.jpeg "Reserves Day Lt Louise Tunnicliff")
Louise is a Civil Servant in the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), currently working on the Vaccines Taskforce (VTF). She joined the VTF as the Approval Panels Lead in August 2020 and was responsible for the set up and continued running of the official and ministerial level approvals. Functions required getting vaccine and antibody business cases through to contract signature; a highly pressured job, but an incredibly rewarding role being at the forefront of the UK’s procurement efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In her Army Reserve role, she is a Lieutenant within 71st (City of London) Yeomanry Signal Regiment as a Squadron Operations Officer where she is responsible for coordinating the Squadron’s exercises and deployments.
She said ‘I have been incredibly fortunate that the Civil Service is such a supportive employer regarding my reserve service. The reserve leave they provide has allowed me to conduct my officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst; complete my promotions courses and attend the two-week annual continuous training camps and much more. I have also been incredibly lucky to have gone skiing with my Regiment to the French Alps, ride as part of my Squadron’s mounted contingent through the City of London in the Lord Mayor’s Show (honouring the Squadron’s yeomanry roots) as well as represent my Corps (Royal Signals) and the Army in netball. Most notably, though, I was given leave by the Civil Service to mobilise in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During my mobilisation I commanded a troop of 23 reservists from across the Regiment who were held at readiness to deploy as and when needed on COVID related tasking’s. The most rewarding part was leading a team of 12 to set up a Mobile Testing Unit in Birmingham, providing the public with a drive through self-testing service.
My reserve experience has provided me with a plethora of transferable skills such as effective time management, clear communications skills, leadership and an ability to see the bigger picture and anticipate future tasks which I use in my civilian role every day.’
