Staff nurse marks Armed Forces Reserves Day by wearing uniform to work at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary

Staff nurse Kerstin Dodd from Mouswald marked Armed Forces Reserves Day by wearing her uniform at work in the neonatal unit in Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.

Kerstin has been a reservist in Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps for three years, joining 225 (Scottish) Medical Regiment in Stirling 2020, and is now a corporal in 215 (Scottish) Multirole Medical Regiment.

She is also a member of the army target pistol team, and was this year selected for the British triathlon team at the European Championships.

Employers across the country are recognising the contribution of their employees in the Royal Naval Reserve, Army Reserve and Royal Air Force Reserve and the designated day helped mark that with NHS Dumfries and Galloway – as one of the largest employers in the region – saying it is proud to support its reservist employees.

Reservists make up one-sixth of the total strength of the UK’s armed forces, and deploy alongside their regular counterparts on operations in the UK and overseas. Recently, 3,000 reservists were mobilised as part of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.