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TA men marching into their new HQ

10:50am Tuesday 14th September 2010 in News

OPEN DOOR: Colonel Tom Weeks, second left, hands over the keys to Worcester’s new TA Centre. From left, Lt Col Philip Shepheard-Walwyn, Major Stephen Dwyer, Battery Sergeant Major Martin Underwood and Captain John Gibson. Picture by John Anyon. 37087002 OPEN DOOR: Colonel Tom Weeks, second left, hands over the keys to Worcester’s new TA Centre. From left, Lt Col Philip Shepheard-Walwyn, Major Stephen Dwyer, Battery Sergeant Major Martin Underwood and Captain John Gibson. Picture by John Anyon. 37087002 Buy this photo »

SOLDIERS have been handed the keys to their impressive new headquarters and training centre in Worcester.

The transformation of the former vinegar works, as part of the £75 million project to revitalise Lowesmoor, is complete and the Territorial Army is moving in to Dancox House.

The TA has also gained new buildings, mainly for vehicles, on a nearby site in Midland Road, off Wyld’s Lane.

Lieutenant Colonel Phil Shepheard-Walwyn, commanding officer of 104th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers), formally took possession of the building in a ceremony during which Colonel Tim Weeks, chief executive of the West Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association, handed over the keys.

He said: “This is a development of national significance and will boost the profile of the Armed Forces in Worcestershire.”

Lt Col Shepheard-Walwyn said: “We now have some excellent new facilities in Worcester which will boost our training capability at an important time.

“The regiment is currently focused on providing unmanned aerial reconnaissance to support current operations in Afghanistan and training personnel who will form part of the British contribution to the United Nations forces in Cyprus next year.”

The redundant TA building in Silver Street will now be demolished to create space for a planned new Asda store.

Comments(9)

martduke says...
11:14am Tue 14 Sep 10

we seem to be ploughing a hell of a lot of money into the armed forces when many others(genuinely)are struggling.so there gonna knock a decent modern facility down off city walls road to?lot of propaganda i think and if you read many news sites as i do daily you,ll see for yourself.i do support what the armed forces do but think monies could be very well spent elsewhere

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Vigornian says...
1:18pm Tue 14 Sep 10

martduke wrote:
we seem to be ploughing a hell of a lot of money into the armed forces when many others(genuinely)are struggling.so there gonna knock a decent modern facility down off city walls road to?lot of propaganda i think and if you read many news sites as i do daily you,ll see for yourself.i do support what the armed forces do but think monies could be very well spent elsewhere
We? Our money? I think you'll find that Richardsons Capital LLP and ASDA are behind the £75m redevelopment of Lowesmoor. It is an enabling proect that not only gets ASDA the site they want fronting on to City Walls Road but it has transformed a run down, derelict but historically important building in the City centre. If that's propaganda, then I'm all for more of it.

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Joe the Tug says...
1:22pm Tue 14 Sep 10

martduke I think you will find that the move is been financed in main by the site developers.

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Mr.Pablo says...
1:23pm Tue 14 Sep 10

Vigornian i agree completly, this is not coming from the shakers at 10 Downing street this is private sector monies and bloody well spent money....

They are planning to restore two of the oldest building in the City and you moaning, it will bring trade to the smaller shops in Lowesmoor which need some encouragement to stay open through the hard times.. and lets not forget the jobs it will create including the ones now for the builders.

Maybe this will help those that are struggling, but can i mention a dont know anyone that is not struggling i work full time and i find it hard to live.... so this can only inhance oppurtunities for those that are in a position worse than my own.

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Worcesterman says...
7:06pm Tue 14 Sep 10

Well said Mr.Pablo.

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RubyTuesday says...
7:50pm Tue 14 Sep 10

I am struggling to see how this can be described as 'propaganda'. It is true that the 'old' T.A Centre is only some 25 years old, but as previously stated, the site has been earmarked for the development of a new Asda store which will certainly bring more jobs into the city. The refurbishment of the Vinegar Works has been financed by Richardsons - not out of public funds- and I think that they have done an impressive and sympathetic job of restoring the building which has such an historical worth. I think that is also worth noting that T.A. Soldiers are relied upon more and more during the current conflicts, and should be provided decent facilities and training - as should the Regs.

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Maggie Would says...
10:12pm Tue 14 Sep 10

I think the vinegar works looks great. Well done to all involved.

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High Time says...
11:31pm Tue 14 Sep 10

martduke wrote:
we seem to be ploughing a hell of a lot of money into the armed forces when many others(genuinely)are struggling.so there gonna knock a decent modern facility down off city walls road to?lot of propaganda i think and if you read many news sites as i do daily you,ll see for yourself.i do support what the armed forces do but think monies could be very well spent elsewhere
I suggest you read the story before you make a comment.

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Jabbadad says...
3:50pm Thu 16 Sep 10

My late sister was in the T.A and she once told me that beneath where the new TA building was built there were those beautifull cellars and brickwork arches, as in the old County Furnishing building, which sadly had to be filled in for reasons of security. What a pity that this wonderfull brickwork couldn't have been incorperated in the new scheme if at all possible, a much more worthy scheme than a part cicle of bricks where once a vinegar vat stood, but obviously was so important to the building salvationists in Worcester.
As to the TA there are TA units engaged in Afghanistan as there were in Iraq, so we need them a dam sight more that some of the pen pushing morons in these columns, who have never been close to an air rifle never mind in warfare.

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