Royal Navy: HMS Sultan sailors clean wargraves and support schoolchildren as part of Inset day

With a development day scheduled for instructors, around 200 trainees from the Defence College of Technical Training’s Defence School of Marine Engineering, and Royal Naval Air Engineering and Survival Equipment School broke off into groups in support of several projects.

Four groups, including some of the bases’ contracted staff, took part in the Royal Navy ‘1 Tonne Challenge’ which involved removing a tonne of litter from the shores, rivers, local areas heading from Sultan to destinations including Alver Valley, cycle paths towards the Gosport Ferry, Stokes Bay and the area surrounding fellow RN establishment, the Institute of Naval Medicine.

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Meanwhile Physical Training Instructors visited Gomer Junior School leading them through activities including bucketball and cricket. They also described what their lives were like in the navy.

Georgina Mulhall, executive headteacher, said: ‘Jamie Stickley (Chief Physical Trainer Instructor) came to a sports day and recognised how important sport is to the children and school. It was a good opportunity for the children to mix with different sports leaders and living in a military, and for them to see all the different roles available in the Royal Navy and options for them if they are interested in joining.

Year 6 pupil Blake said ‘it was really good playing cricket today’, with year 4 pupil Ethan adding: ‘This is so good, it’s lots of fun.’

At the Gosport and Fareham Community Hub, Brune Park School trainees worked with Hub to build new plants and bedding areas. Lesley Ure, community lead for Gosport and Fareham Community Hub, said it was ‘amazing’ to have the sailors’ support.

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Sixth Gosport (Rowner) Air Scout Group trainees painted and maintained the inside and outside of their headquarters, with personnel assisting Gosport Scouts at Phoenix Hall with their regeneration project – clearing away years of vegetation and debris. Military personnel also helped preserve the memory of the fallen by cleaning Commonwealth War Graves at St Ann’s Hill Cemetery.

Warrant Officer Daniel Castle, HMS Sultan Base Warrant Officer, said: ‘The Inset Day has provided a fantastic opportunity to represent HMS Sultan and contribute to our local community and to demonstrate the human side of the Royal Navy.’