Unit Welfare Officer introduction

We aim to provide a confidential welfare support service that is responsive to the needs of soldiers, families and the chain of command, fulfils statutory requirements and helps to maintain the operational effectiveness of service personnel within the Regiment.

To meet this aim The Welsh Guards Welfare Office will provide primary support to soldiers and their families to help alleviate the problems associated with military service.

How can we help?

There are five key work areas for the Unit Welfare Office:

1. Aiding Social Integration - To help individuals and families settle into their new surroundings.

2. Providing a helping service - UWO staff are not counsellors.  Netherless, by applying appropriate training coupled with experience gained within and during our military careers our staff can provide a confidential and helpful support service.

3. Providing information about the Army and Unit - Keeping our families informed of what is going on in the Army and the Unit.

4. Supporting individuals and spouses during periods of seperation - Separation from familiar locations, families of origin, spouses, partners and children is an inevitable feature of Army life. The UWO plays a critical role in enabling individuals and families to manage this seperation in the best possible way.

5. Liaising with other Army and associated agencies - The key agency for the UWO is the Army Welfare Service (AWS). However we also liaise with other agencies:

• Army Welfare Service - Local Welfare and Social Services Advice Centres / Local Medical Centres.
• Defence Housing Executive (DHE) - Hand over / Take over of service family accommodation.
• Housing - Local Housing Authorities associations.
• UK Social Welfare Agencies - Department of Social Security, Social Services, Probation Services etc.
• Child Support Agency (CSA) - Forces Focal Point.
• Benefits - Working Families Tax Credit, Child Benefit, Sure Start Maternity Grant etc.
• Service Children's Education - Department of Education - Department and Emloyment, Local Education authorities, Local Schools etc.
• Immigration and Nationality Department - Visa's and Nationality information.
• Citizens Advice Bureau.

Unit welfare team

The team is vastly experienced with many years service in the Welsh Guards, we have two offices, one for the families withn the married quarter area and another in camp for the single serving soldiers. Remember we provide for all, single serving soldiers, single parents and married couples. If we don't know the answers we know someone who does!

Captain Al Hughes

Capt Al Hughes joined the 1st Bn Welsh Guards in 1987 in Hohne Germany after completing his basic training at the Guards Depot Pirbright. Following Germany, the Bn was posted to Pirbright to conduct public duties, during which he conducted a 6 month tour of Belize and a tour with the 2nd Bn Scots Guards in Northern Ireland. He was promoted to LCpl in 1992 before being posted with the Bn to Ballykelly, N Ireland for a two year residential tour as a team Commander.

In 1994 he was promoted to LSgt and assumed command of an Infantry Section. This was followed by an instructor's post at ATR Pirbright. He was promoted to Sgt in 1999. Whilst subsequently a Platoon Sergeant within the Battalion he volunteered for a second tour with the Scots Guards to Northern Ireland which was then followed by a short notice tour with his Company to South Armagh.

In 2002 he was promoted to CSgt and selected to work at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, this was followed by the appointment of CQMS of a Rifle Company in preparation for an operational tour of Iraq, during which he received a GOC's Commendation in recognition of exceptional service to the Coalition Mission. In 2005 he was selected for promotion to WO2, where he subsequently became CSM of a Rifle Company during which he completed a six month tour of Kosovo.

On completion of the tour in 2007, he returned to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as a CSM on the Commissioning and short courses. In 2008 he became RQMS 1WG, shortly afterwards, he was selected for promotion to WO1 and moved to Brecon as the GSM 160 (W) Bde. In June 2011 he Commissioned from the ranks to take up the post of Training Officer in 1WG, he is now the Unit Welfare Officer of the Battalion

Sergeant Gaz Evans "62"

Joined the Welsh Guards in 1991 aged 16 and also as a junior leader at the Guards depot in Pirbright. After a short period of public duties he was posted to Northern Ireland as a rifleman. He has also completed tours which include Bosnia, Iraq and more recently two tours of Afghanistan. He has served as a rifleman, and for almost 14 years in the Mortar Platoon as a Section Comd and MFC. He has been posted to Copehill Down as a FIBUA instructor. He has on served on overseas exercise in Canada, America and Germany.

Sgt Evans has been in the Welfare Office since October 2010 and will be the Welfare 2IC for the forthcoming tour of Afghanistan.

Contact us

Email the welfare office for more information: welshguardswelfare@hotmail.co.uk