MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New welfare centre opens for army recruits at Pirbright

Significant investment in Alexander Barracks, Pirbright, has provided a modern, sustainable facility that supports the welfare of recruits.

The new Soldiers’ Centre offers centralised welfare support for recruits who are completing the 13-week basic training course. Spread over 2 storeys, the £11 million purpose-built facility comprises retail and food outlets, a cinema and social areas. It also functions as a gathering space for families attending passing out parades.

The investment was joint-funded by the British Army and the Army Central Fund (ACF) which provided a £7 million grant – the single biggest donation ever made by the ACF. The project was delivered by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) contracting to Henry Brothers and WSP.

At the official opening of The Soldiers’ Centre on 31 January, Major General Richard Clements CBE, Director of Basing and Infrastructure, said:

The Soldiers’ Centre is an outstanding facility that will promote wellbeing and foster a sense of community among recruits at ATC Pirbright as they start their life journey with the army. This project also demonstrates our extensive investment in modernising our estate, supporting future capability, and enhancing the environments where our soldiers live, work and train.

The ACF Chair, Major General Sam Humphris MBE, said:

The Army Central Fund provides grant funding to improve the physical, mental and social wellbeing of serving British Army personnel and their immediate families. We are extremely proud of the leadership gift we made to enable delivery of this modern, high-quality welfare facility, which will support the morale of recruits and provide enduring benefit to them and their families.

In addition to supporting the recruits, The Soldiers’ Centre will contribute to local efforts to reduce the army’s carbon footprint. Modern methods of construction were used for the Glulam structural frame, while photovoltaic panels have been installed to enable generation of on-site renewable energy.

Warren Webster, MPP Programme Director – Army, Defence Infrastructure Organisation, said:

I am delighted to see this hugely impressive welfare facility being used by army recruits. We’ve focused on providing a building that has been designed with sustainability at its heart to meet the needs of soldiers and their families. We look forward to many cohorts of recruits passing through on the way to the rest of their army careers.

David Henry, Managing Director of Henry Brothers, said:

We are delighted to have completed The Soldiers’ Centre – a facility that reflects our commitment to delivering exceptional builds for our clients and which will make a positive contribution to the experience of recruits as they embark on their army careers.

Ray Lovegrove, Public Sector Portfolio Lead, WSP, said:

It has been a privilege for WSP to be engaged on this project from the earliest concept through to completion of this fantastic facility. It is great to see the vision, input and expertise of many people from different organisations come together this way, and I hope that The Soldiers’ Centre will be at the heart of the Pirbright community for many years to come.

Following completion of The Soldiers’ Centre, the army is making further significant investment to support consolidation of basic training at Pirbright under the Defence Estate Optimisation (Army) Programme. The Alexander Barracks Project will provide enhanced living, working and training accommodation, including modern recruit accommodation, a swimming pool and gymnasium. Construction is due to start in 2026 with completion scheduled for 2032.

Lt Col Bysshe COLDM GDS, Commanding Officer, ATC (Pirbright), said:

The Soldiers’ Centre provides a 21st century welfare facility for ATC (Pirbright). Serving recruits, permanent staff and families, it significantly enhances the lived experience for all. As the first new building within wider plans to overhaul a sizeable proportion of the Pirbright estate, it provides a tangible example of high-quality modernised infrastructure and sets the standard moving forward.