Local Children come together to help HMS Collingwood Remember
It’s true to say that 2020 has thrown up some challenges, not least in the way important events are commemorated but HMS Collingwood recently received some unexpected help. Armistice Day is an important occasion for the training base near Fareham and is usually commemorated with a service to which all staff, military and civilian are invited. However, due to COVID-19 and government restrictions, this year’s service will be a much pared-down version. Luckily, local children have stepped in to ensure everyone working at the Base have a focus to remember the Fallen. Alex Watts is a Families Pastoral Worker for Aggies, a charity that supports sailors, marines and their families and, in her role, Alex would normally go out into the naval community to work in small groups of families of serving personnel. This has also had to be curtailed in recent times due to COVID but the children she would normally visit were determined that this contact would be maintained virtually. To this
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end, they produced some beautiful and moving artwork on the theme of Remembrance and delivered it to the Chaplaincy at HMS Collingwood which works closely with Alex. The staff there passed the artwork to the Corporate Comms Team based in Atlantic Building who combined the children’s excellent artwork with archive photos to create a moving display illustrating the theme of “We Will Remember Them”. Alex explained “The Naval Chaplaincy team and Aggies work together to support serving personnel and their families especially in such challenging times and are always available to offer help. I would just like to say thank you to the families who used half term to create something so special.” Photo (Right) courtesy of Kelly Eaton. The children’s artwork takes pride of place in the HMS Collingwood display. Photo (Below) courtesy Royal Navy
