Sundown Solutions' Heath Groves receives military award from the Princess Royal

Heath Groves, founder of Hyndburn-based Sundown Solutions, was the proud recipient of a military award at a prestigious event held in Blandford.

Heath is also a special reserve officer in the Royal Signals, currently serving with the Specialist Group Information Services (known as SGIS) which is the reserve component of the recently formed 13 Signal Regiment.

The Royal Signals are leaders in IT, Cyber and Telecommunications, providing battle-winning communications to every part of the Army and are experts in engineering and operating systems, networks and cyber warfare.  SGIS has a Defence wide role and plays a key role in Project THEIA – The Army’s digitisation programme.

13 Signal Regiment holds a very important role in key defence projects and programmes, including integrating and securing the digital estate for the future throughout the Army. The Regiment itself was only formed a year ago, and in that time Capt Heath Groves’ work has been recognised by the highly prestigious award of a Royal Signals’ Institution Silver Medal.

At the Regiment’s one-year anniversary parade Capt Groves was awarded the RSI Silver Medal by HRH The Princess Royal for his professional expertise, and input towards the MODs overall response to the COVID pandemic.

During the pandemic, in addition to running his own company, Capt Groves also assisted the MoD with NHS knowledge and technology skills via a bespoke MOD COVID response team established, which earned him the recognition for the award.

The importance of the Regiment and its work was honoured by a one-year anniversary visit from HRH The Princess Royal, who has been the Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Corps of Signals since 1977.

HRH The Princess Royal presented the RSI Silver Medal to Capt Groves at a ceremony during the visit, at which he was accompanied by very proud family members, and alongside Maj Lesley-Ann Jordan who was also honoured with a Royal Signals Institution Master of Signals Commendation.

Heath commented: “My work in the Army Reserve as a Specialist Officer fits perfectly with my civilian role, being a technology innovator and business leader making technology work in the right way for those that need it the most.

It’s a great privilege to serve, and to be decorated for this work and recognised in this way is more than I could have ever expected.  To meet HRH The Princess Royal, as our Colonel-in Chief, is an honour in itself.  This medal is in pride of place at my family home!”

If you’re interested in finding out more about serving in the Royal Corps of Signals as a regular or a reserve, please look at their website here: https://apply.army.mod.uk/roles/royal-signals