Member Article

Chamber helps businesses join Sabre event

MORE than 12 companies – including six from York - have signed up for this month’s (June) Exercise Executive Stretch which puts bosses through their paces so they can benefit from the training given to Army reservists.

More than 60 employers, including HR staff, from throughout Yorkshire and Humber will attend the event at Strensall Queen Elizabeth Barracks, York, between June 11 and 13 to take part in activities central to the Army’s special approach to leadership and team building.

The event, which is being promoted with help from York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, has been organised by The Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Yorkshire and The Humber and the North of England, known as SaBRE, as part of its work with companies which employ reservists.

There are still places available at the three-day event which stages activities which promote leadership and team-working and enhance self-confidence and shows how they can be adopted by businesses as part of their management culture.

Among companies attending this year’s event are Portakabin, York and Reliance Precision, Huddersfield along with the David Young Community Academy, Leeds, and Yorkshire Bank, Leeds, which are attending for the first time.

SaBRE, which has its regional office in York, provides support and advice to 3,264 men and women in the region who combine full time work with serving as Army reservists as well as working closely with employers who gain a range of help and funding when their staff and in active service.

Regional SaBRE campaign director, Richard Lenton, says: “Reservists are becoming a higher proportion of our armed forces as we move to our 2020 goal of 30,000 and the regular army is reduced in size.

“We’re delighted with the attendance at this year’s Executive Stretch which provides an opportunity for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and business to work together to support the development of reservist staff and so employers can experience what this involves.

“Also, by show casing the development skills the Army offers, Executive Stretch also enables companies to understand the training and abilities given to the reservists they may employ and how this may benefit their company.

“York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce has actively supported and promoted the value which reservists and service leavers can bring to the business sector and our own chamber membership has given us a valuable opportunity to engage with business people at the right level.

“The MOD and regional businesses have a great deal to learn from each other and we’re grateful that the chamber actively promotes this through its partnership with SaBRE.”

Head of York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, Susie Cawood, says: “York has had a long and fruitful relationship with the Army going back to Roman times. Businesses which employ reservists are making a valuable commitment to the country’s security. The MOD has a great deal to offer local businesses in return in terms of staff development and we’re really pleased to support them.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mike Clarke .