A warm welcome for 1 RIFLES in Dhekelia

03 October 2023

Although it might not seem the case, many comparisons can be drawn between Chepstow in South Wales and the Eastern Sovereign Base Area of Dhekelia (ESBA).

The most obvious, and most recent, is that ESBA has become home to 1 RIFLES and families of its soldiers who have recently left Wales.

A posting overseas – whether the first or one of several in a military career – comes with disruption, however well the Army and families prepare for the move.

The Community Health Team (CHT) of SSAFA is based on the island, and recently ran a drop in session – advertised enticingly as “with cake” – in Dhekelia for families new to the ESBA.

But not just any cake. A local expert pâtissier crafted the cake to look like the Digital Personal Child Health Record – commonly known as the eRedbook – launched in 2019 by the CHT with funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Trust Fund (AFCT).

The eRedbook is a parent-held health and development record that allows access to the child’s personal health and development records wherever the family is, and has proven itself an essential tool for parents in the British Armed Forces.

The meet-and-greet session was an ideal opportunity for parents new to Cyprus to give their first-hand, user-led experiences of the eRedbook.

One mum said: “[The eRedbook] made me feel less anxious as I knew that they knew about me,” while another commented: “Easy to follow and without the eRedbook, I would have had to find a way to contact the midwives. The eRedbook initiated back and forth emails with the team which reassured me and answered all of my questions.”

SSAFA CHT Health Visitor Ceri Henderson said: “It was a great opportunity to meet those who had recently arrived on island and see how they were settling into life on the beautiful but still very hot Island of Cyprus.

“It was a perfect chance to introduce the wider Community Team and should the need for support arise during their tour and inform them of what may be available from SSAFA.”

As well as Ceri, other Health Visitors, Dietetic Assistants, Midwives, and School Nurses attended giving staff and those newly arrived an informal way to meet, see how they were settling in, hear about any worries they may have, and enjoy a draw with prizes sponsored by AFCT, the eRedbook funder.

The event provided an opportunity to let families know about the services that the CHT provides and how it can signpost if necessary, as well letting families build social and community networks.