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Veteran wins lifetime achievement award for service leaver support

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A veteran who has spent more than a decade supporting service leavers has been "honoured" with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Norman Yarwood received the award at the Scottish Ex-Forces in Business Awards for his work supporting veterans into employment through the FDM Group.

Norman says it was "fantastic" to receive the award earlier this month.

He told the Glasgow Times: "A lot of people drop me notes saying 'thanks for your support, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you'.

"I knew I was shortlisted for the award, but I didn't know until the night I had won, so it was a complete shock because you don't do it for the recognition.

"To be one of only seven people to have ever won that Lifetime Achievement Award, I'm really proud."

Norman Yarwood in 1991 (Image: Supplied)

Norman, who lives in Thornliebank, spent 24 years in the British Army and climbed the ranks to become a Regimental Sergeant Major before leaving in 2001.

He says he was inspired to join the FDM Ex-Forces Programme to help other veterans because, while he was well qualified, he found it difficult to find a job when he left the Army.

The programme trains, supports and develops ex-forces personnel to have successful civilian careers in the tech industry.

The 66-year-old said: "We get people leaving the forces into really valuable careers in IT, which could be anything from coders to project managers.

"We employ them, train them ourselves, and then once they're ready, we're employing them already, and we put them out to our clients."

Norman Yarwood at the Scottish Ex-Forces in Business Awards (Image: Supplied)

Norman, who left FDM Group earlier this year and will continue working in consultancy, continued: "Going for this job gave me the chance to say to people like me, 'we can give you an arm around the shoulder, and we'll help you make that transition'.

"The main driver for me has always been helping people from the forces get into a really good job.

"Every time someone gets that first job, I feel great.

"It was a life-changing thing because I tried my best to help people."

The programme has now helped more than 900 people into jobs across the UK.

Norman Yarwood with his lifetime achievement award for work helping ex armed forces. (Image: Robert Perry)

The Lifetime Achievement Award honours Norman's lasting impact both during and after his service.

He explained: "The Scottish Ex-Forces in Business Awards comes down to how you've represented the military, military values and ethos in the commercial world and how you've helped other people do it.

"A big part of what I did is speaking to clients for FDM and saying, 'these are the good things about military people, this is why you should employ them'."

FDM was also named Advocate of the Year at the ceremony.

The award recognises organisations that actively support veterans and the wider Armed Forces community as they move into civilian careers.

Norman Yarwood can be contacted on LinkedIn.

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