HM Naval Base Devonport is staging a sell-out charity dinner and variety performance this week in aid of recovering service personnel.
HMS Drake is hosting the event on Friday (9th March) in aid of a new recovery centre for service personnel with long-term health and fitness issues, being built in the naval base and funded by the public through the charity Help for Heroes.
Among the attractions at the 500-guest event will be singing sailors Petty Officer Dave Wilson and Chief Petty Officer Jed Stones. Jed works for Flag Officer Sea Training in the dockyard and Dave at the Royal Navy training establishment HMS Raleigh in Torpoint.
They have recorded a song which is being sold for the appeal called Navy Bluez – Count on Me. The pair are regular performers and will also be singing other tribute songs on the night.
Event organisers are Lieutenant Commander Jock Easton and Warrant Officer Neil Frame. Jock suggested the pair’s recording. He said: This is a sell-out event which is very promising as it is aimed at raising funds towards running the new-build recovery centre in HMS Drake. There is a lot of strong support for the centre event before it is completed. The city is taking it to its heart. I am pleased to have Navy Bluez performing Count on Me, which is about the military ethos of teamwork, looking after your colleagues and how you are all in it together. This includes the wider concept of looking after each other when in need such as the injured who will use the recovery centre.’’
The charity dinner raffle prizes include concerts, a music recording session and military paintings, Princess Yachts trip, flying lesson and Plymouth Argyle FC tickets.
The SW regional recovery centre will be run by the MOD when opened within the next two years.