THE Royal Navy's amphibious assault ship HMS Bulwark will sail into the Tyne, bound for Northumbrian Quay, North Shields, on Thursday, December 4, for an extremely busy four-day visit.
Among many activities, the ship, which enjoys close ties with County Durham, will host a reception for 380 invited guests, as well as a carol concert on board, helping to kick off the festive season in style.
The carol concert is being hosted by the Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Nicolas Thomas Wright, on board Bulwark and the Commanding Officer, Captain Wayne Keble.
It will be jointly conducted by the ship's chaplain Mike Hills and Canon Jon Bell, Senior Chaplain to Durham Diocese. And the Durham Singers will be on hand to ensure sweet music throughout. A perfect opportunity for the crew and guests to truly enjoy some Christmas spirit
In addition to these two large events, members of the ship's company will be involved in a vast range of activities, from visits to schools and other affiliated organisations within the Durham area, to sporting fixtures – including rugby, golf, netball and men's and ladies' soccer.
Amazingly, too, the crew will also find time to welcome the people of Durham, Northumbria, Sunderland and Tyneside aboard with a ship open to visitors event on the Sunday (December 7) from 11am-3.30pm.
This is a chance for visitors to meet the ship's crew and learn more about life on the ocean waves and what it is like to live and work on board a warship. Admission is free.
And many young people and community organisations will also benefit from the visit, with a number of different visits and tours planned.
These include catering students from New College Durham heading on board to get experience of on-board cooking and service in the ship's galley and wardroom; a Marines Awareness Day with the Royal Marines Commando Display Team for students from New College Durham, Tyneside Metropolitan College and South Tyneside College; a guided tour for local ethnic community leaders; and a football match between the ship and Consett YMCA.
Affiliation visits are considered extremely important, as they anchor the ship in her twinned community and it allows the people of that area, as well as the ship's company, to maintain a close relationship.
Numbered among the ship's affiliations are Durham County, the Bishop of Durham, Forest of Teesdale Primary School, Trinity School (Durham), Harbour Lodge Care Home (Durham), Aycliffe Young Offenders Institute (Durham), Giggleswick School Combined Cadet Force (North Yorkshire) and Bishop Auckland Hospital.
In the middle of the pacy programme, the ship's company will also be reunited with 12 of its number, who return after several days on the road on two wheels – the dozen generous members of the crew have cycled the 495 miles from Plymouth (the ship's home port) to Durham to raise cash for Help for Heroes and the ship's other affiliated charities.
And the ship's company, including the commanding officer, will undertake a treadmill run to raise more charity funds, aiming to complete 192 miles – equivalent to running the entire border of the County of Durham.
Commanding Officer of HMS Bulwark, Captain Wayne Keble said: "We really are looking forward to this visit.
"It's an action-packed four days and there are opportunities for every single member of the crew to get involved with some aspect of the visit.
"All visits are enjoyable, but one to a ship's affiliated area is doubly so – and we are very lucky to be affiliated to an area which has shown great pride in HMS Bulwark and has always extended hospitality which is second to none.
"We look forward to being able to reaffirm the ties which Bulwark and the Navy has with England's north east and I am, in particular, looking forward to the chance to welcome visitors on board this fine ship."
HMS Bulwark is 176 metres long and is one of the Royal Navy's largest ships. She is designed as an amphibious troop carrier; her regular ship's complement of some 320 crew can swell to more than 1,000 with Royal Marines troops embarked to full capacity.
Capable of embarking, transporting, deploying, sustaining and recovering troops with their equipment and vehicles, she is also an afloat command platform, fitted with the most modern combat support system.
With organic landing craft and an embarked squadron of Royal Marines, HMS Bulwark is a highly versatile platform able to operate across the full spectrum of defence activities in support of joint expeditionary operations.
The carol concert is being hosted by the Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Nicolas Thomas Wright, on board Bulwark and the Commanding Officer, Captain Wayne Keble.
It will be jointly conducted by the ship's chaplain Mike Hills and Canon Jon Bell, Senior Chaplain to Durham Diocese. And the Durham Singers will be on hand to ensure sweet music throughout. A perfect opportunity for the crew and guests to truly enjoy some Christmas spirit
In addition to these two large events, members of the ship's company will be involved in a vast range of activities, from visits to schools and other affiliated organisations within the Durham area, to sporting fixtures – including rugby, golf, netball and men's and ladies' soccer.
Amazingly, too, the crew will also find time to welcome the people of Durham, Northumbria, Sunderland and Tyneside aboard with a ship open to visitors event on the Sunday (December 7) from 11am-3.30pm.
This is a chance for visitors to meet the ship's crew and learn more about life on the ocean waves and what it is like to live and work on board a warship. Admission is free.
And many young people and community organisations will also benefit from the visit, with a number of different visits and tours planned.
These include catering students from New College Durham heading on board to get experience of on-board cooking and service in the ship's galley and wardroom; a Marines Awareness Day with the Royal Marines Commando Display Team for students from New College Durham, Tyneside Metropolitan College and South Tyneside College; a guided tour for local ethnic community leaders; and a football match between the ship and Consett YMCA.
Affiliation visits are considered extremely important, as they anchor the ship in her twinned community and it allows the people of that area, as well as the ship's company, to maintain a close relationship.
Numbered among the ship's affiliations are Durham County, the Bishop of Durham, Forest of Teesdale Primary School, Trinity School (Durham), Harbour Lodge Care Home (Durham), Aycliffe Young Offenders Institute (Durham), Giggleswick School Combined Cadet Force (North Yorkshire) and Bishop Auckland Hospital.
In the middle of the pacy programme, the ship's company will also be reunited with 12 of its number, who return after several days on the road on two wheels – the dozen generous members of the crew have cycled the 495 miles from Plymouth (the ship's home port) to Durham to raise cash for Help for Heroes and the ship's other affiliated charities.
And the ship's company, including the commanding officer, will undertake a treadmill run to raise more charity funds, aiming to complete 192 miles – equivalent to running the entire border of the County of Durham.
Commanding Officer of HMS Bulwark, Captain Wayne Keble said: "We really are looking forward to this visit.
"It's an action-packed four days and there are opportunities for every single member of the crew to get involved with some aspect of the visit.
"All visits are enjoyable, but one to a ship's affiliated area is doubly so – and we are very lucky to be affiliated to an area which has shown great pride in HMS Bulwark and has always extended hospitality which is second to none.
"We look forward to being able to reaffirm the ties which Bulwark and the Navy has with England's north east and I am, in particular, looking forward to the chance to welcome visitors on board this fine ship."
HMS Bulwark is 176 metres long and is one of the Royal Navy's largest ships. She is designed as an amphibious troop carrier; her regular ship's complement of some 320 crew can swell to more than 1,000 with Royal Marines troops embarked to full capacity.
Capable of embarking, transporting, deploying, sustaining and recovering troops with their equipment and vehicles, she is also an afloat command platform, fitted with the most modern combat support system.
With organic landing craft and an embarked squadron of Royal Marines, HMS Bulwark is a highly versatile platform able to operate across the full spectrum of defence activities in support of joint expeditionary operations.
No comments:
Post a Comment