Branch Initial Caseworkers Course Due to the increase of cases being received in the Branch Office in Episkopi it was decided that some more Volunteer Caseworkers were needed. In April an advertising drive was started across the island in the English language press and internet forums. After a successful campaign, a long round of interviews took place across the island. Finally the lucky volunteers all received an induction into SSAFA. The next step in the procedure was to get all selected personnel on a Initial Caseworkers course. Normally a volunteer would attend one of the courses run by the Central Office Training Team in either London or one of the other venues around the UK. As there were twenty one people needing a course it would be more cost effective to fly a trainer   to Cyprus rather than send 21 people back to UK. As the Head of Training, Susie Worley, couldn’t decide which of her team to send all the way to the sunshine isle, she decided she would just have to make the trip herself. So it was on Monday 8th November at the Miramare Atlantica Hotel, Limassol, that Branch Secretary Tina Graham welcomed everyone to the hotel and after a minute’s silence for our late Chairman, handed over to Susie. Also over at the same time were Director of Branch Operations, Liz Joines and Assistant Director, John Dickens, for a long overdue visit to Cyprus Branch. On first evening, everyone enjoyed a semi-formal dinner where several Branch Committee Officers were also in attendance to introduce themselves to the course members. For some, it turned into a very late night. Amongst other talks during the course, the Vice-Consul from the British High Commission came down from Nicosia with his assistant to give a very entertaining overview of their work for British Nationals either visiting or resident on the island. The course concluded on the Wednesday afternoon and some of comments written on the feedback forms were: “Excellent course, I learnt a lot” “Very comprehensive course. I thoroughly enjoyed it” “Please can we have less food on the next one!”