34 NAVY NEWS, MAY 2007
The Royal Navy writes on the issues affecting you
RN regional HQs are
New seat of
learning for
RNPT team
launched
personnel
is out on
instructors
IT IS, so we’re told, the little
the road
things in life which make the
FOUR new regional
activities of the Naval Regional difference.
headquarters have begun
Commanders, the former Director A few sweets, a Val Doonican
DATES and details of the RN
to play a central role in
of Naval Recruiting Field Force, stool and a music stand, a re-shuffle
Presentation Team’s events for
with the Royal Naval and Royal of desks and hey presto, learning to
achieving Royal Navy
May, June and July are:
Marines Reservist teams in their be a writer is more fun.
recruiting targets and
regions. There is, of course, more to
marina Tuesday May 1: HQS
Wellington, Temple Stairs, Victoria
increasing awareness of the
The new regional RNHQs are it than that, but at heart small
now responsible for:
Embankment, Westminster;
senior service across the
tweaks have made a big difference
Recruiting over 3,000 new marina to tomorrow’s personnel branch.
UK from April 1. personnel for the RN and nearly Eighteen months ago, when
marina Tuesday May 8: Hotel Victoria,
Kirkley Cliff, Lowestoft;
The four regional Royal
2,000 new RM Commandos over WO Paul Dunwell arrived at the
Navy Headquarters will be
the next 12 months across the UK; writers’ school at HMS Raleigh, a
marina Tuesday May 15: Brangwyn
Hall, The Guildhall, Swansea;
based at HMS Caledonia in
marina Arranging around 600 visits to quarter of all trainee writers didn’t
Wednesday May 30: Royal
Fife, HMS Eaglet in Liverpool,
ports and harbours across the UK make it to the end of the course.
marina
by RN and allied warships;
Hospital School, Holbrook,
HMS Flying Fox in Bristol and
Some switched to other
Raising Royal Navy profile by marina branches, but most simply left
Ipswich;
HMS President in London
commanding and co-ordinating the RN. They were, they told the
Wednesday June 6: Council
and are now responsible for around 3,500 naval personnel at
warrant officer, bored by training.marina
House, College Green, Bristol;
all Royal Navy and Royal regular and reservist establishments When the Navy needs more
Marines recruiting, profile,
across the UK regions – than 80 new writers, or Logs(Pers)
marina Thursday June 7: Assembly
Rooms, Bennett Street, Bath;
marketing and ships visits in
participating in everything from – Logisticians (Personnel) – as
their respective regions.
visiting schools or community they are now, each year, you can’t
marina Tuesday June 12: Imperial
Hotel, The Promenade,
This is a key part of a new
groups to attending Remembrance afford to lose nearly 20 of them.
Llandudno;
coherent approach to delivering
events, or encouraging visitors to On one course, five of 12 trainees
Royal Navy business in the UK
attend important Royal Navy ship asked to drop out on Day One.
marina Wednesday June 13: Prichard
regions outside of the three
visits and other events; So how do you make learning
Jones Hall, College Rd, Bangor;
naval bases and other fleet
Supporting a new regional marina fun – or at least more interesting?
Wednesday June 20: Best marina
establishments.
training structure for the Royal Officially, it’s called neuro-
Western Parkway Hotel, Cwmbran The new HQs aims to improve
Naval Reserve and Royal Marines linguistic programming. Or, put
Drive, Cwmbran; the co-ordination and efficiency
at each regional RNHQ by carrying simply, it’s about tricking people
of Royal Navy activity across the
out Naval General Training into learning without realising it.
marina Thursday June 21: Bridges
Community Centre, Drybridge
region by bringing together the
(including fitness), Command, Hence the Val Doonican stool
Leadership and Management (he was an Irish singer in the 70s
House, Drybridge Park, training and staff training. They with a penchant for cardigans – Ed).● At Clifton Bridge in Bristol
Monmouth;
(top picture, from left) Cdr Jos will also co-ordinate branch and Traditionally, classrooms at the
Wednesday June 27: Village
Binns, Deputy, South West specialisation training (including Logistics School were laid out
marina
Hotel and Leisure Club, Dolomite
Area Sea Cadet Corps; Cdr new entries and young officers). like, er, traditional classrooms.
