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We are here to give RN & RM Families a voice that is
independent of the Service. The
Association is designed to allow families (and by families we mean anyone the
serving person deems their family to be; including partners, spouses,
girlfriend/boyfriends or any relatives) to express their views and concerns to
an organisation which is run by families for families.
We offer them the freedom to speak in confidence without inhibition or
consequence. We are fortunate to have the official recognition of the Navy
board, which enables us to influence policy at the highest level.
We are not required to reveal personal details to the body
with whom we are dealing, but can take forward any cases/opinions anonymously.
We are already helping many families resolve problems and lobbying for changes
to policy on behalf of many more. We
have direct access to the Armed Forces Minister and already are fully involved
in the Service Families Task Force on your behalf.
We have specialist representatives who cover the areas of
Health, Education and Housing and who are working hard within their fields to
improve conditions for all families. They
represent you at policy level with all agencies involved in providing a service
for families. We have a strong
headquarters team who are the mainstay of the Association and will provide the
support and backup for the representatives on the ground.
In addition to the Specialist Representatives, we are currently
recruiting voluntary local representatives in all areas, who will form the
network base of reps, worldwide. This
will involve a couple of hours per week contacting families in your area and
feeding back to Headquarters any problems they are facing or any comments they
may have generally. Please contact
us at the address below if you are interested in becoming a representative. We also have vacancies for Area Representative Co-ordinators,
which is a paid position and will evolve out of being a local rep.
It would require 20 hrs per week and on performance, advancement to Co-ordinators
could be a speedy process.
HOW
THE ASSOCIATION CAME INTO BEING
In 1996 opinions of Naval Service families in the Plymouth
area were canvassed, via a short questionnaire, on the need for a families
association. The results showed overwhelmingly that families wanted some form of
independent voice to enable them to air their concerns.
Captain Base Personnel – HMS Drake, Plymouth was then
approached with the proposals. A
business plan was developed to formally represent our ideas to the Naval
Command, which was then distributed to the Navy Board and the Armed Forces
Minister. The Association has only just received the first installment of its
budget thereby allowing us to begin the job of truly establishing the
organisation.
We have recently distributed our first magazine to all
families on our database, from which we are receiving very positive comments –
if you have not received a copy and/or would like to be put onto our database
for future issues and correspondence – please contact us at the address below:
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The Association for Royal Naval & Royal Marines Families
11Mountwise
Court, Devonport, Plymouth. PL1 4JH. Tel:
01752 501501.
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