Recruit for Spouses

The Air Transport Auxiliary's 'Attagirls' like Felicity Hanbury flew unarmed, often without radio communication, in all weather conditions. These women pilots mastered dozens of different aircraft types, from nimble Spitfires to massive four-engine bombers. They faced anti-aircraft fire, barrage balloons, and treacherous weather to deliver vital aircraft. With minimal navigational aids and basic maps, their skill and courage kept RAF squadrons supplied with fresh aircraft. Hanbury and her fellow ATA pilots proved that gender was no barrier to exceptional airmanship. #RemembranceDay

When Mary Seacole arrived at the Crimean War front, she had already overcome multiple rejections from the War Office. This Jamaican-born nurse funded her own journey to the battlefields. Her 'British Hotel' near Balaclava was both a medical station and a refuge for soldiers. She rode onto the battlefield itself during active fighting to tend to the wounded, earning the nickname 'Mother Seacole.' Despite facing racial prejudice, she won respect from all ranks, including senior officers. Though financially ruined after the war, her dedication to caring for British soldiers made her a celebrated figure in Victorian Britain. Today, she represents the diverse heritage of British military medical service. #WomenAtWar

Odette Sansom's journey from housewife to decorated SOE agent exemplifies extraordinary courage. Codenamed 'Lise,' she worked in France coordinating resistance activities. Captured in 1943, she endured 14 interrogations and brutal torture, including having all her toenails pulled out. She convinced the Gestapo she was related to Winston Churchill, which may have saved her life. Through months at Ravensbrück concentration camp, she maintained her cover story. The only female SOE agent to survive Nazi imprisonment and return to Britain, she received the George Cross in 1946. Later married to her fellow SOE officer Peter Churchill, she spent her life sharing her story to ensure such sacrifices were never forgotten. #RemembranceDay

Noor Inayat Khan was an unlikely spy - a children's author and Sufi princess who became Britain's first Muslim war heroine. As agent 'Madeleine,' she entered occupied Paris in 1943 as the first female wireless operator. When her network was compromised, she refused evacuation, remaining the last crucial link between London and the French Resistance. For three months, she evaded the Gestapo, constantly changing locations while continuing vital transmissions. Captured and tortured, she never revealed a single secret. Executed at Dachau concentration camp, her last word was 'Liberté.' Awarded the George Cross posthumously, her courage reminds us freedom comes at a profound cost. #LestWeForget

Today we remember Dame Helen Charlotte Isabella Gwynne-Vaughan GBE. As Chief Controller of the WAAC in France during WWI, she transformed women's military service. A distinguished botanist in civilian life, she brought her organizational skills to the military, overseeing thousands of women serving near the front lines. Her success led to her appointment as Commandant of the WRAF in 1918. Under her leadership, women proved their capabilities in roles from clerical work to vehicle maintenance. Her legacy continues in today's women military leaders. #RemembranceDay

🎤 Exciting News: Championing Military Spouse Employment at The Inclusive Workplace Conference! We're thrilled to announce that our founder, @Heledd Kendrick, will be joining an impressive lineup of 50+ speakers at The Inclusive Workplace Conference in London this November 20th-21st! Heledd will share our groundbreaking journey of transforming the employment landscape for military spouses. She'll reveal how we've: ✨ Created innovative pathways to return talented professionals to the workforce ✨ Partnered with world-leading employers to drive meaningful change ✨ Unlocked access to an incredibly skilled but often overlooked talent pool ✨ Built bridges between military families and corporate opportunities This conference brings together trailblazers who are reshaping workplace inclusivity for everyone. We're proud to be part of this important conversation and to share how military spouse employment is a crucial piece of the diversity and inclusion puzzle. 📍 Location: London 📅 Dates: November 20th-21st 🎯 Focus: Creating truly inclusive workplaces Join us in person or follow along online as we continue our mission to transform workplace inclusion #InclusiveWorkplace #MilitarySpouses #DiversityAndInclusion #WorkplaceInnovation #TalentAcquisition #MilitaryFamilies #CareerOpportunities #WorkplaceCulture You can see the agenda and register at https://lnkd.in/euMZZAcC Ursula Tavender Cynthia V Davis CBE Cerise Upham