Jerry Betteridge, Recruiting Rear Admiral Tony Johnstone- Rows of desks, plastic chairs, and
Avenue, Coventry Business Park,
Commander; Cdre Jamie Miller, Burt, Flag Officer Scotland, an instructor behind a lectern.
Coventry.
Naval Regional Commander Northern England and Northern All rather imposing. So out
Wednesday July 4: Bolholt marina
Wales and West of England; Cdr Ireland and Flag Officer Reserves, went the lectern, replaced by a
County Park Hotel, Walshaw Colin Beadon, Commanding who commands the four Naval music stand. The instructor sits on
Road, Bury;
Officer RMR Bristol; Lt Cdr Regional Commanders, said: “This a stool, or wanders around. The
Jonathan Lee, Executive is an exciting development for the desks are now in clusters of three.
marina Thursday July 5: Royal
Clifton Hotel, The Promenade,
Officer, HMS Flying Fox Royal Navy across the UK.
It’s not rocket science, but
Southport
“By bringing together a
;
it’s working. Nine out of ten
● At the Liver Building on
number of different parts of our
marina Thursday July 12: Banqueting
Merseyside (above, from left):
trainee writers now com-
organisation in this way for the
Suite, Victoria Square, Lt Col John Davies RM, CO
plete the course.
first time, we aim to build on
Birmingham. RMR Merseyside; Cdre John the great affection in which the
“Back in the 1980s, when I was
Anyone wanting to book a Madgwick, Naval Regional Royal Navy is held by the British
trained, there was one method of
place at a presentation, or seek- Commander Northern England; public by demonstrating to them
instruction whether it suited your
ing details, should contact the Lt Cdr Ramsay Lunn, Regional in a practical and local way that
learning style or not,” recalled WO
RNPT on 020 8833 8020, or Recruiting Officer; Cdr Simon the Royal Navy is still one of the
Dunwell.
email rnpt@gtnet.gov.uk Ryan RNR, CO HMS Eaglet world’s elite forces.”
And even further back writers
were expected to know Latin,
New agency has a
● Above at Tower Bridge in
German, French and maths. They
London (from left): Lt Cdr Mark
were also expected to know ‘basic’
Selway, Regional Recruiting
geography, such as plotting the
Manager; MEM David Farrell,
route of the Trans-Siberia Railway.
joined-up approach
HMS President; Cdre Jim
A century on, the course is
Patrick, Naval Regional
by no means ‘touchy feely’. Nor
Commander Eastern England;
does it feature the Trans-Siberia
Cpl Eddie Sheerin, RMR
Railway (shame – Ed).
THE MOD has formally launched Personnel Administration Agency
But it does explain ‘the reason
a new Agency aimed at improving and the Veterans agency, and will
● At the Forth Bridge at
why’. Showing trainees the potential
personnel, pensions, welfare and provide a range of ‘through-life’
Edinburgh (picture on right,
fruits of their labours is part-and-
support services to members of personnel services.
from left) Cdr Nick Stenhouse,
parcel of the 16-week course.
the Armed Forces and veterans. The responsibility for all
CO HMS Caledonia; Lt Col
They spend time on a ship,
The Service Personnel and pension provision, whether war
Jerry Burnell, Chief of Staff/
visit the UPO at HMS Drake
Veterans Agency (SPVA) was pension or Armed Forces pension,
Staff Officer Recruiting; Cdre
across the water, and they act out
launched by Under Secretary of will now fall under the direct
Charles Stevenson, Naval
appearing at the captain’s table.
State for Defence and Veterans control of the SPVA, reducing
Regional Commander, Scotland
The important thing, says
Minister, Derek Twigg, at the risk of omitting or duplicating
and Northern Ireland; Lt Cdr
WO Dunwell, is to ensure “that
Centurion Building in Gosport. information and providing, for
Lisa Nelson, Executive Officer
learning is interesting, stimulating.
