A whole-of-society approach to national Defence and resilience is required to combat modern-day threats to our society.
That was one of the key messages delivered to employers big and small at the latest instalment of East Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association’s (East Midlands RFCA) Regional Engagement with Defence (RED).
Guests included His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, Professor Veronica Pickering OBE; Major General John Kendall VR DL, Deputy Commander Land Forces; Commodore Tim Green CBE, Naval Regional Commander for London and Eastern England; and Air Commodore Gavin Hellard CBE VR, Deputy Commandant General, Royal Auxiliary Air Force.
Threats and countermeasures
Now in its third year, this was the biggest RED yet, with 250 representatives from businesses, civic organisations and the Armed Forces invited to Nottingham for a morning of updates and networking.
Speakers painted a picture of the increasingly dangerous world we face, with further conflict breaking out in the Middle East, war continuing on European soil, and unfriendly states and bad actors looking to disrupt our way of life.
Arsonists hired by Russian mercenary group Wagner to burn down a London warehouse full of equipment set for Ukraine was one illuminating example shared of the type of domestic incidents facing our country.
There was also talk of critical systems, such as GPS, computer networks and undersea cables, being targeted, as well as the blockade of maritime chokepoints, such as the Strait of Hormuz, causing prices to rise.
There was optimism, too. Building on the release of the Strategic Defence Review last year, Commodore Green detailed how the Royal Navy is meeting Defence threats today and outlined its plans to become warfighting-ready by 2029.
The three services also stressed the importance of the Reserve Forces to the military on operations – as peacekeepers in Cyprus, part of the Defence force on the Falkland Islands, in Estonia deterring aggression and training Ukraine’s Armed Forces – and also in terms of mass mobilisations.
Speakers also shared with the room that the ability to call upon the Strategic Reserve will be tested on Exercise Steadfast Defender next year.
And there was an acknowledgement of the strong commitments already made by employers to support the country’s whole-of-society approach to Defence as suppliers, employers – especially of Reservists – and Defence champions.
Commodore Green said: “On behalf of the First Sea Lord and also the frontline of the Navy, thank you all: the employers, Reservists, and Cadets, in what you’re doing in backing the nation, because as we look at the news headlines today, I think it’s fair to say that our Armed Forces have never been so vital to the way we live our lives.”
Resilience
Resilience was a key theme throughout the talks, in terms of our country’s resilience, the resilience of the Defence community, and the benefits employers gain from hiring them.
Detective Inspector (DI) Colin Ellis, of the Cyber Resilience Centre for the East Midlands, shared alarming statistics around online vulnerabilities.
According to a recent survey, 43% of small businesses reported a cyber-attack in the last 12 months. In 88% of incidents, the attack was a phishing attempt, in which scammers send fake messages to steal sensitive information.
One of the most high-profile incidents was the cyber-attack on Jaguar Land Rover in 2025, which resulted in an estimated £1.9 billion loss to the UK economy, making it the most economically damaging cyber-attack in British history.
DI Ellis stressed the need for protection and prevention, encouraging businesses to consider introducing next-generation passkeys over passwords, and urged vigilance across teams.
The personal resilience and value of Cadets were also thrust into the spotlight by superb presentations from Cadet Warrant Officers Walker and Wright of the RAF Air Cadets, who highlighted the youth organisation’s transformative impact.
A similar pitch was made by the East Midlands University Officers Training Corps, a flagship British Army leadership programme, on the strength and resilience of their people.
Warrant Officer (Class One) Shaun Coates, Regimental Sergeant Major, said: “If you’re looking for young leaders who can think, decide and deliver under pressure… we are already delivering them.”
Stuart Williams OBE, Chief Executive of East Midlands RFCA, summarised: “Our people add value in the workplace, in schools, at university, in fact wherever they go, that’s because of the experiences they’ve gained from the Reserves or Cadets.”
Whole of society approach in action
Represented in the room were local councils, the NHS, the education sector and national and regional businesses such as Toyota and Bridgeway.
Tony Blaney, Operations Director at Defence Relationship Management, described the event as a “perfect example” of the type of vehicle that strengthens bonds between Defence and society.
Also in the line-up of speakers was Fred Hopkins, Head of Engagement at East Midlands RFCA, who brought to life exactly what we mean by ‘Our People Add Value’ and Philip Goddard Brooks-Stephenson, who encouraged businesses to engage with the newly reinvigorated Gold Award Association for the East Midlands.
Penny Fraser, Global Talent Acquisition Director for property construction consultancy Gleeds, added: “For someone who does not have a military background, I found today really insightful.
“It’s really interesting to understand what’s going on in the world, and how the military contributes to that and saves lives. Also hearing about the Cadets and Reserves and what we can do in terms of giving something back, which we’re really passionate about.”
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