Megan Bulford leads the CBI’s Financial Services team with responsibility for both shaping UK financial services policy on behalf of the CBI’s members and overseeing the CBI’s financial services membership portfolio The key role of the team is to promote the financial services sector as an integral enabler to achieving policy initiatives such as financing the transition to net zero Megan has recently been appointed into this role having been at the CBI for six years where she worked closely with the Treasury on the CBI’s budget submissions delivering a variety of projects across the private and public sector with a Masters and Undergraduate Degree in Financial Economics Get in touch with Megan about sustainable finance, capital markets, regulation and competitiveness > The CBI is the UK's premier business organisation national and international level to policymakers Our Purpose — helping business create a more prosperous society PLANS to build a new 90-bed hotel in Bulford – complete with a conference space a restaurant and a rooftop bar – have been praised by some in the community The plans detail the demolition of the van sales dealer M A Vans Ltd and the Bulford Camp Hand Car Wash at Amesbury Road in Bulford with these to be replaced with a four-storey L-shaped hotel building – to be called The Stonehenge Hotel The proposed hotel would be used to primarily house those visiting friends and family living at the nearby Bulford Military Base which has expanded considerably over the years a third of the British Army are now based in and around Bulford A conference space for 200 people has also been planned for businesses connected with the local science park as well as a restaurant entertainment facilities and a ‘one-stop shop’ An underground parking space for 90 vehicles would also be provided READ MORE: Amesbury road to close for repair works later this month READ MORE: Gail’s bakery planned for former Tiger shop in Salisbury READ MORE: Salisbury restaurant could become flats following kitchen blaze Although the plans were initially put together in 2020 they have only been validated by Wiltshire Council earlier this month Applicant Duckquiff Ltd say the new hotel would help to both attract new inward investment and provide new jobs The ground floor would include a foyer with 72 place settings for light bar-type food and the fourth floor would have a restaurant with 144 spaces as well as a restaurant terrace with 44 spaces and a lounge terrace with 36 place settings The applicant said there is a shortfall in hotel accommodation in the area and that the plans have received support from nearby businesses The plans feature a terrace bar Picture: Cutler Architects They said: “We have demonstrated that there will be considerable economic benefits of the proposal with a large increase in employment and resultant broader economic benefits “The hotel is proposed to serve the existing barracks as well as local businesses and the tourist industry “The addition of a bar and restaurant will add an additional social function for the surrounding area.” described the plans as a “brilliant plan for the future of Bulford” She said: “A project such as this will only have a positive effect within the area itself would provide a great area in which people can meet and interact with each other over a drink or coffee.” raised concerns that the new hotel could exacerbate traffic problems in the area He said: “The site location is wholly unsuitable for a hotel.” He added: “The local roads are not designed to take the extra volumes of tourist traffic putting our children at higher risk of being involved in some sort of vehicle-based accident.” visit the planning section of Wiltshire Council’s website and search reference 20/03485/FUL Click here to stay updated with the latest plans submitted across the Salisbury area. A conference space of 200 and a 90-bed hotel + restaurant but only allowing for a capacity of 44 cars…I wasn’t aware of the marvellous local bus service Our roads in Bulford are already gridlocked often To bring more traffic to a small village would be a disaster Doesn’t sound like a conventional hotel that will be open to the general public and that could be worrying Seems bit pointless adding a hotel in the area when there is 2 close by just off the A303 in Amesbury that dont fill up but families have always had access to housing for visits ect Also adding more traffic to already a busy school and bus route would not be for the better Oh great another luxury hotel which will end up catering to all the illegals and extremists pouring into the U.K Follow us on Facebook Subscribe to the Newsletter The New Blackmore Vale Magazine The New Stour & Avon Magazine The Purbeck Gazette Four men sold drug at Wiltshire base over nearly three years and bought designer goods with proceeds A group of British soldiers have been jailed after a court heard they sold almost £100,000 worth of cocaine to fellow military personnel and bought designer products with the proceeds A kilo of the drug was sourced in west London and sold by the four members of 5th Battalion, the Rifles, at Bulford camp in Wiltshire over a near three-year period One of the soldiers bought a Rolex watch and Christian Louboutin shoes and boasted of having to do some “Gordon Ramsay magic” by cutting the cocaine with a caffeine product before selling it on Another ran a payday loan scheme to colleagues which the court heard may have contributed to the poor state of mind of a 20-year-old soldier who took his own life Bulford military court heard that Rifleman Claudius Scott orchestrated the operation with Rfn Ryan Saedi his second in command L/Cpl Bradley Hesketh and Rfn Ashleigh Walker were “trusted dealers” told the court the “network” of drug dealing was in place between January 2018 and December 2020 Walker and Hesketh all played a role in supplying to other service personnel Cocaine would be sourced from west London and sold on to service personnel It was well known they were drug dealers.” The court heard they cut the cocaine with a Pro Plus caffeine product and on one occasion when the drug