Edition 51
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’s bumper edition includes plenty of medal action and news of generous corporate sponsorships; many fun, adventurous and arduous activities – and an intriguing find! As always, there are stories of even more incredible feats of endurance, all of which fundraising contributes significantly to helping our Charity make many positive impacts on the lives of our deserving beneficiaries.
Thank you so much for your continued and most valued support.
Hoofing days out for Corps families

Over 2,000 Royal Marines Commando children in the South West of England are to benefit through a £15k donation to RMA – The Royal Marines Charity from the Advanta Foundation, a charity set up by the wealth-management company, Advanta Wealth Ltd.
During 2023, the funding will be used to support children’s activities at Unit Families’ Days at three Royal Marines Commando locations – in Chivenor, Plymouth and Lympstone, the first of which was held last weekend at RMB Chivenor.
With glorious weather, the Chivenor Garrison Family Day saw over 600 people have fun in the sun, enjoying a wide range of activities with everything from bouncy castles and digger displays to a circus performance, climbing walls and live music, topped off by the arrival of a ‘Junglie’ Merlin helicopter from 845 Naval Air Squadron.
RMA – The Royal Marines Charity Director of Development, Tom Wilson, said: “We are exceptionally grateful to the Advanta Foundation for their generous donation. The Unit Families Days are especially important and are non-negotiable dates on the Corps’ calendars. They serve to reignite a sense of belonging and shared experience in a fun, relaxed environment that can help encourage some of the most vulnerable to open up and start to voice their worries or anxiety.”
Craig Webster, Advanta’s CEO added: “The Advanta Foundation exclusively awards grants to children’s causes and the committee felt that military children were extremely deserving of support. We are delighted to be a part of Unit Families Days and look forward to the voyage of this new partnership.”
And in a very special twist of fate, it turns out that Advanta’s Chief Commercial Officer, Mark Pearson, has his own very personal connection with the Royal Marines Family. His grandfather, Walter Pearson, enlisted with the Royal Marines in 1906 at the age of 16 as a Band Boy Bugler and Mark fondly remembers his grandmother’s stories of ‘far away places across the world where the band performed – lots of exotic sounding places to the eager ears of children aged 6-10!’
Awards’ presentation

Members of our Health & Wellbeing team visited Admiralty House in Portsmouth to attend a presentation by Vice Admiral Martin Connell, Second Sea Lord & Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, to 45+ personnel in the Royal Navy/Royal Marines.
The commendations were awarded for their work during the Covid/Op Rescript period when supporting frontline NHS clinical and logistical workers, and also for the part they played in the late Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.
The recipients were there along with their families, giving our team the opportunity to engage with them about the work we do, as well as speaking with the Second Sea Lord who was interested to hear firsthand about the Charity’s scope of work and service delivery.
Pictured above are John Reed and Vivienne Laing from our Health & Wellbeing team with members of The Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Commando Training Centre Royal Marines.
Veteran Games 2023

The 14 former serving Royal Marines and their families nominated by RMA – The Royal Marines Charity to attend the 2023 Veteran Games that were held over five days in Tel Aviv were given “the most fantastic welcome”. Our beneficiaries competed in many different sporting activities during their time in Israel and the positive feedback received was that the event was “truly inspirational”.
We were delighted to hear, too, from one of our readers, Steve, who proudly wrote to tell us that his son had won two gold medals and was part of the water polo team that won bronze. He said: “It’s really helped his rehabilitation after losing his leg on selection for the Special Boat Service.”
The Veteran Games recognise the fundamental role played by sport and family in supporting the ongoing recovery of veterans who have suffered physical and psychological challenges as a result of serving their country.
Our thanks to the generous hosts and event organisers, supporters, and many congratulations to all the competitors. Hoofing – you did us proud.
Flushed with success

Twelve teams, each consisting of four people, had a great time at last week’s clay shoot to raise funds for RMA-The Royal Marines Charity. The event was held at Purdey’s Royal Berkshire Shooting School, drawing teams from as far afield as Devon, Kent, Essex, Surrey, Sussex, London and Scotland.
The shooting was initially over nine individual stands, following which each team took part in a 4-man, team ‘flush’, of 100 clays. In total more than 4,100 clays were hit during the day!
Over a Champagne Reception and three-course lunch, guests heard all about the charity’s work from Director of Development, Tom Wilson, and Transition Support Officer North (and Scotland, Northern Ireland) and former serving Royal Marine, ‘Baz’ Barrett: with musical entertainment provided by The RM Band Service with traditional Mess Beatings.
The day was a great success and the lively Auction, ably led by Dylan Williams, raised an incredible £22,000 in funds to support our beneficiaries.
We thank most sincerely all those who supported through their attendance and for their generous donations, as well as our sponsors – Browning and Inchcape Jaguar Land Rover, and our hosts for the day, James Purdey and Sons.
Up hill and down dale

Gerrad Buckley, ultra-fit and enthusiastic supporter of RMA – The Royal Marines Charity, was part of the large group that included many fellow Bootnecks which tackled the demanding ‘Rustman 5 Achna Carry On Over the Hill’ at the weekend. It’s so named to represent ‘the creaky knees and aching limbs of athletes of a certain age’ and is, in essence, an event where people choose to cross from one side of Scotland to the other in a day – by bike, yomp and swim. The group started out at 0400 on Saturday and finished at 0200 on Sunday morning!
“We had such an incredible time albeit having to make a few adjustments to the plans on the fly!”, reports Gerrad. “But we managed to swim Loch Linnhe, summit ‘The Ben’ (Ben Nevis) as a group and split into our walk off and run off teams – quite a logistical challenge – and managing to roll through the gates of Condor Barracks together! We had incredible people in the group including one suffering with Parkinson’s at 67 who still carries on regardless.
45 CDO bent over backwards to accommodate all our needs even feeding us at an ungodly hour showing the civvies in the group a little insight into the Corps spirit!”
What a phenomenal feat of endurance – and they are also close to having raised an amazing £5k (inc Gift Aid) to support RMA – The Royal Marines Charity! A massive shout out and enormous thanks to all who took part.
Crack shots

