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Armed Forces Day 2025

Armed Forces Day 2025

28th June 2025 marks Armed Forces Day, which recognises the men and women making up the Armed Forces community. This includes those currently serving, cadets, veterans, and their families.

The Armed Forces have always been at the heart of Corps Security – and always will be. When Captain Sir Edward Walter founded the Corps of Commissionaires in 1859, his mission was to provide meaningful employment in physical security services to veterans returning from the Crimean War.

Today, almost 11 percent of our workforce is ex-military personnel. We honour our legacy through our commitment to supporting former service members across all levels of our organisation, from frontline security officers to senior management positions, with many colleagues progressing through internal promotion and succession planning.

The Corps Veteran Association

The Corps Veteran Association (CVA) is our group that is open to members who served in the United Kingdom or Commonwealth Armed Forces. Launched in 2022, the group is led by five main principles, which our community upholds every day:

  • To foster and support esprit de corps and comradeship for serving and retired members of The Corps of Commissionaires/Corps Security who have served in the UK or Commonwealth armed forces.
  • To actively promote and support veterans of UK & Commonwealth armed forces.
  • To organise and assist with charitable fundraising for military & civilian charities.
  • To support Corps Security in acts of remembrance.
  • To support the Corps Security veteran community facing financial or personal hardship.

Scott Hudson, veteran, Treasurer of the CVA, and Commercial Manager at Corps Security, said: “It’s invaluable to work for an organisation with such an affinity to the forces.”

The CVA takes part in fundraisers and memorial events throughout the year. In May, the CVA proudly presented a donation to the Lancashire Army Cadet Force at its Fulwood HQ in Preston, to support the Friends of Lancashire Army Cadet Force charity. The donation will help ensure all cadets, regardless of background, can participate in life-changing activities, including the Annual Camp and national expeditions.

To honour Armed Forces Day itself, a team of colleagues led by Operations Director Ken Fissenden will take part in the 13 Bridges Challenge to raise money for SSAFA (the Soldiers’, Sailors’ & Airmen’s Families Association). The team are still fundraising, and donations can be made here.

Providing opportunities

Ex-military personnel bring exceptional discipline, leadership capabilities, and a proven ability to perform under pressure. The security sector greatly benefits from this strong work ethic and commitment, and whether in a site-based physical security role or management, military personnel’s experiences are invaluable.

As an equal opportunities employer, our roles are open to everyone, and we support veterans through our Reservists Policy, which ensures that those who have served in the armed forces are guaranteed an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the position.

We also collaborate with ex-military recruitment organisations, including First Military Recruitment, Hirecracker, Dynamic Reactions, and Walking with the Wounded. These schemes allow us to connect to a pool of highly skilled individuals.

As a Gold Award holder and member of the Defence Employer Recognition scheme (ERS), we proactively show our commitment to the armed forces community by looking to our suppliers, partners, and customers to demonstrate their support by committing to the ERS.

Supporting the wider community

We are proud to fundraise for multiple military charities, including the Army Benevolent Fund and SSAFA, and our charity partner Combat Stress, the UK’s leading veterans’ mental health charity. Combat Stress helps veterans get their lives back on track after their service, and cope with the severe impact of PTSD.

We have embedded our partnership into our supply chain by inviting customers to allocate 1 percent of revenue from new contracts to Combat Stress, which amounts to more than £30,000 per year. We also fundraise through various initiatives throughout the year, so those who served can receive our full support.

For example, our 2025 March in March challenge had our National Accounts team set off on a 24 mile walk from Henley Bridge, Windsor, raising over £10,000 for Combat Stress. In 2024, our team also partook in a Coast-to-Coast challenge to fundraise for Combat Stress, covering Bowness-on-Solway to Whitley Bay, covering 92.5 miles. That’s roughly the length of Hadrian’s Wall.

Upcoming fundraising events also include our Solutions Director Salman Shamim’s Wing Warrior challenge for Combat Stress, where he will be walking on a Boeing Stearman as it flies over 100mph. If you would like to support him, please consider donating to his fundraiser.

We have a holistic approach towards supporting ex-military personnel because, whether currently serving, on leave, or a veteran, they deserve our support. We thank every armed forces community member who currently serves or has served our country and our local communities throughout the UK.

Find out more about our veteran support on our Corps Veterans Association page and its LinkedIn page.

