Have you got what it takes? Army personnel hit Hartlepool for recruitment event

As part of the British Army’s new recruiting campaign ‘This is Belonging’, a series of events are being held this week where people seeking a challenge, adventure or training either in their spare-time or as a full-time career can find out about a wide variety of paid opportunities.

In the town’s Church Square, serving personnel have been on hand to provide information and also let passers by have a look at an armoured personnel carrier and weapons and have a go at scaling a climbing wall.

Warrant officer (WO2) Tony Archer, of Fourth Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment, told the Mail: “We have had interest from people all day.

“There’s been quite a few mums and dads as well as their children asking about what life is like as a soldier, the pay and benefits that come with it as well.

“The climbing wall has been very popular too.”

Also appearing at the event were personnel from Second Battalion, also from the Yorkshire Regiment.

The This is Belonging campaign is calling on people to take their ambitions to do more for good causes to the next level and sign up for adventure and travel opportunities to achieve worthwhile things.

WO2 Archer, who has served in the Army for 30 years, added that there are more career opportunities in the Army than many people are initially aware of.

“I think in the media we mainly see the Army as sending people to fight and people maybe don’t realise that it provides a lot of different jobs,” he said.

“It’s not just infantry soldier roles.

“It isn’t just a job either as you get educated in the Army now too, as well as getting paid.

“Most of the qualifications you can end up with equate to a civilian education.

“You could leave the Army with three or four different driving licences or perhaps be a qualified chef, so there is much more to it than just a job.”

The campaign makes its way to Redcar today, Darlington tomorrow and Billingham Forum on Thursday.