arrived Hesketh texted an accomplice: “We’re going to need to do some magic work to it – some Gordon Ramsay work” – a reference to the cutting process Scott messaged Hesketh expressing concern about his lack of discretion after he was spotted wearing a Rolex and new Christian Louboutin shoes in the nearby town of Amesbury Hesketh told Scott to “chill” but added: “My bad.” The court heard there was a “culture of money lending at high interest rates” within the battalion Saedi had implemented a “double bubble” loan scheme which required cash-strapped colleagues who borrowed from him to repay double the amount on their next pay day He would “persistently chase down” those who owed him money encourage them to take out other loans and threaten them he said his borrowers were giving him sob stories – “their cat died they got to pay for the funeral” – but he added: “I don’t give two fucks.” One of his customers was Rfn Nathan Worner Saedi found out his home address and told him: “Bruv send me my money or I’m coming to your house.” said she was “haunted” by the thought of his influence on her son’s death “I believe their greed and intimidation would have at least contributed to his state of mind,” she said Saedi admitted conduct prejudicial to good order Scott was jailed for four years and one month as the “initiator and leader” of the group Saedi was jailed for three years and four months the assistant judge advocate John Atwill said: “You all chose to join a criminal conspiracy to supply cocaine to members of your unit for your own financial gain.” He also said Saedi’s “insidious” payday loan scheme had been run on a “very significant scale” Boutique Hotelier Splendid Hospitality Group has announced the appointment of Rachel Bulford to the position of chief commercial officer joining the leadership team and board of directors Bulford joins the firm from her most recent job as director of retail at Gatwick Airport where she led on strategies for retail and enhancing the passenger experience In her new role at Splendid Hospitality Group Bulford will leverage her expertise to optimise commercial strategies drive growth and enhance the overall experience for customers and people across the company’s range of hotels Bulford has also held senior roles at Homebase OC&C and started her career at Marks and Spencer She holds an MA from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from Bayes Business School Bulford also served as chairperson of the UK Travel Retail Forum from 2021 to 2023 Commenting on her new position as chief commercial officer Bulford said: “Splendid Hospitality Group is such a dynamic and agile company to work for It is an exciting family business with a fantastic reputation and commitment to delivering an exceptional experience vice chairman of Splendid Hospitality Group added: “This is an important new appointment for us The entire Splendid Family is looking forward to working with Rachel Bulford She has such an impressive background and a proven track record at major organisations Rachel will play a substantial role as we continue to evolve.” Earlier this year, Splendid’s managing director Andrew Kendrick said the group is focused on “smart investments” as part of its five-year growth strategy He told Boutique Hotelier that the midscale market has been performing best thanks to an increase in demand for “smaller but more practical rooms” from corporate guests Splendid currently operates 24 hotels across the UK ranging from budget options to five-star properties there are a number of refurbishment and development projects underway including the addition of new rooms at the Hilton London Bankside and a soft refurbishment of the entire ground floor and public areas at Indigo Edinburgh York Place A cocaine-dealing ring of British soldiers that sold almost £100,000 of drugs to fellow military personnel have been jailed Rfn Ashleigh Walker and Lance Corporal Bradley Hesketh were sentenced to a combined 13 years and three months in prison at Bulford Military Court Assistant Judge Advocate John Atwill said: "You all chose to join a criminal conspiracy to supply cocaine to members of your unit for your own financial gain "You were a mutually reinforcing conspiracy that set out to sell as much as possible." The "network" of four soldiers dealt one kilo of the Class A drug cocaine at up to £100 a gramme to other servicemen at an Army barracks over a three-year period orchestrated the operation which saw the cocaine brought into the soldiers' base from west London alongside "trusted dealers" Lance Corporal Bradley Hesketh would sell 1g for £90 – of which they could keep £10 for themselves The prosecution said the drug dealing took place during a near three-year period between January 2018 and December 2020 All four admitted conspiracy to supply drugs Rfn Saedi also ran a "double bubble" payday loan scheme to colleagues which the court heard contributed to the suicide of a young soldier Sentencing Rfn Saedi - who the court heard turned to selling drugs as his addiction to cocaine worsened – Assistant Judge Advocate Atwill concluded his "insidious" payday loan scheme had been run on a "very significant scale" he pointed out how the young soldier had repaid all of the money he had borrowed but still owed the same amount again due to the interest he charged "It's clear to us the impact your offence has had," he added Rfn Saedi had implemented the "double bubble" system which required any cash-strapped colleagues who borrowed off him to repay double the amount on their next pay day It was heard Rfn Saedi had received £43,000 of payments during his "commercial nature" operation which sometimes involved him demanding passports as a security deposit The court heard he would "persistently chase down" those who owed him money encourage them to take out other loans to pay his off and threaten them Rfn Saedi admitted conduct prejudicial to good order and disobedience of lawful command after he tried to contact LCpl Hesketh's partner after their arrest Rfn Saedi was jailed for three years and four months Rfn Scott was jailed for four years and one month for being the "initiator and leader" of the group the judge said it was "tragic" to reflect on the careers they could otherwise have had in the military LCpl Hesketh was dismissed from the forces reduced from the ranks and jailed for three years and one month Rfn Walker was also dismissed and jailed for two years and nine months Rfn Scott and Rfn Saedi had both already left the Army They will all serve half of their sentences before being released on licence for the remainder of each BFBS Forces News has asked the Ministry of Defence for a statement An Army spokesperson said: "We welcome yesterday's ruling There is absolutely no place for criminal behaviour in the Army "All of our personnel are held to the highest standards and we will take appropriate action against anyone that fails to meet these standards." Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe to: AN ARMY major based at the Bulford Camp will be hoping to remain cool under pressure as he takes on an incredible charity challenge has set himself a challenge to run the London Marathon on April 27 with a fridge strapped to his back- and he plans to smash the world record in the process The current record for completing the marathon carrying a 27kg fridge stands at 3 hours This was first set in 2023 by Royal Marine corporal Sam Hammond a Finnish runner beat the world record by almost an hour who was initially inspired by Sam Hammond’s record is undeterred however and he has increased the intensity of his training schedule to focus on beating the new benchmark “I saw what Sam did and thought I could give him a run for his money,” Joss said READ MORE: New Stonehenge Hotel hailed as “brilliant plan for the future of Bulford” he said he gets some odd looks when training on the Salisbury Plain He added: “Responses from the public vary Now based at Ward Barracks at Bulford Camp Joss is responsible for planning all the deployments of 12 armoured brigade But he’s no stranger to juggling high-pressure jobs and personal challenges Joss has been training on the Salisbury Plain “I’ve always enjoyed putting myself through unnecessary levels of physical discomfort for fun,” said Joss “Thankfully in the army that’s not just a hobby; it’s often part of the job.” Joss studied astrophysics at the University of Edinburgh before joining the army in 2015 He first encountered military life through the University Officer Training Corps lured in by a free meal at a freshers’ fair What began as curiosity soon turned into a career “I had no intention of joining the regular army at the time,” he said “But I was always drawn to the practical side of things so after university I applied to Sandhurst and never looked back.” His military service has taken him around the world – from Estonia to Brunei “It’s a job where you’re constantly surrounded by people who push you to be better,” he said Joss hopes to raise £2,500 for SSAFA (Soldiers’ Sailors’ and Airmen’s Families Association) provides lifelong support to service personnel Joss is determined to keep pushing boundaries “This might be my first world record attempt “Unless I get overtaken by someone carrying a dishwasher.” Click here to donate to Joss’ efforts. Military sexual offence investigations rose by around 25% in 2024 to 357 cases according to new figures released by the MOD The statistics show a sharp increase in complaints and investigations into sexual assaults without penetration Sarah Atherton was a former member of the Defence Select Committee and previously headed an inquiry into the experiences of women in the Armed Forces She pointed out that "if we look at offence by type being investigated the good news is rape is down from 60 to 55 and sexual assaults with penetration are down from 11 to 10" While it is not good that the number of cases being brought forward has increased there has been concern for years that service personnel haven't been reporting incidents because of a lack of trust in the system Ms Atherton says this scepticism and cynicism towards the military justice system could be changing "I hope they are gaining some trust back in the system," she said "More investigations are being undertaken by the service police and the service police are referring more sexual offences to the service prosecuting authority." This increase in the number of cases being investigated raises more questions such as why are less than half of the investigations referred for prosecutions.  is the bar set too high from the Service Prosecution Authority to send and refer cases to court martial," Ms Atherton said "Whilst that obviously increases the probability of getting a conviction are service personnel actually having their day in court?" We asked the Ministry of Defence for its response to the latest stats.  It gave us a statement saying unacceptable and criminal behaviour would not be tolerated in the Armed Forces The MOD also pointed out that it was "putting in place the right reforms to hold perpetrators to account and provide support and justice for victims" LENNOX Blackwood has been jailed after being found guilty of firearms offences after a gun was found in a shoebox After a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court the 47-year-old was convicted of possessing a prohibited firearm and possessing ammunition without a certificate Blackwood was sentenced to six years behind bars Blackwood attended the address of a woman who was known to him in Christchurch and gave her a shoebox containing a pair of trainers which he asked her to look after for him because they were worth a lot of money the woman decided to look in the shoebox and inside one of the trainers she found a bag containing two socks later identified as a short-barrelled revolver Blackwood was located at his home address in Wiltshire in the early hours of the following morning and arrested said: “We take all offences involving firearms extremely seriously and we responded swiftly to this report to ensure this viable firearm was removed from our streets and the man responsible was identified “I want to thank the witness for reporting this matter to us and