After joining HQ UKSC late last year as the new SMI APTC, WO1 Gareth Evan’s first port of call was with the Chief of Staff, Col Bill Warren.  The main areas for discussion  focused on physical fitness within the Headquarters.  With this in mind, Gareth suggested to the COS that they should conduct physical training at lunchtimes in the form of circuit training.   His plan was to encourage all personnel, both civilian and military, to attend a voluntary fitness session at the gym.   His first concern was how he could encourage people out of their offices during their free time to get sweaty and exhausted, but fit, and he realised that this would be a real challenge.

Gareth said “I decided to resort to an incentive in the form of a ‘free’ T-Shirt which would be unique to the Headquarters and would be given to those who reached an attendance milestone of 20, 40, 60 and 100 attendances. 

“After a couple of months this initiative appeared to be working so I organised a fierce challenge which resulted in everyone striving to be the first to proudly wear the bright red UKSC Circuit Training Club T-Shirt”.

“With soldiers adhering to the Forces Weight Management Policy and everyone sticking to their strict New Year resolutions attendance was good.  Towards the end of January Jo Boocock, Lt Col Jeremy Wilman and WO2 Neal Thompson were the first to be awarded with their T-shirts [Pictured below] having achieved the first milestone of 20 attendances, but well done to everyone taking part”.

The circuit training is held in No 1 Gymnasium, JHQ on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s, starting at 1215 hours.  Anyone who works in the Big House is welcome.