DORCHESTER Army Reservists will be holding an open evening to encourage others to join them.

6 Rifles C Company, based on Poundbury Road in the county town, will be holding an open evening tomorrow night at 8pm for anyone interested in the Army Reserve to go and find out more.

The Army Reserve is currently recruiting across the country towards the Army's future force vision of Army 2020 which will see the Army Reserve expanded and more closely integrated with the regular army.

Currently C Company is recruiting an additional 30 reserve soldiers and they have vacancies for men and women aged 18-43.

The primary role of C Company is as light infantry, but they have roles for women including as combat human resource specialists, vehicle mechanics, chefs and combat medical technicians.

Last year C Company went to Cyprus on an annual training exercise and have just returned from a training weekend in Wales.

Major Richard Stewart, the company's Commanding Officer, said the open evening was designed to give a feel of what the reservists do, give a demonstration of some of the kit and equipment used and give people an opportunity to talk to serving reservists and recruits currently in training.

He urged anyone interested to go along tomorrow night and find out more. He said: “Do it.

“The Army Reserve offers a genuinely challenging but very rewarding paid part time career.

“At times it's extremely hard work but the opportunities to serve on operations, train all over the world, take part in sport and adventure training, coupled with the chance to learn a vast range of new skills make it extremely worthwhile.

“It is perhaps a bit of an old fashioned view but it is also a real opportunity to give something back to society.

“I've served for well over 20 years and wouldn't have missed a moment of it.”

For more information or if you cannot make the open evening but are interested in finding out more call 01305 264969.