for her support throughout the investigation “We would continue to urge anyone with information regarding the location or possession of firearms to please report it to us immediately.” A new tri-service unit sitting outside the chain of command has been introduced in an attempt to tackle unacceptable behaviour in the Armed Forces The changes also look to protect and support women across UK defence with a central Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce established to drive cultural improvements harassment and discrimination-related service complaints will be dealt with quickly Defence People and Veterans Minister Al Carns set out the measures before the Defence Select Committee He also said he was personally committed to ensuring the "Armed Forces is a place where everyone can thrive" "We are moving at pace to create a new Tri-Service Complaints team to take the most serious complaints out of the chain of single Service command for the first time and to launch a central taskforce to give this issue the attention and focus it deserves." The Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Taskforce will be led by Mr Carns and a regional support network with individuals involved trained on topics such as domestic violence and sexual offending These roles will be fulfilled by multidisciplinary experts to support Armed Forces personnel and HR advisors and will link in to the Victim Witness Care Unit They will not only look to change the culture but look to help raise awareness and tackle violence against women across the military which will be made up of service personnel and civil servants with the goal of providing honest feedback and lived experience It comes after 19-year-old Royal Artillery soldier Jaysley Beck was found hanged in her room in Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire in December 2021 Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg ruled at the Salisbury inquest that the Army's failure to take action after Gunner Beck was harassed by her line manager contributed to her death He also ruled that "on the balance of probabilities" she had been sexually assaulted by another senior colleague and the Army's failure to take appropriate action "more than minimally" had contributed to her death there was an outpouring on social media of servicewoman telling tales of bullying A ONE-year-old child suffered “life-changing” injuries in a crash near Amesbury The incident happened near the Bulford junction of the A303 at around 5.30pm on Thursday (March 28) Police said a grey Skoda Karoq joined the A303 eastbound at the Amesbury Road junction and collided with a white Peugeot 208 travelling in the same direction “This has caused the Peugeot to spin onto the westbound carriageway through the gap in the barriers for the Allington track colliding head on with a silver Volvo V70 travelling in the opposite direction,” a spokesperson said suffered injuries which are serious but not thought to be life-threatening suffered injuries which are not thought to be life-changing suffered reportedly minor injuries.” The road was completely closed in both directions to allow for recovery to take place should contact the Serious Collision Investigation Team on 01225 694597 They can also email SCIT@wiltshire.police.uk Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A senior Army officer who drunkenly touched and tried to kiss a woman in a karaoke bar while leading an overseas military delegation has received a six-month suspended prison sentence Major General James Roddis’s career lies in tatters after being dismissed from the Army by the court martial board The 53-year-old married father-of-three had been drinking for several hours when he started touching the hair of the woman before kissing her on the lips A court martial in Bulford, Wiltshire, heard the delegation were on the last night of their overseas trip in April this year. She was clearly not interested in your attention Roddis had been required to resign from the Army in July following a misconduct investigation but as part of his punishment he was dismissed. The board also ordered him to complete 30 days of rehabilitation and 150 hours of unpaid work and pay his victim £2,500 compensation. Roddis had previously admitted a charge of disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind. Imposing sentence, Judge Advocate General Alan Large said: “As we’ve seen from the video over a period of some minutes you began touching her hair and you put your arm around her. “She was clearly not interested in your attention. You then pulled her hair bobble out. “It was apparent from another person at the table that the victim was uncomfortable about that. “This was only a few minutes after your physical attention started. About 10 minutes later you put your hand on her chin, pull her head towards your lips, and kiss her on her lips for about two seconds. “The disgraceful conduct in your charge encompasses both the unwanted touching of her hair and the kiss.” A senior Army officer leading an overseas military delegation drunkenly touched and tried to kiss a woman in a karaoke bar Major General James Roddis had been drinking for several hours when he started touching the hair of the woman before kissing her on the lips A court martial in Bulford, Wiltshire heard the delegation were on the last night of their overseas trip in April this year The court was told Roddis had been required to resign from the Army in July following a misconduct investigation The married father of three previously admitted a charge of disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind and returned to court for sentencing You can see her raise her eyes and indicate her displeasure said that while off duty the delegation had taken part in a local tradition of two hours’ unlimited drinking before moving on to a restaurant and finally a karaoke bar where they downed glasses of champagne and it became apparent the accused was also drunk,” Mr Coombes said a member of the party was filming the filling of a champagne fountain and in the background Roddis can be seen touching the