Ed Cullen joined the Army in Aug 1979 as an Infantry Junior Leader at Norton Manor Camp, Taunton. were upon passing out he joined his regiment 1St Battalion the Kings Own Royal Border Regiment in Berlin as part of the Guard Force guarding the infamous Rudolf Hess. On competition of his tour of Berlin, Ed transferred to the Royal Army pay Corp which followed by many different tours of duty from as far spread as Hong Kong, Cyprus and Germany, where he was accompanied by his Wife Jackie and 3 children, two of whom were born in overseas stations. Ed did quite a few operational tours including, Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Sierra Leon and Afghanistan. Ed worked his way through the ranks and was commissioned in the rank of Captain in 2001.

Ed retired from the Army in January 2011 in the rank of Major and he has build up a thriving Bar/Catering Company with his wife over the past 9 years, his passions are Golf, Rugby, Boxing, and most of all his 6 wonderful grandchildren.

Jason was born in 1970 and joined the Army at the age of 17 in Bovington, Dorset. During his 12 years stationed Germany with the Royal Tank Regiment, Jason travelled the world participating in multiple tours of Canada, Cyprus, Northern Ireland and Poland. In 1999 Jason retired from the forces and now works for the NHS. In his spare time he works as a Funeral Operative and is an active member of the Taunton Veterans Breakfast Club. Since 2019 Jason has been a key member of Somerset Armed Forces Day Committee working tirelessly with his team to organise and host a free event for the Community of Somerset.

Born in Devon and raised in Somerset, Stewart joined the Army in 1974, following service in a Junior Leaders Regiment, he badged to the Royal Military Police in Dec 1975. A career that included postings to Northern Ireland, Germany (BAOR) the UK, Canada, The Falkland Islands and Cyprus and finished back in the UK in London where his last posting was as an Army Careers Adviser. Leaving the Army in 1987 Stewart spent a couple of years in “civvy street” before commencing a career as part of Her Majesty’s Prison Service in 1991. A third career commenced in 2009 when a role as the organiser of a large component part of the National Remembrance Day Parade held in London each year, previously undertaken alongside his full-time employment was offered and accepted. Stewart retired again in 2018. Awarded the MBE in 2009, Stewart is the National Secretary of a Veterans Charity work which he undertakes alongside of his roles in various other local and regional charitable and noncharitable pursuits, ranging from RMP and other Armed Forces Veterans related activities to Sea Angling and Wood Turning. Stewart is married to Pauline (also now on the SAFD Team) who supports his efforts to keep busy. Stewart says “it’s no lie to say that an event like this is a challenge, its hard work, but fun. SAFD 2023 was a great family event, our 2024 AFD was even better, let’s hope we can repeat and indeed improve it now for 2025. Our Team of likeminded individuals, all of us from differing immediate backgrounds have a commonality of having either a connection and affinity with or served in, or been married to, the Military, have the aim of providing a great family day out for all in Taunton and the wider area. It is indeed an honour and privilege to be involved”.

Pam was born in Taunton 1949 and her father was in the Oxon Bucks Regiment, later to become The Royal Green Jackets. So moved away to travel around the world to Cyprus and Malaya etc. 1965 they moved back to Taunton and Pam worked doing payroll at CEPO Jellalabad Barracks. Pam went over to Berlin for a holiday and met up with a soldier she knew from Malaya and they got married in 1968, so started being posted around the world again including Hong Kong, Germany and Ireland. In 1994 Pam’s husband retired from the army and they settled in Taunton again. In 2006 they decided to move to France to retire then 2018 decided to return to Taunton. They joined the Veterans breakfast club in Vivary on their return and Pam heard someone say they were looking for a secretary for SAFD committee so volunteered and was accepted and been with the team for a while now.

Born in the north to a northern mother and a southern father serving in the Fleet Air Arm, gave me a childhood in Lancashire, then Cornwall and finally Kent. After High School I started work in aviation. I then spent a while in Italy, working and learning the language, then returned to the UK, working in London until retirement. I spent several years with a law firm covering criminal, matrimonial and property, a few years for the finance director of a casino, then ten years with a property entrepreneur involved in the regeneration of the City of London, and the Broadgate and Bishopsgate developments. My last post was UK marketing manager for a global private bank. Married to Stewart (see profile) we moved to the west country in 2009, where I became involved in various local activities and also spent ten years as a volunteer fundraiser and public speaker for Children’s Hospice South West. Throughout retirement I have supported Stewart in his voluntary military interests, and am proud to now be a part of the Somerset Armed Forces Day team.

Elaine was born in Hamilton, Scotland and although she hasn’t served herself she has family members who have. In her early 20’s she moved to Spain and worked in tourism and property management before returning to the UK and settling down here in the South West. Through mutual friends she got to know some of the people involved with Somerset Armed Forces Day and was more than happy to volunteer and her role is helping out with the social media side of things.

Shawn was born in 1974 and joined the Army in 1992, he was a proud guardsman wearing the badge of the Coldstream Guards but unfortunately his Army life was cut short due to medical grounds. Shawn got himself back fighting fit and then after training at the Defence Animal Centre became a dog handler for the MOD. When his dog handling days ended he then joined the Admiralty and did a diploma in lithographic printing where he stayed for a further 18 years. The printing section of the Hydrographic Office was then outsourced which led Shawn onto his job today patrolling the grounds of Musgrove Park Hospital as a Security Officer. In his spare time he has picked up coaching qualifications along the way in Football, Athletics & Swimming as sport has always been his passion. Shawn and his wife were key to starting North Curry Youth FC and ran it for 12 years taking it from one team to nearly 200 youth players. These qualities Shawn will now be transferring to being a part of what he calls an amazing team and joining us as our treasurer.