Edition 99
As a valued supporter, we are pleased to bring you up-to-speed with a weekly round-up of activities from RMA – The Royal Marines Charity and the wider Corps Family.
This week, our news is simply about some remarkable individuals with remarkable stories.
Thank you as always for your valued support.
Bacon butties and Bootneck banter
The story behind the photo above is a perfect example of how the power of solid collaboration and ‘out of the box’ thinking can result in a truly positive, life-changing outcome for a beneficiary in desperate need.
Thanks to RMA – The Royal Marines Charity working in close partnership with SSAFA, Alan is no longer one of those – you can read why via the button below.
Pictured above left to right: Alan with SSAFA Devon volunteer Caseworker and Branch Support Co-Ordinator, Val Hoar; John Reed Welfare & Grants Manager and Kate Stoakes Clinical Case Administrator RMA-The Royal Marines Charity; with fellow Bootneck ‘Mac’ and wife.
Countdown to D-Day crossing
Keith Breslauer, Vice-Patron of RMA – The Royal Marines Charity and Managing Director and Senior Partner at Patron Capital, is in the final weeks of training hard in preparation for the D-Day 80 Channel Crossing fundraiser taking place between 3rd – 9th June.
He is one of 20 extraordinary individuals in the RMA Paddle Group taking on this very special and poignant challenge to mark the 80th anniversary of Operation Overlord. Keith is part of the team which comprises nine Serving and eight Veteran Royal Marines; and two former Hasler (Naval Recovery Centre) members.
He says: “It is a privilege to join the team of Royal Marines for the 90+ mile D-Day Channel crossing route. I have started to train, with 10 years since we did something like this before, now older and out of shape but with the same determination and intent to take on this challenge to honour those who continue to make peerless sacrifices to protect our freedoms.”
The group will depart the Royal Marines Yomper at Eastney, Portsmouth in two-man Klepper folding kayaks, night-crossing the English Channel before arriving in Port-en-Bessin. They will then paddle all the Allied-opposed landing beach heads, culminating with the British and Canadian sectors (Gold, Juno and Sword) on the 6th June, D-Day.
Patron has been incredibly generous by sponsoring the trip and has committed to match all monies raised by the team for RMA – The Royal Marines Charity.
Students channel Commando Spirit
We are hugely grateful to the absolutely awesome team of 80 young students from Bicton College in Devon who last week ran 100-miles (161km) along a gruelling part of the undulating South West coastal path, raising £9,782 (inc Gift Aid) for our charity and the RNLI.
Trustee of RMA-The Royal Marines Charity, Paul Denning (right) was there to meet and congratulate the students as they were led in by the RM Corps of Drums and proudly crossed the finish line.
Those taking part in the three-day Baton of Bicton endurance event were from the College’s Military and Protective Services (MaPS) Academy. Having been put through their paces a few days’ earlier by Serving Royal Marine Commandos from Commando Training Centre Royal Marines at nearby Lympstone, those taking part said they really needed to draw on a lot of mental strength to get through but it was an achievement they will remember for the rest of their lives.
This was especially true for the nine neuro-diverse students who, the College’s Student Support said, “ran miles they would never have thought possible, outshining themselves with their resilience despite having to overcome additional challenges. along the way.”
On the watchlist
Former Royal Marines Jan Hutchings and Andrew Clutterbuck will soon be embarking on the most amazing adventure of a civvy lifetime as they head off to China for the start of the 8th Peking to Paris motor rally. They will be driving ‘The Goose – a stunning 1953 Jaguar XK120 Open Top Sports car.
Jan says: “The car has been transported via container ship to China, where it has cleared customs and awaits our arrival. We will be briefed by Chinese police on 16th May and then issued our local driving licences at which point we can pick the car up from its compound. The following day sees the scrutineers check all cars prior to the start of the rally at the Great Wall near Beijing on 18th May.”
Peking to Paris is renowned for being the longest and toughest endurance driving challenge in the world for vintage and classic cars. Travelling through China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey Greece, Italy and France, the epic 37-day adventure covers approximately 14,250kms (8,850 miles).
We wish them every success and are so very grateful that they are using this fantastic vehicle to raise funds for RMA – The Royal Marines Charity. You can read more about this challenge and how to follow Jan and Andrew’s progress West via the button below.
Do you have what it takes?
The Royal Marines are an elite element of the UK Armed Forces. The Commando Training Challenge is a unique opportunity to test your own resolve on the Corps’ own Endurance and Bottom Field Assault courses in Devon under the watchful guidance of a RM PTI (Physical Training Instructor) team. Why not click the arrow above to get a taste of the action?!
The overall winner will carry home the Commando Training Challenge Cup – and all participants receive a commemorative medal and certificate, celebrating their outstanding individual achievement.
Shopping Corner
Don’t delay – pre-order today for dispatch on 27th May. This commemorative A4 80th Anniversary Normandy Landings journal reflects on those great deeds of 80 years ago – and is only £10!
Headed by His Majesty The King, it also includes contributions from Field Marshal Lord Guthrie and Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, as well as personal recollections from D-Day veterans and serving member of the armed forces.
A great selection of other quality products is also available exclusively from the Royal Marines Shop that is wholly owned by RMA – The Royal Marines Charity. All profits come back to the Charity to help support the Corps Family.
In the news
APRIL 2024
Spring edition Employment & Education Completion of Service course Homeport magazine pages 34/35
3rd Commando Mindset COBSEO
8th/9th/12th/22nd/23rd/24th Stephen Lamb Grand Union Canal Birthday Paddle Leicester Times; Warwickshire World; Harborough Mail; Hfm 102-3; BBC Radio Leicester; Rugby Observer; Pukaar News Leicester; Rugby Observer; In Your Area
10th/30th Baz Gray RM Veterans Speed March BBC Radio Devon 20-min interview Caroline Densley Morning Show; COBSEO
12th Conrad Goss 100-mile Tarka Trail North Devon Today/North Devon Gazette
15th Reflection Bench COBSEO
22nd Health & Wellbeing AFCFT Common Assessment Framework COBSEO
24th/30th Baton of Bicton Crediton Courier; BBC Spotlight; BBC regional news