Sodexo Defence is showing its appreciation for the work of British servicemen and women by supporting The Sun Military Awards, known as ‘The Millies’, for a third consecutive year.
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The Millies, which were launched by Prince Charles, celebrate acts of grit and gallantry across categories such as Best Unit, Overcoming Adversity and Outstanding Solider and cover the 12 months up to August 31, 2012.
Sodexo Defence, which has directly supported the British Armed Forces for more than 25 years providing high quality support services on military bases, is sponsoring the Best Unit category for a second year.
Last year, 42 Commando Royal Marines, one of three elite battalion-sized units which make up 3 Commando Brigade, based at Bickleigh Barracks, Plymouth, won the award category for risking their own lives to support local Afghans during a challenging tour in which they took and held many “hotspots” in Helmand Province in Afghanistan.
The judging panel for this year’s Millies, which take place at London's Imperial War Museum on 6 December, includes England footballer Frank Lampard; TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson; SAS hero Andy McNab; and Myleene Klass, the television presenter and classical pianist. Also on the panel are former First Sea Lord, Admiral Lord West; former Head of the Army, General Sir Mike Jackson; former Chief of the Defence Staff, Lord Guthrie; and former Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire.
The panel is tasked with picking the winners in nine award categories from hundreds of nominations put forward by the public. The awards ceremony will be shown on ITV1 on Friday, 14 December.
Andy Leach, managing director, Sodexo Defence, said: “Sodexo Defence is proud to support the Millies and to be sponsoring the Best Unit Award this year. The unit is the foundation of all effective military operations and we recognise the exceptional level of commitment needed by everyone within a unit to create a winning team. Our servicemen and women deserve nothing but the best support at home and we aim to deliver nothing less.”
In addition to being a leading supplier of support services to the British Armed Forces, Sodexo Defence supports a wide range of service charities including The Royal British Legion, Help for Heroes and the three Families Federations. It helps to look after the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) Norton Homes at Headley Court and Selly Oak, which provide short term accommodation so that families can stay nearby whilst visiting their loved ones at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham and the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court in Surrey. Sodexo Defence also sponsors SSAFA’s homelessness fund and puts a Sodexo gift in the Christmas boxes that go to all service personnel deployed on operations every year.