complainant’s hair and she indicates with her finger for him to stop The court heard the kiss was not captured on film but the lead up to it was “He begins to touch and inappropriately touch and play with her hair and touch her ponytail before putting his arm around her,” Mr Coombes said “She turns to the accused and asks him to stop She turns towards him and raises her finger appealing to him to stop She says she didn’t know what else to do to stop him touching her hair “The accused continues to touch her and pulls the bobble out causing her hair to roll down and he says to her that ‘her hair looks better down’ “You can see her raise her eyes and indicate her displeasure.” Roddis puts his hands on her chin and kisses her on the lips for around two seconds “She says this was completely uninvited and without warning,” Mr Coombes said Mr Coombes told the court the woman later messaged her husband telling him: “Just because you are a two-star general you don’t get to touch me.” the woman asked to speak to Roddis in private on the flight home and told him his behaviour the previous evening was unacceptable “The accused asked her if she intended to make a formal complaint and if she did to tell him because he would need to resign.” The court heard this was the second similar incident involving Roddis’s conduct for which he received a punishment of loss of seniority Two female civil servants had lodged complaints about his conduct following an incident in 2023 where he had asked “questions of a sexual nature” and “touched one of the females that made her feel uncomfortable” the complainant said she “did the right thing” in reporting Roddis “My main concern is how powerless I was that night It has left me feeling vulnerable,” she added The court heard Roddis had a distinguished military career lasting 29 years and had been made an MBE and awarded several medals said Roddis had recently been diagnosed with alcohol dependency “He has been through a formal disciplinary process and his commission has been revoked,” she said “He is not allowed to refer to himself as having been a major general in the Army “This conduct taking place over a few minutes has resulted in the loss of a career that he spent 30 years building – a distinguished career in which he has received a number of citations “You will appreciate that he has lost not only his career but the future potential prospects of that career Miss Bickerstaff said other people present in the bar heard Roddis apologise immediately to the woman after kissing her and said he was sorry for “misreading the situation” “He was unaware she wanted him to stop and there was no request until the point of the kiss and when he tried to kiss her and got nothing back he immediately realised it was not wanted and he apologised,” she said “He has never suggested she was consenting and as soon as she realised she wasn’t The complainant cannot be identified due to a court order Roddis’s sentence is being decided by a court martial board comprising of three senior officers sitting with Judge Advocate General Alan Large The president of the board was an Royal Air Force air marshal and they were sitting with an Army major general and a Royal Navy commodore. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page SOMERSET Council has refused to explain why one of its properties in Wellington has remained empty for several months while several thousands of families were on its waiting list for accommodation. The house in Bulford was last occupied by a single mother and her children, who are believed to have moved out earlier this year. The former estate warden’s house is believed to have four bedrooms and a self-contained one-bedroom flat attached to it. But Wellington Weekly questions about the property were deflected by the council, which said it could not comment on any ‘individual tenancy matters’. Neighbours said the property had been empty for so long that it was becoming rundown with rats seen in the back garden. Persimmon Homes, which recently put forward plans to build up to 250 new homes in Rockwell Green, carried out a housing needs survey to support its proposals. The company found 3,175 people were on the waiting list for suitable accommodation in the west of Somerset. One Bulford resident told the Wellington Weekly: “I think there could be remedial work required by the council as I recall when new windows were fitted on flats in Bulford there was a refusal by workmen to do this house. “We are just wondering why it remains empty when there is a large waiting list for family homes. “It is strange it has remained empty for such a long period of time. “We would be pleased to see the house made habitable again.” Somerset Council allocates local authority housing through a web-based Homefinder needs-assessed service where people have to register and make ‘bids’ for properties which become available. But a spokesperson said: “Demand for social housing in Somerset far outweighs supply. “On April 1, 2023, there were nearly 12,000 applicants on the Homefinder Somerset scheme. “From April, 2022, to March, 2023, there were just over 2,000 homes advertised. “This means many people are registered on the scheme for a long time without being made an offer of a home.” Wellington’s Bulford estate was originally built as a mix of houses, bungalows, and flats to provide sheltered housing for tenants who were served by an on-site warden. But it has gradually become open housing, although mostly for elderly residents, with some properties adapted for those with disabilities. In response to questions about the empty former warden’s property, a council spokesperson said: “We work hard to ensure homes are re-let as soon as possible to ensure those on the waiting list can be housed swiftly, and to negate any income loss to us during the void period. “Some of our sheltered schemes have guest rooms. “A number of these across our estates have been mothballed as the cost of the works to make them compliant with safety legislation will not be recouped by their occasional use. “These rooms are not suitable for use as a home, they usually