In 2020, The Royal Marines Club entered discussions with The Royal Marines Charity about the Club becoming a branch of The Royal Marines Association.
The trustees of The Royal Marines Club took the decision to stop operating as an independent charity to reduce overheads and work in a more integrated manner with The Royal Marines Charity.
From January 2021, The Royal Marines Club has been operating as a branch of The Royal Marines Association.
Priti Patel has today appointed a Clandestine Channel Threat Commander – a new role leading the UK’s response to tackling illegal attempts to reach the UK.
Together with the Home Secretary and Minister for Immigration Compliance, Dan O’Mahoney will have the primary responsibility of making the Channel route unviable for small boat crossings.
He will collaborate closely with the French to build on the joint work already underway, urgently exploring tougher action in France, including stronger enforcement measures and adopting interceptions at sea and the direct return of boats.
Last month a joint intelligence cell was established with France and joint investigations resulted in 11 more arrests.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said:
The number of illegal small boat crossings is appalling. We are working to make this route unviable and arresting the criminals facilitating these crossings and making sure they are brought to justice.
Dan’s appointment is vital to cutting this route by bringing together all operational partners in the UK and in France. This is a complex problem but across Government we are working to address many of these long-standing issues.
Dan O’Mahoney said:
This role is vitally important in the fight to end the heinous crime of people smuggling across the Channel.
I look forward to working closely with the Home Secretary and Minister for Immigration Compliance as well as with law enforcement bodies in the UK and France to bring to bear every capability available to tackle this critically important issue.
Mr O’Mahoney takes up the role having served since 2019 as Director of the UK’s Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) where he was responsible for bringing together 15 agencies involved in Maritime Security to provide intelligence, data and situational awareness in UK waters and across the globe.
Prior to the JMSC, he has held senior positions in the National Crime Agency, and the Border Crime Command at Border Force Heathrow.
Prior to the Civil Service Mr O’Mahoney served in the Royal Marines, including operational deployments in Kosovo and Iraq.
He is also a trustee of a military charity the Royal Marines Club, concerned with mental health support and resettlement into civilian life which has raised close to three quarters of a million pounds since 2013.
Bob Wigley, Chair of UK Finance, has become Vice Patron of RMA-The Royal Marines Charity. Bob will be an ambassador and advocate for the charity, especially within the business community. He will also provide strategic advice to the charity’s team, on income generation and business partnerships.
The Charity is grateful to the Royal Marines Club for this valuable introduction. Bob has been the honorary President of RM Club since 2019 and will continue to hold this appointment.
The newly created role will complement that of the Patron, General Sir Gordon Messenger KCB DSO* OBE, former Vice Chief of the Defence staff, who focuses on promoting the Charity within Government, the defence industry and wider military community.
The Charity’s Royal Patron is HM The Queen, and the honorary President is Commandant General Royal Marines, Major General Matt Holmes CBE DSO .
RMA-The Royal Marines Charity has over 100,000 beneficiaries amongst serving Royal Marines, their families and veterans. It provides a lifetime of support to the whole Royal Marines community - once a Marine, always a Marine. The Charity’s team helps them overcome a variety of sometimes complex challenges and hardships to ensure no one is left behind – whether that’s for life-changing injuries, mental health problems, illness, transition to civilian life, or poverty.
Whilst major military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are over, for many Royal Marines and their families the fighting continues, and there is an increasing need for support to the RM community, especially for veterans with mental health challenges.
Jonathan Ball, Chief Executive, RMA-The Royal Marines Charity said:
“Like many charities, we are facing a serious funding deficit this year with almost all 2020 fundraising events and activity cancelled, compounded by the lack of big events such as the London Marathon. Bob’s business experience and connections are world class and as Vice Patron he will add great value to our work, as the Charity grows and evolves.”
Bob Wigley, Chair of UK Finance said:
“The UK’s Royal Marines are admired throughout the world as an elite fighting force with great courage and determination. They serve their country selflessly but that can come at a cost and that’s where the Charity steps in. As Vice Patron I want to use my skills, contacts and experience to help the Charity thrive and continue its excellent support to those Royal Marines and veterans in need, and their families.”
Background information:
Bob Wigley is chair of UK Finance which represents over 250 firms across the banking and finance industry, working to enhance competitiveness, facilitate innovation, and promote safety and transparency.
He previously worked in banking at Morgan Grenfell and Merrill Lynch, and was a member of the Court of the Bank of England for three years. Currently, Bob is working with leaders in the financial services industry to design ways of helping businesses with heavy debt get back on their feet following the COVID-19 crisis.
Other roles:
2011 - Ambassador for UK Business under Prime Minister David Cameron
2009-2010 - Chaired the UK Green Investment Bank Commission for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne
2008 - Chaired a panel of financial services CEOs for Boris Johnson, then Mayor of London and produced a report on how to maintain London's global competitiveness.
2007 - Authored a report for the Prime Minister on how to improve school governance, using lessons from the corporate world.
