Mary is a dedicated advocate for the Armed Forces community, having devoted 30 years to The Royal NAAFI, progressing from a Customer Service Assistant to HR Director. As a military (now veteran) spouse of 35 years, she has first-hand experience of the challenges faced by our Armed Forces, their families and our veterans. This experience has been earned through living overseas in Germany with two young children and a frequently deployed husband, as well as spending time in operational environments from Northern Ireland to Afghanistan.

Her commitment to enhancing the lived experience of our Armed Forces began early in her career, at the front lines of service – offering a friendly ear over the counter, or as a manager, ensuring the service provided was carefully considered and second to none. In her later career this moved to developing initiatives that support spouse and veteran recruitment as well as innovating our internal employee experience to inspire and enable them to deliver an exceptional customer experience wherever they are in the world.

She understands the resilience, sacrifice, and strength required to navigate military life, and feels incredibly fortunate to work have for an employer who is also dedicated to our Armed Forces and with whom she has shared values. Working for the Royal NAAFI has provided her with the opportunity to develop programs that contribute towards enhancing the lived experience this community. This dedication was recently recognised by The Royal NAAFI attaining the Gold Defence Employers Award, of which we are incredibly proud.

With a deep appreciation for the unique challenges faced by service personnel and their families, as well as a unique insight into our employee experience whilst supporting them, she remains dedicated to championing their combined needs and where she can and ensuring they receive the support and opportunities they deserve.