Trade union calls for Harrogate army camp to stop recruitment after reported Covid outbreak
There are reportedly 100 positive cases on site
Last updated 29th Jan 2021
North Yorkshire's UNISON branch is calling for the movement of hundreds of army recruits from across the country to the Army Foundation College near Harrogate to be postponed after a reported coronavirus outbreak on site.
Hundreds of recruits returned to the college during the national lockdown and once tested on site a number reportedly returned positive results.
The UNISON branch believes around 100 recruits are either Covid positive or needing to self isolate after developing symptoms or coming into contact with another positive person.
They are calling from the movement of other recruits, scheduled for the end of February and the beginning of March, to be postponed until the situation is under control.
Wendy Nichols, Branch Secretary of North Yorkshire UNISON, told Greatest Hits she's concerned how the outbreak could affected the local community.
She said: "The community of Harrogate and Knaresborough does have a high proportion of elderly people who are more at risk of becoming ill if they contract Covid. The worry we have is that our members in there will go out into the community and bring more cases into North Yorkshire and raise the infection rate. We really need that not to happen.
"They're new recruits and it is necessary for us to have an army, but did they need to be brought back during a national lockdown? We're hoping the pressure from UNISON will encourage the Ministry of Defence to push back this second intake in a few weeks time."
Mrs Nichols reached out to the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey MP, who has confirmed Labour's shadow team will challenge Ministers to put on hold all new recruits until the college's Covid safety is guaranteed.
Mrs Nichols, added: “Our members working at the Army Foundation College contacted us at the beginning of January raising concerns that young soldier recruits were being brought back to the College from across the country.
“I understand that the first group of 800 young soldiers returned on 7 January. A further 600 returned to the College on 14 January, and as many as 300 brand new recruits are expected to arrive on 1 March.
“During a national lockdown we are all being instructed to stay at home as much as possible and only leave home for essential purposes. We are also being told to stay within our local area. Our members support the lockdown measures and are following the rules. They, like me, cannot understand why the MOD thought that moving so many young people across the country was appropriate, especially without any testing before they left their home areas."
In a statement, the Ministry of Defence, said: “Fewer than 40 personnel at the Army Foundation College are isolating after testing positive for Covid-19. None of these individuals currently require medical treatment and it is incorrect to suggest we are not coping with the situation.
“The British Army takes the health and wellbeing of our personnel very seriously and have been providing lateral flow testing, robust social distancing and hygiene measures in place to protect personnel and prevent further infections.”