Our Team

I am a naval veteran and military spouse of 12 years. Prior to joining the navy as a helicopter engineer I worked in finance for several years within various positions ranging from credit control up to management accounts. I now manage the Liquid Workforce at Recruit For Spouses and I am very passionate about my role. I am immensely proud of all the military spouses I have supported back into work, some of whom have been out of work for 5 years or longer. It is incredible to see how quickly these spouses adapt and rediscover their confidence in the workplace.

In my 'spare' time (if there's such a thing) I'm studying for an English Literature degree and write stories for children.

What has been your favourite posting?
Holland. The lifestyle fits perfectly with my family but I do wish it could be warmer.

What advice would you give to your younger military self?
Don't think too hard, just go for whatever it is that you want to achieve.

What inspires you?
All military wives inspire me. It is so difficult trying to maintain a healthy marriage when our husbands are away and trying to juggle that with children, careers or ambitions is incredibly arduous.

What has been your proudest moment?
I have had many proud moments but my proudest military related moment is when my husband made the Queen laugh.

What 3 items would you take to a desert island?
My kindle, a notebook and multiple pens...

What is your favourite colour?
Purple

If you were food, what would you be?
A pineapple!

Heledd founded Recruit for Spouses in 2011 when, with a new posting, a young family and a serving partner she recognised a need to provide support and agile working opportunities to a much forgotten pool of talented individuals - military spouses. She has worked tirelessly since. Raising the profile of this underemployed group and providing real opportunities to get them back into work.

A little more about Heledd:

Best posting to date?
South Cerney or Dishforth Airfield.

What advice would you give your younger military self?
To approach everything with so much more positivity.

What inspires you about working at RFS?
The quality and quantity of skills the spouses have.

What has been your proudest moment?
Helping Rusila Halofaki into work. Her back story as a Fijian wife, moving around the world, underemployed and anxious. Getting her back into work at a level she deserved felt like a historical moment - not only for Rusila but for Foreign Commonwealth spouses who were struggling for so long.

What 3 items would you take to a desert island?
A Swiss army knife, A radio and A copy of War & Peace!

What's your favourite colour?
Teal

If you were a food, what would you be?
A lobster brioche!

As a military spouse, I have had to change jobs frequently and adapt my career choices to be flexible and work round my family. I don’t think this is acknowledged enough, either within the military or by employers, so I feel passionate about the work that RfS is doing to change it. My husband is in the Navy. We’ve been together since we were 19 so I feel like I serve as well.

Alongside my work as Finance Manager, I’m a self-employed bookkeeper. A few years ago I offered to do some work for a friend who was starting a business. I had no idea it would lead to a new career in finance. I started by helping out and ended up as financial director.

When my husband was posted to Washington, our whole family moved to the US for three years and I took this opportunity to take an Open University qualification in accounting.

I was a Special Constable for three years – working in Hertfordshire and Plymouth as a volunteer Police Officer. I have been to Disney 14 times, including Tokyo. On my 40th birthday, I did a bobsleigh run on the Lake Placid Olympic track.

The best thing about working at RfS is the team. They are all passionate, brilliant at what they do and are really good fun. We have some very random WhatsApp chats that often have me giggling!

Before marrying into the Army, I lived and worked in London as a Product Manager for Jamie Oliver. The ability to mix my marketing skills with food was a match made in heaven for around 8 years. Following the birth of my first child, I joined my husband's nomadic lifestyle. Children and various postings meant my career break went on for longer than expected. That was until I moved next door to Heledd and managed to convince her (over too many gins), that I had the skills she needed.

I strongly believe that my love of gin, and creative thinking (not necessarily mutually exclusive) has provided the perfect addition to the Recruit for Spouses family.

A little more about Melanie:

What has been your favourite posting?
My current one in North Yorkshire. It's returning to the Motherland and I love it. It's going to be such a bind to leave.

What advice would you give to your younger military spouse self?
That military spouses are your support network and to fully embrace that.

What inspires you?
The determination, resilience and attitude amongst military spouses is like nothing I've ever seen. It's a selfless, supportive community that inspires me every day.

What has been your proudest moment?
I really struggled with being out of work for such a long time. And I was very apprehensive about coming back to work - but I was really proud of myself for taking the jump, despite being so scared that I'd forgotten everything or wouldn't be able to keep up!

What 3 items would you take to a desert island?
A Swiss Army knife, A grill plate and a kindle loaded with books with a never-ending charge!

What is your favourite colour?
Yellow

If you were a food, what would you be?
Macaroni Cheese with bacon

I have been part of the military community for over 20 years now and in that time, I have seen, heard and learned of stories about the hurdles military spouses needed to overcome in order just to have a job and feel like they have something just for them. Thanks to people like Heledd and Recruit for Spouses, these hurdles are less. They are still there, but I am so proud that we work every day to break them down.

A bit more about Victoria...

What's your career background?
PA

As a military spouse, what has been your best/worst posting?
The current one! They always start out as the worst until you find your feet then becomes the best posting...then its usually time to move on!

If you could offer your younger self one piece of advice when joining military life, what would it be?
To make the most of every opportunity.

What inspires you about working at RFS?
Helping to military spouses into gainful employment and seeing the positive impact it has on their family life.

What has been your proudest moment at RFS?
When we were awarded funding, it was acknowledgment that spousal employment is a critical element to a positive service life, and a very proud moment for me professionally.

What three items would you take to a desert island?
A Swiss army knife, curry powder and a book.

What's your favourite colour?
Yellow