Dear fellow Riflemen,
I am writing to inform you about an important initiative the Regiment has recently launched called the Always a Rifleman Programme (AARP).
It is led by Baz Melia, who is very much a Rifleman having promoted from Rfn to Lt Col through the ranks. The programme has the sole purpose of creating a network of volunteers who can swiftly reach veterans and their dependants of The Rifles or antecedent regiments, through a dedicated service that is available 24/7. In the immediate term the AARP delivers support in the first few hours of an emerging crisis, paving the way to wellness. In the medium to long-term it provides face-to-face coaching, mentoring and mental health support.
There is a dedicated tab on SWIFT called Always a Rifleman which has a telephone helpline and further information providing you with an understanding of why this is important and how it hopes to help Riflemen and their families that find themselves struggling.
I wanted to alert you to this for two reasons:
1.To share with your friends so they know how to reach in and ask for help.
2.To see if you would be prepared to volunteer your time to help the RIFLES family.
The success of this initiative lies in the breadth and depth of the pool of volunteers, so please take some time to think if you can help us provide some joined-up Regimental assistance.
We will be dedicating the whole of this week, on the Regiment’s social media channels (Facebook @TheRiflesRegiment, Instagram rifles regiment and Twitter @RiflesRegiment), to mental wellbeing. If you are not already following us, please do and help spread the word.
If you have any questions, contact Baz direct at alwaysarifleman@the-rifles.co.uk and please note further information about the programme can also be found here.
With thanks and best wishes,
Pete Corbin
Head of RILFES Engagement