The Watch Ashore
National Chairman – Chris Rankin
Vice-Chairman – Sue Williams
Hon-General Treasurer – Helen Rendle
Hon-General Secretary – Suzanne Spencer
Newsletter December 2015
For those of you who did not manage to attend the AGM earlier this year in York we had a great time catching up with everyone, renewing old acquaintances and making new ones. The Executive committee has been working hard to plan our 2016 AGM in Bristol May 20-22 at The Radisson Blu Hotel. We have tried to vary the programme a little but all the favourites are still there starting with a social evening in the hotel on Friday evening, a less formal evening meal on the Saturday and a short outing on the Sunday allowing time to travel home for those not wishing to stay an extra night. I was delighted to receive an invitation to lay a wreath at Trinity Gardens on MN day along with June Ellett and this year we were honoured to receive an invitation to go into Trinity House prior to the event, a beautiful venue. Several ladies attended the St Paul's Cathedral Seafarers Service and afterwards I was delighted to be invited to join the London ladies for supper on board HQS Wellington.
The volunteers running our web site and Facebook page have had some additional training in Southampton and were the first to support the MNA when they were raising awareness that the MN veterans’ invitations had been curtailed at this year's service! I would encourage you all to look at the website, www.watchashore.org.uk and also send in your stories so that they can be added to our site.
Hull Maritime Museum is going to put on a temporary exhibition which will run from February to June 2016. The theme is life saving and they will also give examples of organisations that work towards improving safety and would like to include the Watch Ashore as one of these organisations (with one of our chains of office displayed in a case). Does anyone recall a campaign to introduce radar in all the Merchant Navy around 1952 (which is one example of our activities to improve safety)? Please give me a call if you have any information I can pass on.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Ina for all her efforts with the website – she has certainly been able to reach out to several new wives and partners who have since joined us on the social media sites, and also joined branches. Additionally my thanks to Judy for once again compiling this newsletter.
I wish you all a joyous and peaceful new year.
Chris Rankin
National Chairman