Past Master of the Court of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers
Former Trustee of Terence Conran's Design Museum
Former Trustee of children’s charity, Whizz-Kidz
RMA-The Royal Marines Charity delivers support to the Royal Marines community, providing:
A membership association with over 15,000 members in 87 branches worldwide, and a series of national and international events for members
A welfare team delivering a wide range of services ranging from financial grants, addiction education and advice, mental health therapy, and a pensions and tribunals advice service
An employment and education team offering advice, funding and networking to enable medically discharged and vulnerable Marines who are leaving the Corps to find work;
A wide range of fundraising activities and events
The Royal Marines Shop – donating all profits to the charity
For more information please contact enquiries@rma-trmc.org or call 01392 346424
Guildford Sea and Royal Marine Cadets held a 24-hour rowathon to raise funds for The Royal Marine Club’s Winter Deployment 2019.
More than twenty cadets rowed an average of 28,000 metres each - many surviving on just 1-2 hours sleep - in an attempt to hit a staff and cadet combined target of 800,000 metres rowed. By 6am in the morning, with just 4 hours to go, this target was beaten, and by 10am it had been smashed with over 1,000,000 metres rowed!
This was the first time many of the cadets, aged 12-16 had ever attempted something like this. Incredibly, over £8000 was raised, with a large percentage coming from the bonus amount triggered by the cadets smashing their overall target.
A hoofing effort from all concerned. Huge thanks to the Guildford SSC for all their support.
Huge thanks to everyone who contributed their time and money to raise funds for The Royal Marines Charity at London’s Metropolitan Police Service Contact Centre.
A large number of the staff made personal donations for which we are very grateful. A stand with more information about what we do and a raffle was organised too.
Special thanks go to Mags, Natasha, Zoe, Louise and Kerry for making all of this happen!
Last night, the Royal Marines came out on top as they faced the United States Marine Corps in a historic boxing match in London at The Royal Lancaster Hotel.
This is the first time that the two fighting forces have met on UK soil, with the fight being billed as the ‘Rumble across the Atlantic’ - a truly extraordinary night of sport, pride and respect between two close allies, proudly hosted by The Royal Marines Charity.
The Royal Marines Club was proud to lend its support by helping to secure the attendance of the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Robert Wood "Woody" Johnson IV.
Roger Dobson, our CEO, has been interviewed in Norway for Hal Stewart's Big Friday radio show. Great exposure for the work of the Club. Thanks BFBS!
Also, great to see that The Royal Marines Charity has highlighted their contribution to our Juleferie Winter Deployment too.
Organised by The Royal Marines Club and Rondane Høyfjellshotell, in association with Veteranforbundet SIOPS and The Royal Marines Charity, Juleferie 2017 sets out to give serving and veteran commandos, from both countries, a short break with their families free of any significant expense.
Places on the holiday were awarded to those with physical, mental or financial challenges. The idea being to help families relax with winter sports activities and complimentary board and accommodation at Rondane’s premier spa hotel.
Plans for the event came about when explorer Inge Solheim, Royal Marines Club Chairman Marcus Chidgey, Trustee Ray Mead, and Rondane Høyfjellshotell Marketing Director Ole T. Hoelseth started talking about how the hotel’s facilities could be used to support the armed forces.
Eight months later, and with significant support from the Royal Marines Corps and senior Norwegian military personnel, the inaugural Juleferie 2017 is taking place. Deputy Commandant General of the Royal Marines, Richard Spencer, comments:
“British Commandos have fought alongside the Norwegian Military since WWII, and up until very recently the Royal Marines deployed in the Rondane area for winter training and exercise. Norway and the UK enjoy a unique and special friendship. ”
The opening of Juleferie 2017 was marked by a commemorative ceremony, where a Commando Dagger and a Sami Knife was exchanged to symbolise the special relationship between the UK and Norway. This week will see families from both countries enjoying time together in the breathtaking setting of the Rondane National Park. Skiing, ice-bathing and dog-sledding is on offer, alongside craft produce and fine dining, something the Rondane Høyfjellshotell is reputed for.
“We are looking forward to making this a very special stay for all the families involved. I think even Santa Claus might know of our plans.” says hotel director Ole P. Christensen.
The holiday is as much about having fun in a relaxed environment as it is a way to recuperate from issues like PTSD. Often it’s not just the veterans themselves that suffer, it impacts the happiness of their families too.
“This is a way for us to give back to the families whose struggles often go unrecognised. A week away, free from the stresses of day-to-day life, will no doubt do everyone participating in Juleferie 2017 a world of good.” says Marcus Chidgey, Chair of The Royal Marines Club.
Uniquely, Juleferie 2017 brings in to focus the nature of combat and how all military personnel, no matter which nation they might represent, share similar experiences. It demonstrates there’s an international family of veterans charities that will come together to support friends and allies from other nations.
General Sverre Diesen, former Chief of Defence for Norway comments: “When we train together on exercise, we are united in preparing to confront the challenges we have in common around the world. It’s clear to me that, when our veterans return from the field, the same spirit of international cooperation should endure.”
The Royal Marines Club Juleferie 2017 is taking place between 3rd and 8th December at the Rondane Høyfjellshotell in Rondane, Norway. The first event of its kind between Norway and the UK, there are plans for Rondane to host many more Juleferie holidays to come.
