A former Combat Infantryman with 1 STAFFS has a new job - in Fiji!

Abele Tukareva served in the British Army from 2003 to 2012, including a tour of Iraq in 2007. Now he's to be a land manager for World Forestry Fiji, a UK owned company which holds land for forestry plantations on the main island of Fiji,

Marisa Heath, Partner of World Forestry Fiji, was seeking a land manager for the main plantation and had encountered numerous difficulties finding the right person as she wanted somebody who was native to Fiji, could communicate with the village workers and understood the land.

As a former political researcher, Marisa used her network including the U K Defence Forum and managed to contact the FCO Armed Forces Representative in Fiji, Major (Rtd) Jim Hall, who put the company in contact with former Armed Forces personnel who had returned to their native country.

She found all the candidates to be of high calibre, obviously formed by their time in the British Army. However, Marisa eventually selected Abele, who brings with him a range of skills provided by his time served including good time management, an ability to ensure orders are carried out and most importantly initiative.

"With massive numbers of unemployed and widespread poverty across Fiji, Abele is very grateful to have been given the opportunity to work and to help build the projects with World Forestry and his success is undoubtedly based on the education and development he received whilst serving in the Army," said Marisa.

Great North News Services staff contributed to this story.