consist of a bed and toilet facilities only. “They are not suitable for addressing the county’s housing needs.” Comments Tel: 01823 662439[email protected]Follow us Further Links Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025 We use some essential cookies to make this website work We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK remember your settings and improve government services We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports created by New Zealand soldiers during World War I has been restored in Wiltshire after a collective effort from UK Defence the New Zealand High Commission and volunteers The ‘Bulford Kiwi’ is a large depiction of a kiwi carved in the chalk on Beacon Hill above the village of Bulford on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire It was carved by soldiers from the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who were waiting to return home following the end of World War I the New Zealand soldiers still in the UK decided to leave their mark on the countryside before they returned home DIO partnered with the New Zealand High Commission Landmarc and volunteers from the 3rd (UK) Division Signal Regiment and Operation Nightingale to restore the impressive carving As part of the project to ensure the historic significance of the kiwi is preserved an RAF Chinook helicopter flew over the site and dropped 10 tonnes of chalk which was then raked into place by volunteers across the partnership groups  A Waiata song and Kukuri dance were performed As the All Blacks prepare to take on Italy at the Rugby World Cup on Friday DIO has highlighted the connection between the soldiers who created the Kiwi and the ‘Trench All Blacks’ – a team of soldiers from New Zealand who won ‘The Somme Cup’ a special rugby division for those fighting in the war The soldiers who created the monument fought alongside the ‘Trench All Blacks’ during the Battle of Messines – often regarded as one of the most successful battles of the war DIO is responsible for looking after 772 scheduled monuments across the MOD estate – dating from the pre-historic era right up to the Cold War Although the Bulford Kiwi is one of the youngest it is of national and international importance given its association with the Armed Forces of New Zealand This annual re-chalking reinforces the bonds between our countries and reminds us of the sacrifices made in the First World War Flight Lieutenant James Patrick piloted the Chinook helicopter a special task for him as a pilot on an exchange programme from New Zealand It’s only since I came over to the UK on the exchange programme that I found out more about the Bulford Kiwi – I did know there was a chalked kiwi in the UK which is interesting because it looks totally different from the air than it does from land The fact that it was made by New Zealand soldiers waiting to go home after the First World War just makes it special The soldiers who made this were fighting with the British forces on the Western Front and I think that is important for us to remember We have these relationships and things like this are perfect for us to keep up those bonds What a fantastic day it has been meeting and working with so many dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers The Bulford Kiwi is well loved and has a long history that links the UK and New Zealand It has been a real pleasure to be involved in helping to protect and restore this significant monument Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details One hundred tons of chalk have been ferried to a hillside near Bulford where it was spread over the Kiwi figure to restore it to its former splendour was carved into Beacon Hill on Salisbury Plain in 1919 by New Zealand soldiers stationed there and waiting to return home at the end of the First World War The Kiwi soldiers played a key role in the Battle of Messines which took place in Belgium in 1917 The soldiers carved the Kiwi into the chalk to commemorate their achievements during the battle 249 Gurkha Signal Squadron organised a one-day event in conjunction with Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to de-weed re-edge and re-chalk the Kiwi and restore it to its original shape The work party was entertained by a traditional khukuri dance before the restoration works began which means it is recognised as a nationally important archaeological site and it is now protected from destruction or change Part of DIO’s role is to look after the MOD estate and there is a lot of work carried out each year to preserve and protect monuments and sites of historical and scientific interest The Kiwi restoration work took place under the guidance of Richard Osgood the Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s senior archaeologist Once the chalk had been ‘placed’ on the Kiwi a team of volunteers including people from the DIO 3rd (United Kingdom) Division Signal Regiment Operation Nightingale and other local and conservation groups helped to spread it It was definitely an ‘all hands-on deck’ experience so the task of chalk spreading was an enjoyable one This is perhaps one of the most unusual First World War monuments on Salisbury Plain and restoring the monument helps us remember those who served over 100 years ago Warrant Officer Cedge Blundell from the New Zealand Defence Force was joined at the refresh exercise by personnel from the New Zealand High Commission and a small representation from Ngati Ranana embarked from the camp to the Western Front on 30 Oct 1916 Having something tangible here in the UK which provides such a well-known and visible connection between all New Zealanders (Kiwis) and our history and in particular the soldiers who fought in WW1 is significant To have the opportunity to work alongside 249 Gurkha Signal Squadron who are tasked with the refresh exercise of this site is an honour and privilege for those of us able to attend this year especially as it’s the first time in a few years due the restrictions which have been in place over recent times Landmarc’s rural team supported the restoration by providing 10 tonnes of chalk