Sultan sailor is guest of honour at Festival of Remembrance

Petty Officer Steve Munday recently had an evening never to forget as he walked out in front of the Royal family as one of the guests of honour at this year’s Festival of remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.

Over the past four years the 42 year old, who works as part of the teaching staff at the Defence College of Technical Training’s Royal Naval Air Engineering & Survival Equipment School, has co-ordinated volunteers from HMS Sultan attending London Poppy Day (LPD) in support of the Royal British Legion(RBL).

This year alone, Steve took 80 volunteers from the Establishment who collected over £80,000.

Supporting the Royal British Legion further, Steve also organised the launch of the 2015 Isle of Wight Poppy Appeal with a tri-Service Field Gun Parade through Newport.

Steve’s dedication to both teaching students and serving veterans recently saw him awarded the 2016 Fuellers award.

Speaking about walking out in front of the Queen, Steve said, "It is something that is going to stay with me forever. It was emotional, surreal, daunting – it was just a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”

It doesn’t get any better than that. I’m still trying to process it all."

Steve was nominated to attend the event by RBL Community Fund Raiser Clare Peppiatt.

She said, "PO Munday’s dedication both to serving and ex-servicemen is an example to others and epitomises the core values required of personnel serving in a 21st century Royal Navy."