East Anglia RFCA’s Paul Bishop and Kristina Carrington joined local employers and association members on HMS Trumpeter.
Head of Engagement at East Anglia RFCA, Paul Bishop, said: “It was a really interesting trip, which gave everyone a real insight into the capability of the vessel and the daily routines of its crew.”
Captain Dave Vail even ran a ‘man-overboard’ exercise for the assembled guests. On this special arranged trip, the group of local employers, East Anglia RFCA staff and members, went from Haven Marina in Ipswich down the Orwell and River Stour on Tuesday the 10th March.
Representatives from local businesses Douglas Thornton (Essex), Dunster House (Bedfordshire), JDR Cables (Suffolk), Mediterranean Shipping Company (Suffolk) and Rose Builders (Essex) all took part.
“Thank you very much for such a fabulous day on the HMS Trumpeter last week. It was so enjoyable to learn more about the Navy and to see the man-overboard activity,” said Maddy Houchell, People Resourcing Specialist at Mediterranean Shipping Company.
Members of the East Anglia RFCA, Chris Bushby, Ivor Bartram, Andy Rayment, who lead our Employer Engagement groups in their respective counties and help shape our engagement strategy, were also on board along with association vice-chair John Chandler.
Ivor Bartram said: “Thanks very much for including me in the visit to Trumpeter. I found it very instructive and interesting and it was the first time that I had been to sea in a Royal Navy Ship. An excellent end to my time as Chairman of the RFCA’s employer engagement group in Norfolk.”
Kristina Carrington is the Employer Engagement Director at East Anglia RFCA. She is responsible for raising awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant amongst employers in the region. She said: “We were very privileged to have access to the Royal Navy vessel, experiencing, albeit for a very short period of time, how they live and work in the confines of the ship. A totally immersive experience with lunch riding the waves!”
HMS Trumpeter is an Archer-class patrol vessel attached to the Cambridge University Royal Naval Unit. The unit exists to provide officer cadets with the skills and attributes they need if they wish to pursue a career in the Royal Navy, or to build their CV for other future employment, or just for the fun of it.
The Commanding Officer, Lt Ian Woodward RN, has made it easier to join the unit. Ian said: “We don’t just invite people to join up during Fresher’s week, because it can be an overwhelming time. We’ve found people are keen to join later in the academic year, once things have settled down.”
HMS Trumpeter also takes part in a variety of fleet tasking from coastal patrols in UK waters to Royal Navy exercises across Europe and beyond. Visit the Cambridge University Royal Naval Unit to find out more about the opportunities for undergraduates.