which had been recycled from a previous project The chalk was originally meant to be delivered by a Chinook helicopter which was unable to make the drop at the last minute so the team stepped up and delivered it by tractor Team members also joined the volunteers to offload the chalk and help with scrub clearance Ex KIWI REFRESH is part of an ongoing restoration project to preserve the Kiwi depiction There will be a subsequent wreath laying on 22 June 2022 The last restoration took place in June 2018 Tori Bulford joined the UConn sports medicine staff as an Assistant Athletic Trainer prior to the 2023-2024 academic year Bulford comes to UConn after working at Kent State University from 2022-23 where she worked with the cross country and track & field programs Bulford completed a master’s in education at Walsh University while being a graduate assistant athletic trainer with football Bulford completed her bachelor’s in athletic training at the University of Pittsburgh in 2020 Carnegie Mellon University fall athletics and a local high school Bulford has been a certified athletic trainer since 2020 and is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Britain's thousands of British Army reservists could be in line to receive a service pension for the first time after a retired major won a landmark case against the MOD In a new ruling that could be 'life-changing' for thousands of soldiers a tribunal has found the MOD had no justification to exclude all reservists from a pension scheme before 2015 The Territorial Army pensions were called into question at the employment tribunal after Major Charles Milroy brought a 'David versus Goliath' case against the MOD other TA soldiers will be able to make similar claims and for some of them this may be life-changing," he said said they were "pleased with the unanimous findings of the panel" They said the decision "finds that reservists with enough service are eligible for a pension for their part-time reserve service and all reservists will benefit from the decision on parity of pay with full-time personnel." was denied access to a military pension despite serving more than  37 years in the TA The MOD denied TA soldiers a full service pension until 2015 when the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2015 came in allowing both regular soldiers and reservists claiming that he should have been let onto a military pension scheme for his service from 1982 to 2015 The tribunal in Glasgow heard Maj Milroy was not allowed to enrol because the MOD claimed it was "administratively burdensome and extremely expensive" to provide pensions to all reservists The MOD said the admin costs outweighed the justification for giving pensions to reservists because typically they do not serve long enough or work enough days of the year Maj Milroy argued he should have qualified because of the length of his service and because he worked a lot throughout the year Employment Judge Frances Eccles ruled in his favour finding that it was "disproportionate" of the MOD to deny all reservists pensions because some of them is now set to pocket from a pension of around £7,300 per annum after his tribunal triumph Sources have described the ruling as a "landmark" and say it could have a huge knock-on effect with thousands of reservists potentially entitled to pensions Judge Eccles said that denying all reservists access to the pension "in circumstances where a relatively small number of reservists would qualify for a pension was disproportionate" Maj Milroy joined the Territorial Army in May 1982 and was commissioned as an officer the following year having served an average of 46 days each year until 2010 but his service increased significantly – jumping to 150 days each year The 1975 Armed Forces Pension Scheme [AFPS 75] and its 2005 successor were 'only' open to regulars serving on a full-time basis and who "make the services their career" Based on their average annual service and total years' service the 'majority of reservists' would not have qualified for a pension for the two available The hearing was told: "[The majority of reservists] would have likely left the Armed Forces before qualifying for a pension based on his total days and length of service [Maj Milroy] would have qualified for a pension had he been allowed access to either scheme." The tribunal heard the 2015 pension scheme was put in place after the MOD faced pressure to justify the exclusion of reservists following the introduction of part-time workers' rights Judge Eccles said: "[Maj Milroy] was excluded from the AFPS 75 because as a reservist he worked part-time "The AFPS 75 and successor schemes were only designed for regulars who worked full time. They were not intended for reservists "When he sought access to the AFPS 75 scheme it was considered unsuitable and too expensive to administer because "The tribunal was persuaded that his exclusion from the AFPS 75 was because of his part-time status and not for some other reason or number of different reasons." The judge found the MOD should have recognised that Maj Milroy worked significantly more than usual for a reservist and concluded that the "tribunal was not persuaded that exclusion of reservists from the AFPS 75 scheme had been objectively justified" An MOD spokesperson said: "The Reserves make a significant contribution to the defence of the country "We are in discussion with legal counsel the implications of the judgment and the possibility of appealing We will not be commenting further at this time." daughter of the late Ralph and Dorothy (Pavillian) Spohn Karen worked for the American Cancer Society and retired as a patient navigator for the organization including serving as a past board member of Sophia Women’s Center in Salem and helping to found Resources For Parents in Lisbon traveling and spending time with her grandchildren Kevin (Joi) Bulford of Salem and Matthew (Crystal) Bulford of Newton Falls; a brother Ryan Bulford and Tony Montana; and former daughter-in-law The family will receive visitors from 10 to 11 a.m and a funeral Mass will be held at this location at 11 a.m Burial