Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity is excited to introduce Team RFA, the first Royal Fleet Auxiliary team to take part in Race Across the UK, an adventurous 4-day challenge event from Dartmouth to Inverness!
Sam, from Plymouth, and Tim, from Fleet, are taking on the challenge to raise funds and awareness for RNRMC, while showcasing the vital role of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and the people behind the service.
“We’re very pleased to say that we’re the first RFA team taking part in Race Across the UK, and who better to do it than with the Commodore of the Service leading from the front,” said Tim.
Sam shared the reason behind signing up:
“We both enjoy a challenge, we’re naturally competitive and we’ll be giving it our best effort to be among the first across the line. But more importantly, we want to raise awareness of RNRMC and the support it provides to our people and their families.”
The RFA is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the UK Ministry of Defence, providing essential logistical and operational support to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines worldwide. Its highly trained seafarers work to recognised international maritime standards and are fully integrated into military operations, supporting everything from combat and counter-piracy missions to humanitarian relief and emergency evacuations.
For Sam and Tim, supporting RNRMC is personal. During their careers, they have seen first-hand how the charity supports personnel serving at sea, including through sporting activities, social events and support for families at home.
“For those serving at sea, often thousands of miles away, that support can make a significant difference to life on board,” said Sam. “RNRMC also supported us with our 120-year celebration, which really helped boost morale. We wouldn’t have been able to do any of that without the support of the charity. Those memories, like the Garden Party, will stay with many people for years to come.”
The charity’s support also extends to families, helping maintain connections when loved ones are deployed overseas.
“I’ve done Storybook Waves when I was deployed in the Middle East,” said Tim. “My daughter was very young and I was away for six months. Being able to record a bedtime story in your own voice is a really nice way to maintain that link with a young child whilst separated.
“In the last two summers, they’ve also been doing sailing with the Royal Naval Sailing Association. My now nine-year-old and 11-year-old have had wonderful experiences, and they value the friendships they’ve made with other young people outside their normal school group.”
Sam and Tim also want to highlight that RNRMC’s support extends beyond serving personnel to veterans and families throughout their lives.
“What inspires us is really the gratitude for what RNRMC does for us as an organisation and the breadth of that support,” said Sam. “That includes crisis support, support following death in service and support available to families, which is phenomenal.”
Race Across the UK will test the team both physically and mentally, although they admit that part of the appeal is not knowing exactly what lies ahead.
“Physically, we’re probably not as fit as we’d like to be,” they joked. “But we’re used to dealing with pressure, solving problems and adapting to challenges. We’re looking forward to getting that first clue – that’s when the real effort begins! Part of the attraction is the anticipation and figuring out how best to proceed when we find out what we’re facing.”
The team is fundraising through professional networks, social media and industry contacts, with generous support already received. They hope their participation will encourage more people across the RFA and wider Naval Service community to support RNRMC.
“By taking on this challenge, we hope to set a precedent and use it as a springboard to get more people involved in charity events. Hopefully, by seeing us taking on something like this, people will stop and think about why we are doing it. It’s all about having the ability to give back and making our people and their families aware of all the support that is available to them,” said Sam.
“Even if I talk to one person and give a snippet about the charity, about what the Navy does and what the RFA is, I’ll take that as a win,” added Tim.
And their advice to anyone considering taking on their own challenge?
“Like the Nike advert from the 90s – just do it!”
