Who We Are
Derek H Bristow - OBE DL BA Chartered MCIPD, Chief Executive
Derek was an Engineer in the Merchant Navy and this led him to found the Cambridgeshire MNA of which he is current Chairman. He has also been both National Chairman and Vice President of the national MNA.
Without Derek there would be no Federation
of Merchant Mariners. He is currently the
Chief Executive and the key person in making it all happen.
He is also Chairman of the Cambridgshire Committee for Reserved Forces and Cadets having served with them and retiring with the rank of Colonel, he is also Deputy Lieutenant for Cambridgeshire and an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE).
To quote Derek, "My greatest wish is to see all MNAs working together in strength and harmony as a living memorial to the Merchant Navy."
The photograph shows Derek in his role as Chief Executive of the FMM at the dedication of the Cambridgeshire MNA Standard flown from the stern of a British merchant ship.
Joan Bristow
The wife of the Chief Executive is the voice at the end of the Veterans Hotline. Joan deals with all the applications for and the distribution of the UKMSVB.
Joan said, "It has been a privilage to work for the Veterans of the Merchant Navy, they are such polite and wonderful people. I cannot imagine what horrors many of them must have experienced during the war years, they deserve all the praise and recognition they get."
Jane Curr
Joins us as a Welfare Officer. "Having worked for several years in the voluntary sector as a benefits advisor for disability charities, I am now looking forward immensely to working with the Federation of Merchant mariners as your Welfare Officer.
I will aim to answer any queries as clearly and sensibly as possible, and if I cannot do it, to be able to find a man or woman who can." Jane will welcome any queries on Welfare and may be contacted via our email address or by ringing the Veterans line (01480 412 9580).
To go to the Welfare Corner please click here.