Edition 92
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.
Firstly, an important DIARY NOTE: as from next week, this newsletter will instead be with you on THURSDAY AFTERNOONS (no longer on a Wednesday) – we trust you won’t mind the extra day’s wait!
There will, as always, continue to be lots of news to share with you – such as the official launch this week of RM360, marking the 360th anniversary of our fantastic Royal Marines; and the many wild and wonderful ways in which we work together in making it possible to offer much-deserved, life-long support to the Royal Marines Family.
Thank you as always for your valued support.
Yesterday (19th March 2024) marked the 21st anniversary of the start of Operation Telic. It was the codename for the British military mission in Iraq, beginning in 2003 and officially coming to an end in May 2011.
We remember all those who served and died during Operation Telic. Lest we forget.
Paying their Dues
Royal Marines were last week honoured to play the lead role in the ‘Ceremony of the Dues’, an ancient tradition dating back to the 14th century when naval ships passing into London were ordered to pay a levy to the Constable of the Tower of London.
The historic ceremony, that this year also marked the official launch of the Corps’ RM360 anniversary celebrations, started with Royal Marines powering along the River Thames from HMS President in three raiding craft to the Tower of London carrying their ‘Dues’ (a barrel of port) for the Constable of the Tower. Fittingly, this is retired senior Royal Marine and also Patron of RMA – The Royal Marines Charity, General Sir Gordon Messenger.
Royal Navy News reports ‘A Commando Merlin helicopter from 845 Naval Air Squadron carried out a fly past and Royal Marines Commandos, past and present, gathered at the Tower to mark the occasion, along with Commandant General Royal Marines, General Gwyn Jenkins, overseeing events.
Gen Jenkins said: “To be afforded the opportunity to enact this unique ceremony on our 360th anniversary is a tremendous honour.
What you have seen today is the combination of tradition that speaks to our core ethos and values, alongside the adaptability and professionalism of the modern commando force who will continue this legacy into the future.”
A Forces Network (British Forces Broadcasting Service) video filmed during the ‘Ceremony of the Dues’ can also be viewed via the button below.
Photo top left: Royal Navy
Community Power
Zoe Darnbrough, RMA – The Royal Marines Charity’s Head of Employment & Education headed to Somerset at the weekend to take part in the GenDit Network (GDN).
Over 500 people walked through the doors of The Veterans Growth event in Bristol, that this year shone a light on the veteran professionals that are ‘out there doing unbelievable things’.
GDN’s mission is to create a welcome environment so that every attendee (service leavers, veterans and businesses) can maximise the benefit and value from the opportunities available.
This is a big year for the network with the launch of a new Community Directory website that will collate, list and highlight all the companies, people, organisations and charities that can offer something to the military and veteran space.
The overall feedback from the day was that GDN events are proving hugely valuable – they are not simply out-and out-recruitment fairs, or just for networking, but work to truly connect a very special community.
Zoe is pictured above with Steve Thornton of Forces Cars Direct, with which RMA – The Royal Marines charity has a Memorandum of Understanding.
JOGLE-ers on track
We are thrilled to bring you an update on former serving Royal Marine and RMA Honorary Chaplain, the Rev’d Justin Montague, and his wife, Melissa who are making fantastic progress as they continue to run steadily towards Land’s End, having left John O’Groats in Scotland on 8th March.
These two awesome athletes are running the equivalent of approximately two marathons a day in their attempt to cover the 850+mile JOGLE (John O’Groats to Land’s End) and reach the westernmost point of the UK by 24th March – Palm Sunday.
Rev’d Justin trained as a Church of England priest after medical discharge from the Royal Marines in 2016, having suffered significant illness and injury following a tour of Afghanistan, and after several years undergoing rehabilitation with Hasler Company RM.
He is now the popular vicar of two East Devon coastal parishes, and getting ever closer to realising his “lifelong dream that a few years’ ago seemed simply impossible”.
Justin and Melissa are fundraising for RMA – The Royal Marines Charity and three other charities with their total to date being close to £4,500 (including Gift Aid)! Gen hoofing!
Two years’ ago, Ben Felton (top left) from Essex – an instructor with the Royal Marines Cadets – took on the RM Commando Tests to raise funds for RMA – The Royal Marines Charity and, with help from former RM friends, passed them in RM qualifying times. “Now, I want to continue raising money for this fabulous charity and support those who have served,” he says.
And so on Friday (22nd March) he will do just that with his ambitious and awe-inspiring ‘Civvy Commando’ challenge – scaling three Welsh mountains all in one day! This will involve scaling Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and completing the Snowdon Horseshoe, before crossing over to climb the peaks of Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach, carrying standard Commando training weight of 32lb, all the time aiming to move as fast as he can. BZ. You can support Ben here.
It is going to be a busy weekend, too, for Serving Royal Marine Sam Driver (bottom right) who is also setting out to achieve a lifetime goal – to complete an ultra-marathon. On Sunday (24th March), he’ll be taking part in the ‘The Pierrepont Plod’ in Nottingham to raise funds for a local hospice in memory of his grandparents and also for RMA – The Royal Marines Charity. You can support Sam here.
Shopping Corner
Don’t miss out on one of the bear necessities of life! This cute 30.5cm-high light brown coloured bear comes complete with white RMA – The Royal Marines Charity t-shirt.
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.