A new facility has been opened at the Army Training Centre (ATC) Pirbright in Surrey which will promote wellbeing and foster a sense of community among the young recruits.
Major General Sam Humphris MBE (Director Personnel and Chair of The Army Central Fund) and Major General Richard Clements CBE (Director Basing and Infrastructure) give speeches outside of the Soldiers Centre, Pirbright.
Army Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer Class 1, Paul Carney talks to recruits at the unveiling of the Soldiers' Centre, Pirbright.
Distinguished guests explore the Soldiers' Centre.
Major General Sam Humphris MBE (Director Personnel and Chair of The Army Central Fund) and Army Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer Class 1 Paul Carney, talk to PRI staff at the unveiling of the Soldiers Centre.
Distinguished quests watch a timelapse of the construction of the Soldiers' Centre inside of the cinema at the new centre.
The Soldiers’ Centre will offer centralised welfare support for the recruits who are resident at the training centre, and for whom this may be their first time away from family and friends.
The Soldiers’ Centre demonstrates the continued investment by the Army and its inhouse charity the Army Central Fund to provide our soldiers the modern facilities they deserve. The welfare of our future soldiers is important to us and by providing a central hub to ATC Pirbright we give the recruits that opportunity.
ATC Pirbright delivers 13 week basic training courses to recruits aiming to join several Corps of the Army including, The Royal Artillery and The Army Air Corps. The course, the Core Military Syllabus - Future Soldier, aims to build character, mental and physical resilience and to teach them basic military skills as well as instilling in them with the Army’s core values and standards. It also prepares them for their Initial Trade Training, where they go on to learn the specific skills for their chosen Army trade.
Spread over two storeys, the sustainable purpose-built facility has retail and food outlets, a cinema, a music room and social areas. It will also provide a gathering space for families attending Pass Off parades.
Funded by the British Army and the Army Central Fund (ACF), the Army’s own grant-making charity, and who contributed £7M of the £11M cost, the Centre will contribute to local efforts to reduce the Army’s carbon footprint. Modern methods of construction were used for the structural frame, while solar panels have been installed to enable generation of on-site renewable energy.
The Soldiers’ Centre is an outstanding facility that will promote wellbeing and foster a sense of community among recruits at ATC Pirbright as they start their life journey with the Army.
Present at the opening of the Centre was Warrant Officer First Class Paul Carney, the Army Sergeant Major and the most senior soldier in the Army, he said:
“The Soldiers’ Centre demonstrates the continued investment by the Army and its inhouse charity the Army Central Fund to provide our soldiers the modern facilities they deserve. The welfare of our future soldiers is important to us and by providing a central hub to ATC Pirbright we give the recruits that opportunity.
The Soldiers’ Centre is a modern central hub for our recruits to be able to relax, enjoy themselves and network with future friends and colleagues Basic training is a massive transition for every recruit, the Soldiers’ Centre provides them with the opportunity to share that experience with others away from their rooms. It also provides a fitting end to what will be one of the most memorable events in recruits’, families’ and friends’ lives at the end of their Pass Off parade.”
He added:
“As a previous Trustee of the ACF I have seen firsthand the great work it has delivered including funding towards our recovery centre at Standford Hall, summer camps for service children, spousal employment programmes and Army sports.”
Opening the new building, Major General Richard Clements CBE, Director of Basing and Infrastructure said:
The Army Central Fund provides grant funding to improve the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of serving British Army personnel and their immediate families.
“The Soldiers’ Centre is an outstanding facility that will promote wellbeing and foster a sense of community among recruits at ATC Pirbright as they start their life journey with the Army. This project also demonstrates our extensive investment in modernising our estate, supporting future capability, and enhancing the environments where our soldiers live, work and train.”
The Army’s Director Personnel and the Chair of the ACF, Major General Sam Humphris MBE, said:
“The Army Central Fund provides grant funding to improve the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of serving British Army personnel and their immediate families. We are extremely proud of the leadership gift we made to enable delivery of this modern, high quality welfare facility, which will support the morale of recruits and provide enduring benefit to them and their families.”
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