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Armed Forces Day 2023

Armed Forces Day 2023

Armed Forces Day underpins the ethos in which Corps Security, as it is today, was created. Captain Sir Edward Walter founded the Corps of Commissionaires in 1859 with the specific social mission to provide gainful employment to servicemen after serving in the Crimean War. Today, as the oldest security company in the world, that mission still drives our enduring commitment to the Armed Forces.

Our world continues to change yet the need for dedicated servicepeople who sacrifice so much of themselves to protect our country remains. The contributions of these individuals and the value they bring to the security industry cannot be overstated.

With approximately 1.85million veterans living in England and Wales, 3% of the UK workforce is comprised of veterans. Proudly, a significant number of our own Corps colleagues are ex-service people and with this front of mind, we continue our ongoing partnerships with Combat Stress, the UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health, and SSAFA, the armed Forces charity, to aid the vital support they provide to veterans.

In April this year, Corps Security raised over £11,000 for Combat Stress by cycling from Glasgow to London during a seven-day challenge the length of the country, beginning at the Corps Monitoring Alarm Receiving Centre in Glasgow, and visiting all local branch offices of Corps Security on the way.

Looking ahead, we are proudly extending our scope of activities and support for individuals in the armed forces through the Corps Veterans Association providing a supportive community for our veteran workforce as they reintegrate to civvy street.

The Corps Veterans Association is a membership only group, open to serving and retired members of Corps Security/CCML who have served in United Kingdom or Commonwealth Armed Forces, as well as other members of Corps Security who may join as associate members of the CVA. The CVA also offers limited membership for individuals with a close connection or affinity with the Corps of Commissionaires founding aims and values.

Five principal aims comprise the CVA mission statement:

  • To foster and support esprit de corps and comradeship for serving and retired members of The Corps of Commissionaires/Corps Security who have served in UK or Commonwealth armed forces.
  • To actively promote and support veterans of UK & Commonwealth armed forces.
  • To organise and assist with charitable fundraising for military & civilian charities.
  • To support Corps Security in acts of remembrance
  • To support the Corps Security veteran community facing financial or personal hardship.

In recent months the establishment of the CVA has been solidified by the sending of letters of invitation to join the CVA with priority given to veterans offering them a free full membership. Associate members, who may not have served but are part of the Corps community will also be able to join the CVA.

Mike Bluestone, executive director at Corps Consult, is honorary president of the association with Corps’ divisional director Nigel Horne as chair of the committee. Also on the committee are John Ford, Corps Security’s regional director – South, Scott Hudson, Diz Sollesse as committee secretary, James Henderson, and Tom Scott in the role of standard bearer.

To fly alongside the original Corps of Commissionaires standard created in 1859, Mike Bluestone has sponsored and commissioned a Corps Veterans Association standard which was dedicated earlier this year. The dedication ceremony, held at Corps Security headquarters in Cowcross Street, London was attended by members of the CVA Committee, Mike Bullock Corps Security’s CEO, Air Marshal Chris Nickols, Chairman of Corps Security, President of Trustees, Gen. Sir Robert Fulton, and officiated by former military padre, Reverend Nicholas Pnematicatos.

With the standard and official dedication ceremony completed, and with membership growing, the association is now able to direct efforts to becoming involved with local communities country-wide, including the Royal British Legion, to attend remembrance services at a local level, representing the CVA. This, in turn, will hopefully lead to the introduction of CVA branches across the country.

On Armed Forces Day in particular, we celebrate our own serving reservists, ex-service colleagues, and the wider Armed Forces community for their bravery and dedication to keeping our country safe. We salute you.

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ARMED FORCES DAY 2022: Celebrating our ex-military colleagues

ARMED FORCES DAY 2022: Celebrating our ex-military colleagues

Armed Forces Day is significant in the Corps Security calendar. It underpins the very reason we exist as the oldest security company in the world and as a social enterprise. When Captain Sir Edward Walter founded the Corps of Commissionaires in 1859 with the social mission to provide gainful employment to servicemen returning home after the Crimean War, it was the beginning of a lasting commitment to the Armed Forces.

While the world around us has changed in many ways, the need for dedicated servicepeople who sacrifice so much of themselves to protect our country remains. Equally, the physical and psychological effects that Service can have on Forces personnel are still ever-present. So, it is vital that we continue with our social mission to support our Armed Forces.

Returning to civvy street

With approximately 3% of the UK workforce currently made up of veterans, we are proud to have a significant number of our own Corps colleagues as ex-service people. We maintain close partnerships with Combat Stress, the UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health, and SSAFA, the armed Forces charity, to offer tailored support for the ex-military community as they reintegrate to civvy street.

