Press releases

Transport operator Arriva was recognised for its support of members of the Reserve Forces at a reception hosted by HRH the Prince of Wales, at his Clarence House residence, on Wednesday.

Stephen Noble, Arriva's managing director for the North East, received a certificate from under secretary of state for defence, Tom Watson MP, thanking his company for its support of reservists.

Stephen Noble was one of more than 50 employers from across the UK who attended the reception. Arriva employs 6 reservists in the North East.

He said:

We are proud to support our reservists. They perform a crucial role for the nation often at great personal sacrifice. As an employer, we also benefit from the skills and experience they gain from working in high-pressure and difficult circumstances. We give them our full support.

Thanking the employers, the Prince of Wales said:

The reserve forces are vital as an integral part of the armed forces. Releasing valuable employees for mobilisation can place a considerable burden on employers and I would like to express my appreciation to the companies involved. There is an enormous debt that is owed to employers.

Tim Corry, campaign director of SaBRE (Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers), which organised the event, said:

Mobilisation can be a time of concern for reservists and employers alike. Having the support of their employer makes a huge difference to Reservists. SaBRE's role is to listen to employers' concerns, relay these to the MOD, and support employers by providing information on the benefits, rights and obligations associated with employing a member of the volunteer reserve forces.

More information about the rights and obligations of reservist employers is available at www.sabre.mod.uk .

Ends

Notes to editors

Photographs of the event are available. For further information and photography please contact Fishburn Hedges:
Peter Chalkley 020 7544 3047 peter.chalkley@fishburn-hedges.co.uk
Paul Hodgson 020 7544 3096 paul.hodgson@fishburn-hedges.co.uk
Martin Brown 020 7544 3067 martin.brown@fishburn-hedges.co.uk

Ministry of defence

Under secretary of state for defence Tom Watson said:

We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to our reserve forces, who do a tremendous job in often difficult circumstances. Their contribution to recent UK missions including Iraq and Afghanistan has been outstanding. However this would not have been possible without the support of employers who agree to release their employees for operations as well as routine training, and I would like to pay tribute to the leadership that they all offer. It is clear that in turn they recognise the additional skills and experience that reservists can bring back to their workplace.