will take place at National Cemetery of the Alleghenies Memorial donations may be made to: Resources For Parents Arrangements have been entrusted to the Woods-Rettig Funeral Home Family and friends may view this obituary and send condolences at www.familycareservices.com Copyright © 2025 Ogden News Publishing of Ohio | https://www.morningjournalnews.com | 308 Maple Street daughter of the late Ralph and Dorothy Pavillian Spohn The family will receive visitors from 10 until 11 a.m Burial will take place in National Cemetery of the Alleghenies Memorial donations may be made to Resources For Parents Copyright © 2025 Eastern Ohio Newspapers, Inc. | https://www.vindy.com | 240 Franklin Street SE, Warren, OH 44482 | 330-841-1600 | Terms of Service The Director-General and the BBC Board would like to thank her for her work since 2013 which has helped transform the BBC and set us up for further success says: “Anne has been an inspirational leader She has brought real insight and determination in bringing change to the BBC Her achievements at the BBC are many - she has ensured the BBC continues to innovate and deliver hugely popular services to the public She has vastly improved the BBC’s efficiency to industry leading levels She has led a transformation in the BBC’s working practices “Anne leaves the BBC a stronger organisation than the one she joined six years ago She has been a first class colleague and an absolute pleasure to work with I wish her every success for the future.” Anne Bulford says: \"It’s been an honour to be the first woman Deputy Director-General of the BBC and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved since 2013 I feel I’m leaving the BBC in a stronger position and I’d like to thank Tony my colleagues and especially all my teams for their contribution and hard work.\" risk and technology (design and engineering) functions of the BBC as well as serving on the board of Children in Need The BBC will set out the next steps for her post in due course has decided to leave the BBC in the spring of 2019 to pursue a portfolio of non-executive roles It’s been an honour to be the first woman Deputy Director-General of the BBC and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved since 2013.— Anne BulfordThe Director-General and the BBC Board would like to thank her for her work since 2013 says: “Anne has been an inspirational leader She has vastly improved the BBC’s efficiency to industry leading levels She has led a transformation in the BBC’s working practices “Anne leaves the BBC a stronger organisation than the one she joined six years ago I wish her every success for the future.” Anne Bulford says: "It’s been an honour to be the first woman Deputy Director-General of the BBC and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved since 2013 I feel I’m leaving the BBC in a stronger position and I’d like to thank Tony my colleagues and especially all my teams for their contribution and hard work." Restructure of executive team leaves finance chief in prime position to be first woman in corporation’s top job The BBC has named finance chief Anne Bulford as deputy director general in a restructure that will see the corporation’s top executive team reduce by almost a third The appointment of Bulford, who currently holds the title of managing director, finance and operations, marks the first time the corporation has had a deputy director general since the departure of Mark Byford in 2011 who is now in prime position to eventually take over as director general when Tony Hall steps down will take on additional responsibilities including marketing and a new commercial rights negotiations group The restructure of the executive team will also see the revival of the role of director of nations and regions This means that the directors for Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland – Ken MacQuarrie Rhodri Talfan Davies and Peter Johnston – will no longer be part of the executive team will “bring together the nations and regions of the UK” as well as looking at “savings so that more money can be released for content” director of editorial policy and standards and marketing chief Philip Almond have also been dropped from the executive team “As we move towards this new charter period I want us to turn our energy to focus on the future of public service broadcasting and what it means for our audiences,” said Hall “The leadership changes I am making today can help ensure that the BBC is best equipped to do this.” the BBC said that the executive team will be cut from 16 to 11 members these changes are also about creating a simpler BBC with fewer layers and clear lines of accountability,” said Hall but this process must now be accelerated.” The corporation said that as a result of the “reshaping” of the top team “each area will now look at the immediate layers below to identify further headcount and post savings” is taking the title director of strategy and education This will include responsibility for the BBC’s new Ideas Service which will see the corporation link up with academic joins the executive team in the new position of director of content with additional responsibility for BBC Sport Helen Boaden will continue to lead BBC Radio James Harding will continue as director of news and current affairs The BBC also confirmed that it will scrap the BBC North position, which had been held by Peter Salmon who left the corporation in March will “lead the region on a day-to-day basis” “We must always be looking to innovate and change,” said Hall “The new executive will lead this process of creative renewal to ensure the BBC remains the most creative force in the world.” While the changes to the top team are not going to lead to a series of pay reviews the BBC will review Bulford and Moore’s salaries It is understood that both will get a pay rise as a result of expanded responsibilities associated with their new roles they are not expected to get significant uplifts due to the current tough financial climate at the BBC which has postponed pay deal talks with staff Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.