The SPVA is the result of a the first time, a truly ‘joined up’
HMS Scotia; Lt Cdr Ewan
Most people who leave the course
merger between the Armed Forces pension service
Wharrie, Regional Recruiting
now leave because of issues other
Officer Scotland
Navy visits Mumbles
than writing.”
So where do the sweets come in?
That’s a lesson from experience.
The school has a mock UPO
MUMBLES Community provided by The Matthew, a used for training and for exams.
Council’s fifth Navy Days is replica of the ship which John “Simple things are ideal for
staged this month – and the South Cabot sailed on exploratory
Isle of Man back on the radar
‘customer care’ such as offering
Wales authority promises it will be
voyages in the 15th century.
FOR the first time in over 50 years the Isle of Mrs Una Johnson, the honorary Naval Liaison
someone a sweet to break the ice,”
bigger and better than ever.
Subject to operational
Man once again appears in official Royal Navy Officer responsible for organising, among other
WO Dunwell explained.
As Navy News went to press, the
requirements, there will also be a
branding and will play a key role in RN regional things, all ship visits to the island.
If only all life’s problems could
three-day event had lined up two
display by Army helicopters.
business in the UK. An unpaid volunteer, she was honoured last
be solved by a toffee…
Royal Navy ships and a replica
Navy Days will take place at
The new Regional RN HQ at Brunswick Dock year with an MBE for over 30 years dedicated
sailing vessel as star attractions.
various locations on the Mumbles
in Liverpool will assume responsibility for all service to the role.
River-class patrol ship HMS
sea front, particularly Southend
Diverse route
Royal Navy and Royal Marines recruiting, Cdre Madgwick said: “This is an exciting
Tyne is due to take a break from
Gardens, the Boat Park and Knab
profile, marketing and ship visits in northern development for the Royal Navy both in the
EVENTS which raise awareness
Rock, between 10am and 6pm on
fishery protection duties, while
England and the Isle of Man. Isle of Man and across the rest of the UK.
of diversity and equality issues are
Saturday, Sunday and Monday
Archer-class patrol boat HMS
Although the island continues to enjoy strong “Our work in Northern England and the Isle of
being staged at RN establishments.
May 26-28.
Exploit is expected to make the
links with the Senior Service through ship Man in this regard is all the more vital as we do
dblearning, in association with
short trip from Penarth.
affiliations, such as Sandown-class minehunter not have a regular Royal Navy establishment in
the Garnett Foundation, will be at
It’s your 2.6
HMS Ramsey and Vanguard-class submarine this region, but very much rely on our part-time
HMS Collingwood (May 1, HMS
The historic dimension is
HMS Vigilant, affiliated to Douglas, this is the comrades in the Royal Naval and Royal Marine
Nelson (May 2), HMS Drake
first time that the Isle of Man has been officially Reserves.”
(May 9), HMS Raleigh (May 10)
NEED to get your message
mentioned in regional RN business since it was The RN’s Northern England region comprises
and HMS Neptune (May 14).
across to the rest of the RN?
HQ of the junior wing of the RM Band Service Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham,
To book a place contact CPO
To feature in 2-6 contact Lt
during World War 2. North, West and South Yorkshire, East Riding,
Kev Fudge on 93832 5889 (kev.
Cdr Dave Joyce at Fleet Media
The Naval Regional Commander for Northern Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater
fudge633@mod.uk) or, for HMS
Ops on 93832 8809 or Lt Cdr
England and the Isle of Man, Cdre John Manchester, Cheshire… and, of course, the
Drake only, Tania Milburn on
‘Aj’ Ajala at DPR(N) on 9621
Madgwick, will be supported on the island by Isle of Man.
9375 67891 (DLO-alda Milburn
85984. T Mrs)
The Royal Navy writes on the issues affecting you
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