Twelve guests took part in Woodland Shot 23 the Sniper and Close Quarter Battle (CQB) Experience at Royal Marines CONDOR in Arbroath This unique opportunity was offered as a prize at the Charity’s annual Guildhall Dinner Charity Auction last year, giving participants the chance to engage with elite Royal Marines sniper team. Each was embedded into a fully trained team of Royal Marines to simulate a hostage rescue situation with ‘grow-up paint-balling’, before moving into ‘the field’ to learn basic fieldcraft, camouflage and concealment and patrolling drills, concluding with a night Close Target Reconnaissance (CTR) using Night Vision Optics.
As part of the feedback received, one guest wrote: “It was a pleasure spending time with everyone involved including the sniper team at 45 Commando. I am in awe of their spirit, knowledge, expertise, commitment, and willingness to share it all with the other guests and me. I am happy to have had the opportunity to support such a worthy cause and see first-hand the type of individuals it supports.”
Tee’d off with Commandos

The sixth annual West Country 100 Day held at Exeter Golf and Country Club was organised by the West Country 100 together with the Royal Marines Association Golf Society. The sold-out event this year attracted a record 140 golfers, raising over £20,000 for RMA – The Royal Marines Charity. An absolutely magnificent amount and we are incredibly grateful for all the hard work each year that goes into making this such a successful event.
The format was Better Ball playing in pairs, and those not in a pair or four were quickly paired up. Teams of two were made up of WC 100 members as well as Serving, former serving Royal Marines Commandos and Charity supporters, many of whom had travelled from as far away as Wales and Kent.
Paul Denning, West Country 100 director and RMA – The Royal Marines Charity trustee (pictured left with wife, Jules and Danny Egan, RMA – The Royal Marines Charity Director of Health & Wellbeing), said: “We had exceptionally wonderful weather and were delighted with the enthusiastic and generous support received. The annual Golf Day has become extremely popular and we’re already confirming bookings for next year – 6th June 2024.”
Formidable family of fundraisers

The Briggs family from Wales has smashed it – and last weekend, they finished conquering the last of three of the UKs toughest physical challenges that pushed them to their physical limits while raising a whopping £3,000 for RMA – The Royal Marines Charity!
We’ve already told you about son Dyllan, who started the ball rolling. He has been a Royal Marines Commando for almost three years and is currently based in Plymouth. He did the Plymouth half marathon last month in 1h57m with a 30lb day sack on his back: and mum Wendy, who ran the London Marathon in a personal best time of 4h 53m; and last but definitely not least, dad Doug last weekend completed the gruelling Welsh 3,000s.
This is one of the toughest mountain challenges in the UK, summiting all 15 peaks over 3,000 feet in Snowdonia National Park within 24 hours, covering around 50km and 3,800m of climbing. He set off at 0400 to first summit Crib Goch – and the last, 14hr 23m later being Foel Frais.
Wendy said: “We are a competitive family and enjoy taking on new challenges for good causes and this year, Team Briggs decided to push the boundaries by taking on three individual challenges – with Jayden as our youngest team supporter to cheer us all on.
As a family we know the RMA is such a worthwhile cause for the Royal Marines and have been determined to do as much as we can as a family to support and uphold the Commando Spirit in all the challenges we’ve done. It’s been awesome!”
Our huge thanks to an exceptional family.
Insert photo: Doug came across this faded memorial stone to a ‘Scotty Hughes’ on Foel Grach decorated with the RM crest.
Homeless alone

Paul Goodman took to living rough on the streets of Cumbria over the last Bank Holiday weekend to raise awareness of the number of ex-military veterans who are today, homeless – and fundraise for our Charity. Paul went through Commando basic training in 1993. and today, teaches cadets at The Royal Marines Keighley Detachment in Yorkshire.
“I took a Bergen with just a blanket, bottles of water and five, £1 coins so I wasn’t asking the public for handouts for food during the exercise,” he said. “I slept in sheltered areas such as doorways, bus stops and derelict rural buildings.”
The Royal British Legion estimated in 2020 that there were up to 4,000 homeless veterans in the UK, and our own Health & Wellbeing team reports an increase in referrals over the past few months where personal situations pose the threat of possible homelessness.
Huge thanks to Paul for highlighting this serious issue and for raising over £500 for RMA – The Royal Marines Charity while doing so.
Remembering the ‘Magnificent 7’

Many congrats and huge thanks to the wonderful ‘Magnificent 7 Team’ of families and friends who, as reported last week, re-united for their 11th annual anniversary yomp to remember the 42 Cdo Magnificent Seven.
These were the seven Serving Royal Marines from 42 Commando who tragically lost their lives in Afghanistan on Operation Herrick 14 in 2011, and which impacted many others to this day with the life-changing injuries sustained.
The yomp raised well over £1,600 (inc Gift Aid) to support the work of RMA – The Royal Marines Charity in offering life-long support to the Corps Family. Forever grateful.