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Soldiers, and their families, have a right to be sustained and rewarded for making the sacrifices that life as a soldier demands. I have been a soldier for 20 years, and I know that the system does not always get it right. It is my policy that we, the Regiment, must live up to our side of the bargain, and we should do this not only by focusing on the needs of individual soldiers and their families, but by looking at how we can improve the range of facilities available to us all. I have set as my highest priority those areas which benefit the greatest number of people.
I know that soldiers are not always as good as they should be about passing on news, good or bad, so I am writing to all families in 39 Engineer Regiment to pass on my thoughts, and highlight some of the work we have in hand to improve the facilities available at Waterbeach. For those at RAF Leeming the situation is different, and I am currently still looking into this.
Community Facilities
The Beach Hut, situated on Capper Road, provides the location for the majority of activities going on for the families in station. It is home to the HIVE, the Thrift Shop and the Unit Welfare Office. This is also where the Youth Club and Mums and Tots meet. Both of these groups are run with the generous support of a volunteers, and I know both are greatly appreciated. The hall is also used for karate and dance lessons. We have recently opened Lizzie’s Coffee Shop in the Community Centre: it is open during the day for light refreshment and at the weekends provides bar facilities in the evenings. This is a major improvement, and thanks must go to Lizzie for all her hard work getting the kitchen refurbished. From September onwards the Wives Club will be hosting a regular monthly Coffee Morning, incorporating a welcome to new families moving into the area and a chance to meet with representatives from the Station and the Community. The Wives Club are always on the lookout for new members: they run themselves for the benefit of all families in Station, and I know would be grateful for your interest and support. The building itself is a bit run down, and we have a major 2-stage refurbishment currently in the planning stage, but we expect to see some “quick fixes” to the facilities over the Summer.
The Buchanan Children’s Centre now offers an excellent extended childcare provision for both Creche and Pre-School children with a view to incorporating a Breakfast Club. Since the beginning of June we have extended the opening hours and increased the number of places available, and I must extend my thanks to Jo Maxwell and all the staff for the work they have put in to make this possible. The Buchanan Children’s Centre is an outstanding facility, appreciated by all who use it. We do plan to improve some of the facilities - playground and storage in particular - although this may take some time.
Sporting Facilities
We have a heated outdoor swimming pool with sauna bath facilities manned by trained life guards situated on the camp, as well as playing fields, squash courts and a 9 hole golf course. Coarse fishing is available on the airfield lakes and the gymnasium offers circuit training, a cardio-vascular training room and men and women’s aerobics sessions. I am amazed by how good these facilities are - but we plan to do even better in future. We hope to resurrect the Sailing Club on the lake, build a dedicated Mountain Bike training and racing circuit in cooperation with local Cycling Clubs, and we are investigating the possibility of starting a Car Club to build or repair or bodge anything from ageing Landrovers, through family cars to scrapyard challenge style motors.
Welfare Services
Problems will inevitably come to families from time to time, and there are a good range of Welfare Facilities to help in times of trouble. The Unit Welfare Officer (Mike Ransom) and the Welfare Sergeant (Mark Dickinson) are a good first point of contact with relation to problems arising from Service life, no matter how big or small. We are lucky enough to have our own Padre, and there is a small Chapel on camp, which is always open for prayer or contemplation.
The Army Welfare Service located at 8 Kirby Terrace have trained and knowledgeable staff and provide a Welfare Support Service to assist with some of the bigger challenges that arise in personal and Service lives. They also provide 2 Contact Houses that can be hired at a very reasonable rate to allow separated families time together in a quiet and private environment.
The HIVE, ably run by Kate, can provide information on the full range of help available, whether from the Army, Service Charities or Local Authority.
Feedback
I am genuinely impressed by the range of facilities we have, but believe we can do even better. In some cases this will be by improving what we have, in other cases by creating more diverse facilities. I know that we would not have what we do without the hard work and dedication of the staff and volunteers who help run them, and we all owe them our thanks.
I am very keen to obtain feedback on the issues that affect you as individuals and members of the Military Community. If you can, please pass this through Mike Ransom, or Phil Gibson, our Army Families Federation representative. I am a very strong believer in the saying “Recruit the soldier, retain the family” and without feedback I cannot attend to the issues you think are important and where necessary raise them up the chain of command to try and get action taken.
My primary focus must always be on the operational capability of the Regiment, and I know as a husband and father how important it is for me to know that my family are looked after when I am away. I will continue to do as much as I can to support and strengthen family life during my time at Waterbeach and ask for you all for your support in this.
Lieutenant Colonel SA Winkworth Royal Engineers | 
