Armed Forces Covenant Supports Event at Bassingbourn Barracks

On June the 6th this year, serving Troops at Mission Ready Training Centre (MRTC), Bassingbourn welcomed veterans from all three services to the Warrant Officer’s and Sergeant’s Mess at the barracks for a breakfast and tour of the facility on Friday 6th June 2025.

Local veterans, including many that served at Bassingbourn Barracks, and current serving personnel enjoyed the breakfast together, which was a repeat of an earlier event in January this year.

Event organiser, Major Alistair Bexon, remarked: “This is the second time we have hosted a Veterans Breakfast at Bassingbourn Barracks, and they are highly valuable and enjoyable events that we all look forward to. We hope to continue to host veterans from around the area in the future. Co-organiser, Warrant Officer Class 2 Janet Cardwell added: “It was a pleasure to host our local veterans to show our support and respect for their service.”

The event was funded jointly between the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Armed Forces Covenant Partnership and South Cambridgeshire District Council and Covenant Coordinator, Tommy Kelly commented: “It’s extremely encouraging that Commander, Colonel Gareth Boyd, and his team at MRTC are looking outside the wire to provide opportunities for local veterans to engage with troops stationed at Bassingbourn Barracks, forge new friendships and reminisce about their own time in service.

It’s also great for the current serving personnel here to see that the desire to retain the sense of belonging remains with many long after service and through positive and proactive engagements like this, Major Bexon and his team have supported that to happen.”

The date was specifically chosen to coincide with the 81st anniversary of D-Day and guests were presented with a commemorative slate coaster as a memento.