On Saturday 22nd July the Lord Lieutenant of Bristol, Mrs Peaches Golding OBE, attended a flag raising ceremony at HMS Flying Fox to mark the move of Royal Marines Reserve (RMR) Bristol to the base, from their long-time home at Dorset House.
The Lord Lieutenant, who is also an Honorary Captain for the Royal Naval Reserve, greeted members of RMR Bristol prior to the flag raising ceremony.
The move of RMR Bristol to HMS Flying Fox, signifies the unification of the Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marines Reserve, Bristol University Royal Naval Unit and the Sea Cadets on a single site.
The event was also marked by the signing of the Armed Forces Covenant by Robert Blake School. The Covenant was signed on behalf of the school by Headteacher Miss Deb Loveridge, and countersigned by Commodore Mel Robinson CBE ADC (Commander Maritime Reserves).
In signing the Covenant, the school has pledged to support members of the Armed Forces community. They have also pledged to support employees who are members of the Reserve Forces, by giving additional paid/unpaid leave for training and supporting mobilisation or deployment.
Regional Employer Engagement Director, Jon Beake, said about the signing: “It’s superb to have a school signing and supporting a teacher in the Reserves – an employment area that has caused challenges in the past.”
The school is the latest in a long line of both small and large organisations from across the region who have pledged their support since the launch of the Covenant in 2011. The Armed Forces Covenant is a pledge made by businesses and organisations to acknowledge the value of veterans and service personnel and their contributions to society.
