Major General RAMS Melvin OBE, GOC UKSC(G) and NAAFI’s Chief Executive Mr Jim Glover met at JHQ last week to review the performance of NAAFI’s Catering Retail and Leisure (CRL) operations in BFG.

The meeting of the Joint Executive Forum formed from NAAFI and UKSC(G) top management teams, marked the completion of primary CRL arrangements across BFG, which occurred earlier this month when Münster Station switched to Pay As You Dine (PAYD) arrangements. 

Speaking of the programme Maj Gen Melvin said “CRL in Germany has been implemented by the hard work of Garrison and NAAFI’s staffs.  We now have PAYD working as it should do, giving service people the value and choice they demand.  Moving forward we are determined to sustain these efforts to ensure that our service people get the very best value and very best catering, retail and leisure services.”

NAAFI’s outgoing Chief Executive Jim Glover welcomed the GOC’s comments: “I agree entirely with what the GOC has said.  Success can only be sustained by an enduring commitment to providing what our customers demand at the time they demand it.  Put in its simplest form, that is what we aim to do.  Speaking purely personally, one of the benefits of heading up an organisation like NAAFI has been the opportunity to influence the level of service provided to Britain’s best – the armed forces.  One of the ways we contribute to service life is by returning profits via a Welfare Return and I know that this money gets used by Commanders for very good causes.  So it has given me great pleasure today to be able to present the GOC with a cheque for €142,000 to cover the six months to November.

This year has seen tremendous progress at a rapid pace, with CRL arrangements being brought to more than 100 outlets across three BFG Garrisons in the last 12 months.  I leave NAAFI in the new-year, but am entirely confident that my successor Reg Curtis is a man with a wealth of experience who can continue to meet the challenge that the GOC has set us.” 

Amongst the other issues discussed at the JEF was the need for a joint review into the provision of leisure facilities in Germany to ensure that they meet customers’ needs now and into the future.