Today, in this special edition, we join in celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD).
We are privileged to have the involvement and support of so many remarkable and inspirational women.
Thank you for your continued support.
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A message from our Chair
On behalf of my fellow Trustees on International Women’s Day this year, I would like to thank, applaud and celebrate the many remarkable women who are involved with and work for our Charity, helping the RMA – The Royal Marines Charity to ensure that the lifelong support we provide to our community continues.
As part of the Royal Marines’ family, their involvement and assistance makes a profound and discernible difference and adds incalculable equity to all that we do whether it be providing advice or employment, financial donations or non-monetary help.
Let’s also not forget to also thank and celebrate the many women who are at home to support the serving families, holding the fort and oiling the domestic wheels, often a lonely job. In this edition, we would like to introduce some of these many women to you.
Chair, RMA – The Royal Marines Charity
Lynn Fordham
Band of sisters
On this International Women’s Day, we celebrate the talented and inspirational women within His Majesty’s Royal Marines Band Service.
They were admitted to the service in 1992 and now represent around 40% of these world-acclaimed musicians and include those qualified and performing as Director of Music, Bandmasters and Drum Majors.
We are truly proud to know that such brilliant women are part of this truly incredible team that plays such a high-profile role in some of the Charity’s most successful fundraising events. These include the Guildhall Dinner, the hugely popular annual Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall (almost a sell-out for this coming weekend though there are still a few tickets available), and taking this music spectacular on its first-ever UK roadshow in September for which tickets are now on sale.
Host of raising agents go the extra mile
We are indebted to every single one of the fabulously passionate and dedicated ladies from all walks of life who never fail in fundraising in support of RMA – The Royal Marines Charity. They are too numerous to celebrate individually but just a few are pictured above.
To date this year, we know that Wendy Briggs will be running in the London marathon for us and has so far raised a cracking amount of money towards her £1k target– and she’s also just held the first of many bake sales planned for 2023 which raised £270 (pictured bottom right) .
And Heather Crawford (bottom row left) is on track with her aim to raise a whopping £12,000, having recently completed her third Ultra marathon of the year in her ’12 in 12 for 12′ challenge. Each will be completed at significant locations with symbolic landmarks linked to the Royal Marines and last weekend she was well-supported on her 34-mile run in Bideford, Devon. She’s already raised £580 so please continue to support her on her JustGiving page here if you are able.
Bravely leading the charge
The Charity is indebted to BdLCpl Hannah Smither (pictured left), a multi-talented member of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Band Service for so willingly putting herself front and foremost to feature in one of the most powerful mental health awareness videos we produced last year to raise awareness of ‘Lifting the Lid’, an integral part of the ‘One is Too Many’ suicide awareness programme.
…and also to Becky York, a former member of the Band Service, for baring her soul and so openly and bravely facing the camera to share the harrowing story of how her promising and much-cherished career in the Royal Marines came to an end: and in explaining just what a large part RMA – The Royal Marines Charity had in helping her along the path to a bright new future.
All in the family
Anita Gilby (pictured right in first photo with Gwlithyn Owen) has been one of our many valued volunteers for over six years and chairs the Families’ Branch of the RMA – The Royal Marines Charity. Launched last year, it is now the largest of all the Association’s 23 specialist Branches with 544 members.
She has a particular reason for being such a strong Charity volunteer as she is the great-grand-daughter, great niece, granddaughter, daughter, wife and mother of a Royal Marines Commando! And a poignant coincidence, her son passed out of training as a Royal Marines Commando on 31st May 2013 – exactly 97 years to the day that her great uncle was killed in 1916 on HMS INVINCIBLE during the Battle of Jutland in the First World War.
Meanwhile, on top of holding down a full-time job, she spends many hours supporting all the RMA events including Army v Navy Rugby match, branch visits and the veterans’ trip to Normandy to commemorate D-Day.
“My whole family life has always revolved around the Royal Marines,” she says. “I enjoy working with Royal Marine families because I know how important it is to have someone to share things with who understands.”
