The Federation of Merchant Mariners
Calling Veterans and Friends for a Special Sporting Sunday
A special veterans’ Sporting Sunday will take place during Blackpool’s Veterans’ Week celebrations 21-29 June 2008. Aspiring Phil Tufnells and Tiger Woods from all over the UK are invited to take part in the Veterans’ Golf Tournament and Veterans’ Cricket Match, both at the town’s historic Stanley Park on Sunday 29 June 2008.
The golf tournament will feature intergenerational teams, one of which must be a HM Forces veteran. The rules state that there must be at least a 10-year age gap between the two players on each team. The celebratory cricket match, on the same day, will pit a team of veterans of all ages against their opponents – currently-serving members of the Armed Forces. The leisurely event will also feature entertainment for all the family, including a perfect summer-time afternoon tea in the club house.
To take part in the golf, contact Paul Latham on T: 01253 478 435 or paul.latham@blackpool.gov.uk and the cricket, Julian Mineur on T: 01253 333 882/ T: 01253 590 469/ M: 07900 086 761 or julian.mineur@blueyonder.co.uk.
Blackpool is busy planning numerous other high profile events around the official National Veterans’ Day on Friday 27 June 2008, for which the town competed against a countrywide shortlist.
The town is no new-comer to hosting veterans’ events and pioneered the country’s first festivities in 2005. It has run its own Veterans’ Week every year since then, as well as being a popular resort for unofficial veterans’ get-togethers since WWII.
Highlights off the festivities, which run 21-29 June 2008, will include a night time parachute drop onto the beach, military land, sea and air displays, the opportunity to get up close to vintage vehicles, daredevil veterans’ badge presentations, an evening parade and events for families and school groups.
Regular updates on events will be posted at www.veteransweek.co.uk, where you can also sign up for a newsletter. Alternatively, you can call 01253 478 2222 for more events information.
Sara Teiger PR
120 Grosvenor Street
All Saints
Manchester M1 7HL
T: 0161 273 4464
M: 07711 804 692
sara@stpr.co.uk
Recent Progress in Veterans Affairs
On the 16th of January Mr Ivan Cloherty an ex-cadet from Torquay and Mr Tony Borges an ex-Chief Engineer from Colchester, both members of the Federation of Merchant Mariners (FMM), joined two other Merchant Navy Veterans and Veterans of the Armed Forces to receive Veterans Badges from the Minister for Veterans Affairs at the Houses of Parliament.
The Veterans were presented to the Prime Minister, the Minister for Defence, many other Ministers and MPs and Senior Officers of the Armed Forces. This inclusion and recognition for the Merchant Navy in its own right would not have been possible before our successful campaign just three years ago.
On the 29th of January Mr Edward Sandle, an ex-Radio Officer nominated by the Merchant Mariners of Wight joined other Veterans of the Merchant Navy at the Imperial War Museum when they were invited to the national launch by the Minister of Veterans Affairs to extend the period of qualification for the Award of Merchant Navy Veterns Badges to those currently serving
The period for qualification for the Armed Forces Veterans Badge has been extended to 31st January 2005. This means that the Award of the Merchant Navy Veterans Badge, like that of the Armed Forces will continued to be issued to those fulfilling the criteria.
Recent Progress in Veterans Affairs. On the 16th of January Mr Ivan Cloherty and ex-cadet from Torquay, and Mr Tony Borges and ex-Chief Engineer from Colchester...more
The Defence Discount Directory
The Defence Discount Directory is a website devoted to providing discounts on a wide range of products for Regular serving personnel; Reserves; Service families; MoD Civil Servants; Cadets; and Veterans.
The criteria for defining which merchant seafarers are eligible to access the discounts as members of the veterans community are the same as those for defining which merchant seafarers are eligible to apply for the UK Merchant Seafarers Veterans' Badge.
The MOD is happy for the Merchant Navy Association and the Merchant Mariners to act as the authority for assessing and endorsing eligibility of Merchant Seafarers to use the Defence Discount Directory by signing their Certificate of Eligibility.
Once you get to the Defence Discount Directory website you will need to register first to access the site.
Click here to download the Certificate of Eligibility
Click here to go to the Defence Discount Directory website