Today in particular, we celebrate our own ex-service colleagues and the wider Armed Forces community for their bravery and dedication to keeping our country safe with a roll call of some of our Corps veteran colleagues.

Roll call

Terrance Moore served in the Royal Irish Regiment from 1985 to 1997 before leaving service and beginning a career in security. Now a security relief officer at Corps, Terrance believes its Corps’ unique military feel and understanding of the challenge of returning to civvy street that make it an ideal company for ex-military personnel.

Martin Weller joined the First Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers in 1979. Stationed for training in Brecon, Wales, Martin’s service took him to Germany, Northern Ireland, and Port Stanley in the Falklands. After leaving in 1989 in search of new challenges, security was a natural fit. Today, as a security officer at the Office for National Statistics, Martin emphasises the importance of support for the Armed Forces in respect for what they sacrifice to protect our freedoms, particularly following the difficult times we’ve faced globally.

James Henderson started in the Parachute Regiment before joining Royal Military Police. After his service that took him to Norway, Germany, Northern Ireland and Bosnia, James transferred his military training to a career in close protection security and is now a national security consultant at Corps Consult.

Darrell Jacques entered service in 1979, joining the Royal Artillery stationed in Germany with tours in Northern Ireland and Canada. After leaving service in 1994 following phase one redundancy, Darrell turned to security which has led him to become regional director, northern region, at Corps Security today.

Gail Houston first worked in the Royal Naval Reserve during the early 80s. Stationed at Gosport with the Submarine Service, Gail served four tours in Gibraltar, two tours in the Falklands, and on to Northern Ireland. By the mid 90s, dissatisfied with progression opportunities within the Women’s Royal Naval Service, Gail joined Corps Security. 26 years later, Gail is an administrator at Corps Security based in Belfast.

John Ford’s career in security began in 1998. By 2014, John had joined Corps Security and a year later joined the Royal Air Force and is still a serving Reservist today. John is a regional director for London and the South East.

Support our Armed Forces

In support of Armed Forces Day, Corps Security is taking part in the SSAFA 13 Bridges Walk, raising money for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, with many of our team wearing their military uniforms during the charitable activity.

Visit our social media platforms for updates and please support the SSAFA 13 Bridges Walk by donating here.

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Armed Forces Day 13 Bridges Walk

Armed Forces Day – 13 Bridges Walk

Armed Forces Day - 13 Bridges WalkCorps Security is taking part in the SSAFA 13 Bridges Walk today, Saturday 26th June,  in support of Armed Forces Day.

Participants will be raising money for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, with many of our team wearing their military uniforms during the charitable activity. Armed Forces Day is a chance for the nation to show their support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community, many of whom are members of our team at Corps Security.

Corps’ relationship and support of the Armed Forces is unwavering, showing pride in our nation’s military since our inception in 1859. Since the beginning, Corps provided employment for service men returning from the Crimean War, and to this day ex-military personnel still make up a large percentage of the Corps Security team. We admire our Armed Forces and Armed Forces Day is an excellent way to show our support, recognise their bravery, and do our part to give back.

The 13 Bridges Walk is one of SSAFA’s major Armed Forces Day activities. Last year, the event was virtual due to Covid restrictions, but now supports a hybrid model. Participants can take part physically in London crossing 13 bridges, or virtually, depending on their choosing and circumstance. For those heading to London, the 13 Bridges Walk is a 10 mile walk that is suitable for all fitness levels and ages. Starting at Tower Bridge and finishing at Eel Brook Common after the last bridge, Battersea Bridge, is crossed. Reservist units will be manning each bridge, distributing water, and telling participants their units history.

SSAFA’s 13 Bridges Walk is a day for charity, entertainment, and recognition for our Armed Forces. The event is a chance to tour London, in support of and surrounded by the people who dedicate their lives to keep our country safe. Through out the walk, our team at Corps will be taking photos and sharing memorable moments. Visit our social media platforms for updates and please support SSAFA by donating here.

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There’s a lot more to Corps Security than you might expect. Yes, we are experts in security and we have over 166 years of experience. But we’re also experts in how to put sustainability and diversity at the heart of everything we do.

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About Corps Security

Built on over 166 years of experience and a clear social mission, we provide specialist security services tailored to ensure the safety of people and property.
Our values are at the heart of everything we do, through the people we work with, the people we employ, the people we help and the planet we protect. Together we protect the things that matter.

Registered Office at 85 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6PF.  Registered in England No. 03473589

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