Another of our amazing volunteers and fundraisers is Catherine Mcgregor (pictured right). ‘Once a Marine, Always a Marine’ is something that, as a retired member of The Royal Marines Band Service, drives her commitment into fundraising and volunteering for the Charity.
When she saw the call via the Charity’s Members’ newsletter for local volunteers, she realised just how much she had been missing the camaraderie of being a more active member of the Royal Marines Family.
With a keen spirit of adventure, Catherine has always been a keen Ultra marathoner. She’s already successfully completed a number of awesome runs, and the next test of endurance on her charity fundraising ‘to do’ list is still up for discussion but will likely be running from John O’Groats to Land’s End, with her plan to tackle the distance in 50-mile sections over 17 days.
Training for such tough tests of endurance means that Catherine has to find the time to run 120 miles a week and do strength training sessions as well as travelling around the country in a demanding full-time job.
Pam has worked for the Charity for four years and last year was unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer. To mark the end of her treatment in July, she set herself the personal challenge to once again join Team Mag7 on their annual walk which each year celebrates the lives of the the 42 Cdo Magnificent Seven – the seven men who gave their all whilst serving on Op Herrick 14 in 2011, fondly named not long after the tour with the strong drive to never forget.
1. In less than 20 words, describe what your job entails… Supporting and treating anyone within the RM family who is encountering issues with dependent behaviours/addiction
2. Success means….. Achieving a relationship with a patient that enables change behaviour and meaningful engagement
3. Best advice received? ‘You didn’t come this far to only come this far’
4. Experience you have learnt most from? Being unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer following a research mammogram during the pandemic. This time taught me more about trauma than I could have ever learnt in my trauma training as a nurse and about life in general.
5. First paying job? WH Smiths record department Saturday job
6. Craziest thing you’ve ever done? I can’t possibly divulge although I did unwittingly once lock a US Basketball coach in my porch overnight when I was a newly-qualified nurse
7. What would people be most surprised to know about you? I have my motorbike license and once rode a 1300cc Kawasaki
8. Best ever film or book? ‘The Daily Stoic’ is my go to book
9. What well-known person would you like to share dinner with – and what one question would you ask them? Peter Kay. ‘How are you?’. Comedians are sometimes known as ‘smiling depressives’.
10. Hobbies? Fitness & walking with my two Cypriot rescue dogs
100 years’ young – a little goes a long way!
Margaret, the widow of a former Royal Marines Commando from D-Day, has suffered loneliness and isolation in recent years and was approaching her 100th birthday.
RMA – The Royal Marines Charity heard about her through a local charitable organisation it happened to be working with at the time. They asked if there was any help we could give so that Margaret would have a day to remember and that this very special occasion did not slip by unnoticed.
Without hesitation, a £300 grant was awarded. It made all the difference, ensuring that Margaret did celebrate in style, with a party attended by ‘at least three former Royal Marines’ who were only too pleased to travel to Wales to be by her side.
Go-getters raising the bar
On International Women’s Day, RMA – The Royal Marines Charity pays tribute to the 16 hard-working and dedicated colleagues above who work across its busy Communications & Fundraising, Employment & Education, Health & Wellbeing, Membership and Royal Marines Shop teams, many of whom also have strong personal connections with the Royal Marines.
With dedication and supreme professionalism, they work collectively to impact positive change for the Corps family through the life-long support that is offered.
Always by your side – be it organising major annual events such as the Directors’ Challenge, West Country 100 Dinner, and the prestigious Guildhall Charity Dinner and Auction – which has raised almost two and a half million pounds alone over the past two years, overseeing community fundraising: to advising and supporting into employment and new careers hundreds of veterans and serving personnel transitioning into civvy life: or providing life-saving therapy and support with mental and physical health issues, addiction, respite breaks and grants to help with financial difficulty.
Mother love
RMA -The Royal Marines Shop sells a great variety of Bootneck-themed greeting cards for all occasions.
The shop – located in Plymouth – is wholly owned by RMA – The Royal Marines Charity and all profits come back to the Charity to help support the Corps Family.
The small team sources, designs, develops and fulfils a fantastically wide range of Corps branded products that are all available for sale online.