ministry of Defence's highest recognition for employer support to the Armed Forces and Wandsworth is just one of a handful of employers across the country - and the only London borough - to reach the gold standard.
Together with Leslie McDonnell, one of The Secret WW2 Learning Network's supporters who is the former Mayor of Wandsworth and the council’s Armed Forces Champion, Paul collected the award from HRH the Earl of Wessex and Secretary of State for Defence Gavin Williamson at a special ceremony at Lancaster House. The Defence Secretary said: “Those who have served our country so courageously deserve the full support of organisations across the public and private sector. The breadth and diversity of this year’s Gold Award winners shows how business support for the armed forces continues to flourish. I offer my gratitude and congratulations to all the winners.” Paul's duties in Wandsworth included liaison with the locally-based London Regiment and Royal Marines Reserve (City of London). He will not be severing his ties with the military, however, having recently joined 261 (Guildford) Squadron, Air Training Corps (Royal Air Force Air Cadets) as a Civilian Instructor.
He also remains a member of the Greater London Reserves Forces' and Cadets' Association (RFCA-GL).