The Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association (RFCA) for Wales welcomed a packed house of 150 guests to its annual briefing.
The keynote speaker was Major General (Retd) Stephen Potter QVRM TD VR who set the context of UK Defence in the light of the Strategic Defence Review 2025 and the MOD’s Defence Reform programme.
Major General Potter, a former Director Reserves in Army HQ, leads the External Scrutiny Team which report annually to the Defence Secretary on the state of the UK’s Reserve Forces.
The event at HMS CAMBRIA in Cardiff Bay on Thursday 16 October was attended by a diverse audience including members of the Armed Forces community, partner organisations, employers and key stakeholders.
Other speakers included Wing Commander Lee Matthews, Officer Commanding 614 (County of Glamorgan) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force who gave the reserve unit presentation.
Colonel Melanie Prangnell MBE, Commandant Clwyd and Gwynedd Army Cadet Force, gave the cadet perspective. She was joined by Cadet Regimental Sergeant Major Zuzanna Radkowska of Dyfed and Glamorgan ACF.
The reservist perspective was given by Able Seaman Jaroslav Klusevich of HMS CAMBRIA and Scott Milne Vice President and General Manager, General Dynamics Land Systems–UK gave the view from the employer.
There was also a special presentation made on behalf of the Ulysses Trust for the best university expedition in 2024 in recognition of a challenging self-sustained canoe trip made by a group of university reservists from Wales, Birmingham and Bristol to remote Sweden.
First RFCA for Wales chairman Brigadier Russ Wardle OBE DL and Chief Executive Colonel Dominic Morgan OBE gave an update on the past year and reflected on the achievements of the secretariat.
They detailed the outputs of RFCA for Wales’ key pillars of Cadets, Reserves, Estates and Engagement.
The event was compèred by television presenter Sian Lloyd.
