The Submarine Family officially launched at the Submarine service awards in the Hilton Glasgow on the 28thof may 22.
The organisation, which is an umbrella group of the Royal Navy Royal Marines Charity, aims to combine the values and framework of the RNRMC, Submariners Association, Friends of the Submarine Museum and We Remember Submariners in order to support our family, promote camaraderie and protect the heritage of submariners, retired submariners and their families.
During the launch, Cdre Perks the head of the submarine service said “Tonight is also a very special day for me and the SM service as I can formally announce something that has been in the pipework for a few years now. We have now established the Submarine Family. We have worked heavily with the RNRMC and their CEO who I’m delighted could join us tonight, Adrian Bell, to offer the SM service a bespoke entity under the RNRMC umbrella.
The SMF represents the first occasion when the different ‘charity family’ members from across the Submarine Community have aligned to enable the delivery of support to the submarine family under the umbrella of the RNRMC.”
The launch was announced on the evening of The Submarine Awards, a night dedicated to celebrating the achievements of our people, submarines and individuals whom contributed so much to ensuring we continue to deliver both on an operation front and on a personal level to our families.
HRH Prince William (Commodore and chief of the submarine service) thanked the service and the families for the last 12 months via video link. He commented on immensely proud he was to unveil the Submariners memorial at the national arboretum on the 18th of May; and he praised the resilience of our service people and their families in the face of adversity that not only deployments bring, but the uncertainty and unfamiliar territory that the pandemic played during our operations.
Cdre Perks added “With the help and expertise of the RNRMC and members of the Submarine Community, all submariners will benefit from the shared management of the SMF. Members will be able to apply for grants and support from both the RNRMC and SMF who in turn can access wider support from other Service Charities and organisations.
In addition to welfare support, the fund will also look to maintain the submarine ethos, maintain morale and provide a single focus for the development and preservation of Submarine Service heritage for the benefit of current, veteran as well as future generations of submariners and their families. “
Although in its infancy, The Submarine Family has already provided support to several projects both large and small. Joining TSF is completely free and more information is available on the website at www.submarinefamily.uk
