Maritime Charity Celebrates AGM
The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society pays homage to UK seafaring tradition at its 152nd Annual General Meeting
Press release
Residents, tenants, volunteers, staff and other distinguished guests turned out in force to London on 1 June, to celebrate 152 years of The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society at the maritime charity’s Annual General Meeting.
The Society, whose care home is situated in Banstead, Surrey, has been providing housing, residential and nursing care to former seafarers, their widows and dependants for over 150 years. The AGM was hosted at maritime institution Trinity House, with a talk from Guest Speaker Commodore Jerry Kyd Royal Navy, Captain of the British Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, the HMS Queen Elizabeth.
In Commodore Kyd’s inspiring speech, he discussed the technology, innovation and team that makes the warship one of the world’s leading vessels. Commissioned on 7 December 2017, the HMS Queen Elizabeth measures a huge 280m in length and has capacity to hold around 1,000 personnel plus around 700 crew. The Royal Navy’s largest ever warship cost £3billion to produce and is emblematic of the current and historic strength of the British maritime industry.
Commodore Kyd also spoke about the importance of looking after seafarers when they retire and assured residents the future of the UK maritime sector is in safe hands.
The AGM allowed the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society to reflect on another successful year, with home occupancy levels at around 96 per cent and a host of improvements continuing at the Society’s nursing care home, Belvedere House in Surrey.
Royal Alfred Chief Executive, Commander Brian Boxall-Hunt, said: “The 2018 AGM was an outstanding event. It’s always fantastic to see everyone who contributes so much to our Society together and to celebrate the successes we have all worked hard on over the past year.
“It was brilliant to see Commodore Jerry Kyd Royal Navy speak at our event this year, who is Commanding Officer of our nation’s largest ever warship. HMS Queen Elizabeth champions everything we stand for here at Royal Alfred and we thank him for giving up his time to provide such a compelling speech – our maritime future is in safe hands with people like Commodore Kyd working hard for our nation.”
