Leamington business wins top award from Ministry of Defence for support for ex-servicemen and women

Cyber security specialists, Risk Evolves, is now the holder of the Gold Award for businesses who have gone above and beyond in supporting former servicemen and women move into civilian jobs.

Nine out of eleven members of staff who have worked at the company came from the armed forces. Risk Evolves also runs a mentoring scheme where those about to leave the services spend time with the business to understand how the private commercial sector works.

Director Helen Barge took a personal interest in the scheme when her brother Michael, a former soldier left the army after twenty-six years.

Helen said: “Leaving the army, his friends, his job and his army family really scared my brother. I know how daunting it was for him to make that transition and that’s why it’s important to me to support ex-forces personnel whenever I can.”

Ex -Warrant Officer Two, Phillip Davies of the Royal Logistics Corps joined Risk Evolves two years ago from the army. He’d heard about the support the company gives former military personnel and applied to join the team.

Phillip, 44, had been in the army since he was 18 years old.

He said: “It is quite daunting moving into civilian life because in the army they provide everything for you. Once you are outside of that you have to look at bills, where to be and how to get there, even something like what to wear for a civilian job is a puzzle. You want to do the right thing, but you don’t know what that is. It’s the little things, the detail which worries you.”

The former soldier who has seen service in Iraq, Kosovo and Bosnia said the team at Risk Evolves helped him understand the commercial side of how a business works such as costings, proposals and invoicing.

Phillip said: “ Helen is a legend. Because she had a family member in the army she had that insight into what we do. It’s not just about carrying around a gun. There is far more to it than that and she understood that which is a rarity from people who haven’t experienced the military. She knows what service personnel are capable of and she trains you for the job she wants you to do – as well as supporting you to get the qualifications.”

Helen said: “The veterans who work at Risk Evolves have come with a background of information security, health and safety and risk management and are a perfect fit. I would highly recommend employers looking for dependable hard-working members of staff to consider ex-service personnel and to join the Armed Forces Covenant to give back to those who served.”