🌟 Employee Spotlight: Meet Emma Owen 🌟 We're proud to introduce Emma Owen who has been with us for almost 4 years, our outstanding Office Manager and Personal Assistant to the Directors here at RFS... From Army Officer to PA, Emma's journey shows that military skills are highly valuable in the corporate world. Her exceptional organisational abilities and attention to detail – honed during her military service – now keep our office running like clockwork. As a mother and military spouse, Emma faced a familiar challenge: finding a role that aligned with her family life while leveraging her professional talents. At RFS, she found exactly that sweet spot, bringing military precision to office management while maintaining the flexibility needed for family life. What makes Emma exceptional to us? ✨ Military level organisational skills ✨ Natural leadership abilities ✨ Exceptional efficiency ✨ Solution-focused mindset ✨ Remarkable adaptability Emma's transition from military to civilian life showcases how valuable service experience can be in the corporate world. Her ability to maintain order, anticipate needs, and execute tasks with precision makes her an invaluable member of our team. We're incredibly fortunate to have Emma as part of the RFS family. Her story reminds us that sometimes the perfect role isn't just about the job itself – it's about finding the right fit that honours both professional excellence and personal priorities. #EmployeeSpotlight #VeteransInBusiness #WomenInBusiness #MilitaryTransition #WorkLifeBalance #ProudEmployer Trained by Paula Edwards

At Recruit for Spouses, trust is at the core of everything we do. That's why we were thrilled to have rugby legend Geordan Murphy run a powerful session on the Trust Equation at our recent strategy day! The Trust Equation offers a simple, effective formula for understanding what makes someone trustworthy: 🤝 Trustworthiness = (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy) / Self-orientation • Credibility: Can you be counted on for your expertise and track record? • Reliability: Are you consistent and dependable? • Intimacy: Do others feel safe confiding in you? • Self-orientation: Do you focus more on others than on yourself? The takeaway? To be trusted, increase your credibility, reliability, and intimacy—and always put others first. A huge thank you to Geordy for bringing his wisdom from the rugby pitch to our strategy day, helping us continue to build stronger, more trusted partnerships. #RecruitForSpouses #TrustEquation #Leadership #Teamwork

Today we’d like to celebrate the power of mentorship and extend our deepest gratitude to the incredible volunteers who have supported our coaching and mentoring programme at Recruit for Spouses over the years. To every mentor who has shared their time, experience, and heart to champion military spouses and partners—thank you. You’ve helped turn uncertainty into confidence, guided hopeful dreams into tangible action, and reminded every spouse of their full untapped potential, no matter the challenges they face. Mentorship is more than just guidance—it’s the belief in someone else’s journey, an understanding, unbiased voice to say “You can do this.” And thanks to you, countless military spouses are thriving in their careers, pursuing their passions, and contributing to their communities with pride. The simple truth is that the right mentor at the right time can change a life. We aren’t supposed to find our way through everything alone, and thanks to you, military spouses and families don’t have to. You’ve helped to build futures, one conversation, one piece of advice, one shared experience at a time. We are endlessly grateful for the time and expertise you’ve given to supporting this community. If you’re reading this and think you’d like to volunteer to be part of this life-changing programme, please reach out to our Coaching & Mentoring Manager Helen at h.callis@recruitforspouses.co.uk #NationalMentorshipDay #ThankYouMentors #MentorshipMatters #MilitarySpouses #RecruitForSpouses #ChampioningChange Heledd Kendrick Cerise Upham Emma Owen Helen Callis Ella Cartwright-Terry Kim Williams Esther De La Ford Rusila Halofaki Rob Keen (BSc Hons) Emily Hartshorn Joselyn Some BAE Systems Virgin Red

We're absolutely thrilled to announce that 14 powerhouse business leaders are joining the Virgin StartUp Community as mentors - and they're ready to support our military spouse entrepreneurs! Meet some of our incredible new mentors: Elsie Rutterford & Dominika Minarovic Founders of BYBI sustainable skincare Started with a Virgin StartUp Loan Now a multimillion-pound international success story David Abrahamovitch Founder of Grind ethical coffee-pods Transformed from a single coffee shop to £21.7m in annual sales Expert in scaling sustainable businesses Julie Cove-Smith Former CEO of Emma Bridgewater Pottery Recently launched innovative startup Eleven as One Bringing decades of leadership experience This is a game-changing opportunity for military spouse entrepreneurs to access world-class mentorship at their fingertips! Special National Mentoring Day Offer: For the next two weeks, Virgin StartUp has offered the RFS community an exclusive membership rate for our military community: https://virg.in/RFSVSU Competition Starting Monday 28th October, premium members will have the chance to win an exclusive 1:1 mentoring session with one of our distinguished mentors. Simply create your premium account and keep an eye on the main feed! At Virgin StartUp, we believe in the untapped potential within our military spouse community. This collaboration brings together the entrepreneurial spirit of military spouses with some of Britain's most successful business minds. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from the best in the business! #MilitaryEntrepreneurs #VirginStartUp #BusinessMentoring #MilitarySpouses #StartUpSuccess #BusinessGrowth #UKBusiness #Entrepreneurship