Maritime Volunteer Service

Les Quilty, Volunteer Commander of the East Sussex Sovereign Harbour Unit of the Maritime Volunteer Service (MVS), spoke to Rotary Club of Senlac about the formation and the work of the MVS. Formed in 1994 following a Defence Review which axed the Royal Navy Auxiliary Service (RNXS) the Service aims to provide and maintain the skills of the maritime services and to promote safety at sea. Ex RNXS personnel wanted to continue work they had been doing and at a meeting of disbanded units the MVS was formed.  The RNXS Bexhill Unit reformed into the Bexhill MVS Unit with 39 of the 40 members moving over; subsequently transferring to a new base in Eastbourne’s Sovereign Harbour. Although all their vessels, accommodation and equipment had been returned they went about rebuilding the service which has now celebrated nearly 22 years. Some 35 units operate in the UK with membership ranging from 6 to 70 members.

MVS works very closely with the local community, particularly youth organisations such as the Combined Cadet Force, Scouts and Sea Cadets, and provides seamanship skills and training both on board their vessels and on shore. They also coordinate and work with the RNLI, the police and the Coastguard Service with whom they will carry out joint exercises and assist in emergencies. They operate a boat, East Sussex 1, a 58 ft ex naval 'Kiwi' class steel hulled launch built in 1972 and currently undergoing a major refit in Newhaven paid for by SITA through the Landfill Community Scheme, which is hoped to be back in service in April. Additionally they have a small hovercraft, currently out of action because of a damaged skirt, which can be used for rescue purposes on mud flats and areas not easily accessible to boats. Like the boat, the hovercraft is extensively used for training. One of the more unexpected activities undertaken by the Sovereign Harbour MVS is to perform burials at sea.

The Rotary Club of Senlac was pleased to make a donation towards the cost of repair of the hovercraft’s skirt and it is hoped the craft will be on display at the Classic Car Show in Bodiam on 19 June 2016.

For more information about the work and facilities offered by the MVS, please see http://www.mvs-eastsussex.co.uk.