8 July 2008
They say that some things improve with age and the Armed Forces Canteen Council (AFCC) which turns 60 this year is proof of this.
The Council has its origins following the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, when it became apparent that some form of canteen service was needed to cater for the large intake of troops.
The following extract, from a history of Waiouru Army Camp, demonstrates the desperate need in the early days. When the first draft of troops entered camp on 6th January 1941, the Government canteen was only partly in operation, which was “certainly a cause of disgruntlement among the personnel”.
“Ability to get alternatives to the Army mess diet is an important factor in camp. Especially would this have been valuable in the last three weeks of January 1941, at Waiouru – weeks when the rank and file in some battalion areas were suffering the culinary mistakes of inexperienced cooks.
“There was “grousing” about the food in Waiouru – not because the rations themselves were bad. The food always was good but a few cooks among the many employed were adept in spoiling good rations. Great satisfaction was expressed by the men, when the canteen went into full operation towards the end of February 1941.”
Among the items sold by the canteen were soft drinks, five different types of ice cream, pies, biscuits, chocolate, fruit, boot and shoe laces, brass and shoe cleaning equipment and socks.
At the end of the war, the Government decided the Defence Canteen Emergency Regulations should remain in force and on 26 November 1948, Parliament passed the Armed Forces Canteens Act 1948.
“The canteen service has certainly changed since the early days and today trading outlets include grocery supermarkets at Waiouru and Burnham, duty free stores at Philomel, Whenuapai and Ohakea as well as variety stores, and canteens for field exercises,” said Chief Executive of the AFCC Rick Ottaway.
“We try to provide a full range of commercial services to anticipate and keep pace with new demands. And we also run New Zealand’s southern-most store during the summer season at Antarctica’s Scott Base.”
Since 2000 the AFCC has traded under the brand name of “Hotshots”.
“All camps and bases have a Hotshots cafeteria providing a wide range of snacks and meals. They also stock a range of personal necessities, toiletries and some grocery lines,” said Rick.
The unique side of the canteen service is the contributions it makes to the Single Service Welfare Fund. In the year ending March 2008 sales were $16m with a net surplus of $1m. From this surplus $712,000 is to be paid to the Single Service Welfare Funds. The Army share for this year is $428,300.
“Each service is responsible for determining what the funds are used for but generally they are used to provide amenities and benefits which help in recruiting, retention and maintaining morale,” Rick said.
Funds are disbursed to each regional unit to use on projects appropriate for each camp, base or ship including maintenance of holiday homes, purchase of equipment for hire, sports equipment and new facilities.
At Waiouru Army Camp funds received last year were used to set up a facility known as the Sugar Shack Youth Centre that provides a place for teenagers to hang out, listen to music and play pool, table tennis or Play station games.
Major Monique Brown said, “We get over 70 teenagers a weekend coming to the ‘Shack’ and they love it. They are waiting at the door before it opens and they are cleaning and tidying it up before it closes ready for the next night! “The Sugar Shack Youth Centre has made a huge positive impact and difference to not only the kids, but to the whole Waiouru Community. At the beginning the teens only hung around in their cliques, made up of Taihape School kids, Ruapehu College kids and those that don’t go to school and they were shy and negative towards each other. Now they all mix freely and enjoy the freedom of gentle rivalry in a fun environment and they certainly have no problem mixing,” said Major Brown.
“Before the Shack, teens spent their weekend nights at home with one or two mates during the winter or out roaming the streets in the summer. Now they have a place to hang out and catch up with their mates. It’s a really positive high energy environment and the kids thrive on it,” she added.
At Burnham a recent project has been the establishment of a new basketball court and at Linton half of their funds go towards sports fees and the remainder has been used to build a number of garages and a wood working shop for use by personnel.