Last weekend I was pleased to head along to the Northampton Territorial Army barracks in Clare Street for an Open Day for new recruits and people interested in finding out more about the TA, now called the Army Reserve.
The Army Reserve is undergoing a large expansion following the Strategic Defence Review.
I met with many of the men and women who volunteer their evenings and weekends to help protect our country and its interests. These are not full-time troops who train day in day out under an army wage, but regular mums and dads and next door neighbours who give up their spare time to ensure that our country is prepared for any eventualities and to help others overseas in emergencies or natural disasters.