Ex-service veterans spearhead Wildanet support for Armed Forces’ Day event in Falmouth

Providing broadband connectivity for the flagship Armed Forces Day National Event, in Falmouth, saw Wildanet bring together its commitment to veterans and ability to support major events with bespoke, reliable communications infrastructure.

Wildanet signed the Armed Forces Covenant in 2023, employs more than 30 ex-service personnel and is dedicated to supporting veterans and their families by providing career opportunities – so helping get the Armed Forces Day National Event online was the perfect fit.

The Cornwall-based broadband provider deployed a team of veterans for the event to install masts, WiFi access points and other equipment in Falmouth providing broadband for more than 120 trade stands as well as vital communications for organisers and live coverage feeds for the many displays and exhibitions throughout the weekend.

 

George Calvert, Wildanet Training Academy Project Co-ordinator, was one of the veterans in Falmouth assisting with the weekend’s festivities. “We have our trailer mast and we’re going to have a full-fibre link into the mast which will boom a wireless signal, line of sight, to our various locations in car parks around Falmouth” said George.

On what it’s like to work for a business which welcomes veterans into the workforce, he said: “It’s great to work for a company like Wildanet that has a veteran’s group already, so today we’re only using veterans to install our equipment.”

Sean Wolstenholme, now a Surveyor for Field Services at Wildanet, joined the Royal Marines at the age of 20 and served for 34 years. On assisting with the communications in Falmouth for the weekend, Sean said: “I’m proud that Wildanet is the main driving force for internet. We’ve got loads of customers in this area, or moving into it, and this is a really good show of the types of things that we can do.”

Wildanet recognises the value that veterans bring to their workforce and is actively helping to support ex-service personnel with transitioning into a civilian career. This is being achieved through ongoing support programmes where veterans can turn their experience and unique skill sets into high-value employment within the industry.

With teamwork being a vital part of any military exercise, Sean finds similarities in his role at Wildanet: “We’re all in different departments but we all come together as a part of a team, and that results in things like today, where we’re all coming from different departments so that we can support the Armed Forces,” said George.

As part of the support for ex-services employees, Wildanet regularly hosts breakfast events to bring veterans from the different branches of the services together, to help form a sense of community, and also to address any issues.

“There can be problems or mental health issues as a result of being in the forces and it just gives people the forum and the support of people to listen to and guide them.”

Sean said he had nothing to do with the Armed Forces when he first left but Wildanet changed that for him. “It’s made me put my uniform on again and it’s made me remember the good times that I had, the teamwork.”

“I love the way Wildanet embraces the Armed Forces, they bring us together. It’s a bit like the services where we’re all working together with one goal in mind, like this weekend where we are enjoying the Armed Forces Day celebrations and supporting with communications.”

Mike O’Shaughnessy, a Network Engineer at Wildanet was in the Royal Air Force for more than two decades and still looks on his time fondly: “The military is in my heart, I was in the Air Force for 22 years and to be here is like the cherry on top of the cake, working for Wildanet.”

“It’s obviously great to be given the opportunity to get close to the military again and put in my support of this Falmouth show, putting in our network infrastructure in order to get customers online with Wildanet and get Wildanet’s branding out there.”

 

Join the Wildanet team

Around one third of Wildanet’s workforce is made of ex-service personnel and we’re proud to have recently signed the Armed Forces Covenant, reinforcing our dedication to supporting veterans, ex-service personnel, reservists and service families and providing opportunities for career development.

If you’re interested in a career at Wildanet, take a look at our Careers page and Apprenticeship programme.

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