t’s been a very busy start to the year - more hectic internationally than any of us might have hoped. Here’s a look at some of what I’ve been up to in the first month of 2026

This week I met with Lt Col Joe Winch, a colleague from my Staff College days, to discuss the challenges faced by veterans living with complex PTSD. We spoke about the lifelong impact that complex PTSD can have, not only on veterans themselves but also on their families, as well as the MoD's initiatives Op Valour, which provides recovery pathways for veterans and Op Fortitude, which focuses on tackling veteran homelessness.

Yesterday, I was honoured to join with local leaders and faith communities from across Redbridge to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day in Valentines Park in Ilford. Our community came together to remember six million murdered Jews, other victims of Nazi atrocities and those who have lost their lives in subsequent genocides