Ship Sponsor: Lady Oswald
Medway Council
The old town and dockyard of Chatham were contained within the borough of Gillingham and the City of Rochester upon Medway. In 1998 the councils were merged under the local government review to create Medway Council.
HMS Chatham was commissioned in No. 2 basin of the Chatham Dockyard, taking the unusual step of being commissioned outside of her base port and in a non-Naval Base.
Chatham Dockyard Historic Society
The Chatham Dockyard Historical Society is a registered charity composed of about 250 members all of whom are volunteers dedicated to upholding the memory of the Chatham Dockyards contribution to servicing the Royal Navy over the past four centuries. The society was founded in 1980 by a group of Dockyard men dedicated to perpetuating the history and work of the Chatham Naval Dockyard. The primary activities of the society include manning the museum shop, research and supervision of the library.
Chatham Dockyard Historical Society
Chatham Dockyard Historical Trust
The Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust was established by the government in March 1984 and is a registered charity and registered museum. Its core objectives are the preservation and promotion of the Historic Dockyard at Chatham in a manner appropriate to its archaeological, historical and architectural importance. A Board of Trustees manages the Trust, which includes representatives of the local community together with the Secretaries of State for Defence and Culture, Media and Sport. The Chairman is a retired Flag Officer of the Royal Navy.
Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust
Royal Naval Association, Chatham
The Royal Naval Association is an organization for former and serving members of the RN, RM, WRNS and QARNNS. Granted its Royal Charter in 1954, it is the principal Naval Association recognised by the Admiralty Board and is a Registered Charity. Today the Royal Naval Association has a membership exceeding 28,000 in over 400 Branches - including some overseas.
www.royal-naval-association.co.uk
TS Cornwallis (Medway Town Sea Cadet Unit)
Formed in 1942, TS Cornwallis is as old as the Sea Cadet Corps itself. Originally affiliated to the Navy League it was based in HMS Pembroke, the Naval Base inside Chatham Dockyard until it moved to HMS Wildfire, the Royal Naval Reserve Base, when the Dockyard closed in 1984. It moved again to the Royal School of Military Engineering in 1994 when Wildfire closed.
TS Anson (Dartford and Crayford Sea Cadet Unit )
Based across the river from the town of Chatham, the Corps has its Headquarters in Dartford, Kent.
It is a training ship designed for the projection of the youth and community towards a marine environment and to introduce them to a level of discipline and uniformity associated with the Royal Navy.
TS Sirius (Hayes, Harlington and Southall Sea Cadet Unit)
This unit, now based in Hayes, Middlesex, was formed at Cranfield Park School in 1940. One of the largest units in the London Area, TS Sirius is run by CPO (SCC) Adrian Robinson. As with all units in the Sea Cadet Corps, Sirius provides leadership and boat handling training for young boys and girls, as well as helping to develop a sense of community pride and responsibility through volunteer work and charity fund-raising. A consistently successful unit, Sirius' cadets often compete at a national level, especially at swimming and sailing.
5th Littlehampton Sea Scouts
The scout unit based in West Sussex exists to introduce younger members of the community to education and adventurous training in an enjoyable environment. Recently members of the scout unit have enjoyed climbing, abseiling, canoeing, sailing and shooting whilst earning badges in first aid and swimming.
5th Medway Scouts
King's School Rochester CCF Unit
This school is a Cathedral Foundation educating boys from 8 to 10 and girls from 16 to 18. It is based around the Choir School for Rochester Cathedral.
Prior Park School (Bath) CCF Unit
HMS Chatham has a thriving and happy liaison with the RN section of the Combined Cadet Force contingent at Prior Park College. This school, an independent coeducational boarding and day school on the outskirts of Bath, has a Naval CCF section of slightly over 40 cadets, with 3 members of staff serving as officers.
The ship has hosted half a dozen visits by youngsters from Prior Park over the past 5 years.
The Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors
The Merchant Taylors’ Company, or to give it the full name by which it is described in the Royal Charter of 1503, The Guild of Merchant Taylors of the Fraternity of St. John the Baptist in the City of London, is one of the twelve great City Livery Companies. The Guild was originally a religious and social fraternity founded before the beginning of the fourteenth century by an association of citizens who were tailors and linen armourers.
The Company is very active in the field of education and has its own school, founded in 1581, in Northwood, Middlesex. In addition to its own school the Company provides scholarships to four schools nationally, founded by past members of the company, and also administers many charitable trusts created by members and benefactors.
The Army Air Corps (3 Regt & HQ)
The Army Air Corps, who celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 2007, have their Regimental Headquarters at Middle Wallop, near Stockbridge, Hampshire. The Corps have a number of regular and Territorial Army (TA) Regiments, as well as independent flights deployed with army units worldwide. The Army Air Corps are also affiliated to the Merchant Taylor’s Company; one of Chatham’s own affiliations.