Veterans Welcomed Back to Bassingbourn Barracks for Community Breakfast Gathering

Troops at the Mission Ready Training Centre (MRTC) in Bassingbourn once again opened the doors of the Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess on Friday, 30 January, welcoming local veterans for a communal breakfast and an opportunity to reconnect with fellow former service personnel and current troops.

The event marks the third veterans’ breakfast held at the barracks, following the success of similar gatherings in 2025. The initiative continues to strengthen ties between the current serving members of the Armed Forces Community and those who have previously served.

Event organiser, WO2 Janet Cardwell, expressed her pride in coordinating the initiative, stating “We enjoy hosting our local veterans and love hearing their stories. Thank you to Johnson Matthey who funded this breakfast.”

Johnson Matthey PLC, a British multinational known for its sustainable technologies and long standing support for the Armed Forces community, sponsored the event. The company signed the Armed Forces Covenant on 14 February 2023, pledging its commitment to veterans and service leavers, service spouses and partners, reservists and the cadet movement.

A particularly heartfelt moment of the morning came as photographs of attending veterans during their time in service were displayed on a large screen inside the mess. The images prompted lively conversations and reminiscences, adding a personal and meaningful touch to the occasion.