Personnel across HMS Collingwood came together recently for an afternoon of knockabout fun and games and to enter into the Christmas spirit at the annual It’s A Knockout tournament.
The event kicked off in spectacular fashion as Santa, bearing a strong resemblance to Leading Physical Trainer (LPT) Jack Basher, sped into the Base’s Sports and Recreation Centre in his sleigh waving a bottle.
Unsurprisingly, he lost control of his reindeer and crashed but officers from the Base’s Royal Navy Police (RNP) were quickly on the scene to handcuff him and take him away.
Luckily they must have relented because he soon returned to lead nearly two hundred people in twenty teams around a series of festively-themed challenges.
These challenges included carrying presents along an inflatable runway wearing a bungee harness, collecting items of clothing hampered by an angry elf (aka Leading Hand (LH) Toft) in a bouncy castle and Reindeer Rodeo.
Less physical stances tested joke-telling skills in “Make Scrooge Laugh” and carol singing ability in “Serenading the Snow Queen” (Anne Cotter, Admin for the PT Department). The final challenge required each team to decorate a lucky crew member for Christmas.
In all twenty differently themed challenges provided fun for the participants, many of whom joined the PTIs in donning fancy dress.
Each team donated a chocolate Selection box as their entry fee with these being donated to the Children’s Ward at Queen Alexandra Hospital to spread a little festive cheer among the youngsters there.
Christmas confectionary boxes were awarded to the winners of the competition, the Victory Squadron Staff, by HMS Collingwood’s Commanding Officer, Captain Rob Vitali, Royal Navy.
The afternoon was organised by LPT Jack Basher who has only recently joined HMS Collingwood and this was his first major event.
He said, “Newly joining HMS Collingwood from PT Course, it was a pleasure to organise the Christmas It’s a Knockout. As my first event, it was a fantastic competition with an outstanding turn out from the ship’s company.
“All personnel and myself enjoyed an afternoon of Christmas competitiveness and I look forward to organising similar events in the future.”
