A CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY THAT
BRINGS FRIENDS & FAMILY TOGETHER

Every November, The Royal Marines Club organises a week’s holiday for families who are contending with physical, mental or financial challenges. Families are able to enjoy time together doing outdoor activities like skiing, dog-sledding and ice-bathing. We share this holiday with our Norwegian counterparts, Veteranforbundet SIOPS.

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A Festive Holiday Full of Family Fun and Memorable Experiences for Children.

Family life isn’t always easy when Royal Marines are deployed far away from home. Partners and children make a lot of sacrifices that often go unrecognised. In some cases, these sacrifices continue to be made long after a bootneck leaves the Corps. Juleferie is our way of saying ‘thank you’ - we are incredibly grateful for everything families do. We put on lots of activities every day but they aren’t compulsory. Families can rest and take time out if they wish too. What we do try to ensure is that children have a great time. Santa has even been known to make an appearance too.

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Taking on a Challenge

Jumping in to a frozen lake at temperatures around -15°C isn't everyone’s idea of fun. The ice bath has become a tradition on Juleferie and, young or old, most end up taking the challenge! It feels great afterwards and we even warm people up in a hot tent with marshmallows and cocoa too.

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Making Long-lasting Friendships

Lasting friendships are made on Juleferie. We help people to stay in touch through a WhatsApp group for each trip. Many families have gone on to meet up separately afterwards. Others have returned to Rondane independently themselves. Everyone is encouraged to become part of the Club to be involved in future opportunities and events.

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Made Possible by Donations, Grants and A Special Group of Volunteers

Juleferie wouldn’t be possible without a number of organisations and individuals coming together to make it happen. We’d like to give a special mention to:

  • Rondane Høyfjellshotell - the owners close the hotel to the public and provide us with free accommodation for the entire week.

  • The Royal Marines Charity - provide us with a grant to help pay for flights, food and transport on the ground.

  • Our volunteers - a group of 12 volunteers provide their services for free for more than 10 days to organise activities, drive and manage the welfare of all those on the trip.

  • Veteranforbundet SIOPS - for being fantastic partners to work with on this project