Maritime Volunteer Service

Former RNXS vessel in use by MVS Ulster at an event in Belfast

The Maritime Volunteer Service (MVS) is a uniformed civilian maritime training organisation and support emergency service in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1994 as a response to the disbandment of the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service (RNXS). Volunteers follow similar rates and ranks, traditions, vales and ethos as the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy.

The patron of the Maritime Volunteer Service is HRH Prince Michael of Kent, Honorary Rear Admiral, Royal Naval Reserve and Commodore-in-Chief, Maritime Reserves.[1]

The Maritime Volunteer Service has over 450 members in more than 30 units around the coasts and estuaries of the United Kingdom. The founding unit of the MVS was MVS Portsmouth. Each unit meets weekly for training which is put into practice afloat using a range of craft including powerful RIBs, launches, dories, purpose made rescue craft and even offshore training ships. One unit has even purchased a hovercraft to provide safety cover in shallow waters and mud banks. The MVS maintains strong links with the Combined Cadet Forces, the British Armed Forces, the Merchant Navy and other maritime organisations. .

National Level

At a National level the MVS Headquarters (MVS HQ) are based in Warrington at the International Business Centre.[2] This is where all decision on policy or national regulation are formulated and recommended to trustees and members. MVS Headquarters is home to a small volunteer staff. The MVS is headed operationally by the Chief Volunteer Officer (CVO). He\she is also the chair of the Council of Management (CoM). Governance of the charitable aspects of the MVS are overseen by a board of trustees, the Chairman being Captain Anthony Minns MN, MNI.

MVS HQ is made up of a variety of different management sections, including:

Area Level

The country is divided into four areas which are:

Each area has an Area Volunteer Officer (AVO) who holds rank equivalent to a naval commander or chief officer in the merchant service.

In addition to the AVO each area also has:

Regional Level

Each area is subdivided into distinct regions. In charge of each region is a Regional Volunteer Officer (RVO) who holds rank equivalent to that of a lieutenant-commander. The RVO is elected every three years by the units within their region. Each region also has a Deputy Regional Volunteer Officer (D\RVO), as well as other regional staff posts. These positions are staffed by volunteers. Some regions have Regional Specialist Staff Officers (RSSO) responsible for overseeing various specialisations at the regional level.

Unit Level

Each unit is led by a Head of Unit (HoU), who is normally appointed by election by his or her peers annually. The HoU is assisted by a Deputy Head of Unit (DHoU) who serves as the units second in command. Some units also have sub-units, small and usually newly established, such as MVS Upper Thames near Putney, or inland units such as MVS Rushden in the Midlands. There are currently some thirty units across the Uk, including:

History of the Service

The MVS was formed on 1 April 1994, a day after the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service was disbanded. The parent organisation, controlled under the auspices of the Ministry of Defence, had existed since 1963 as part of Britain's overall domestic nuclear contingency plans, but the end of the Cold War and post-nuclear austerity saw a service, which cost just £4 million annually to administer, abolished.

Eager to ensure that this vast wealth of knowledge and experience was not lost, the MVS was formed, assuming many of the duties of the old RNXS and, eventually heavily expanding the training aspects of the organisation. in the early years officers used the prefix 'volunteer' along with naval ranks, such as Volunteer Commander and Commander (V), however the Ministry of Defence objected to its use as the MVS, unlike its predecessor, was not within MoD jurisdiction. Subsequently the service adopted ranks similar to the Merchant Navy, with officers wearing a distinctive 'V' lace in place of the usual naval curl or diamond.

In 2012, as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the MVS was awarded the Queens Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award, in reflecting of its contribution and voluntary work. This was presented to the then-Chief Volunteer Officer Don Downer at St. James Palace.[29] That same year the MVS participated in the Jubilee River Pageant and assisted with the 2012 Olympic Games events in and around London. In 2014 the MVS marked its 20th Anniversary with events at various service units and at an official dinner, where the guest of honour was Vice-Admiral Sir Alan Massey KCB, CBE, RN Chief Executive of the MCA.[30]

Recognition

On 7 May 1997, the then Armed Forces Minister, Dr. John Reid, announced during a visit to the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth that the Royal Navy would give formal recognition to the Maritime Volunteer Service. In his remarks, he said that the Royal Navy's recognition is a tribute to the important role that the MVS play in the education and training of young people in nautical skills. Although the Royal Navy is not providing financial assistance to the MVS it does act as an advisor on various maritime topics including career opportunities in the RN and general naval matters. More generally, the RN's closer association with the MVS will also contribute to the enhancement of training opportunities in the community, thereby improving employment opportunities for young people.[31]

The Defaced Ensign

A Warrant was issued giving permission for the MVS to wear a Red Ensign bearing the Service's attractive "V" and "Anchor" logo and naval crown. The logo was designed by Commander Bruce Nicholls RN, and this is only the thirty-fifth designed Red Ensign approved for use world wide. Of that total six are flown by UK public institutions such as Trinity House, the RNLI and the Scout Association, six more by dependent territories and five by Commonwealth countries and provinces. The remainder have been granted to privileged yacht clubs around the world. The MVS Ensign will accurately reflect the Service's aims in promoting maritime skills amongst local communities in ports and harbours around Britain's coast.[32]

Aims & Objectives

Its stated aims are:[33]

Training

With the MVS people can train in the following RYA courses:

Members can also train with materials produced by the MVS covering:

Members progress through the various levels in their own time dependent on the amount of time they can commit to their training.

Future

Looking to the future, the MVS intend to ensure that the term “Maritime Volunteer” is widely known and understood with each MVS Unit an intrinsic part of the lives, hearts and minds of their local community.

References

  1. ↑ HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO, KStJ
  2. ↑ MVS opens new national HQ
  3. ↑ MVS City of London
  4. ↑ MVS Upper Thames
  5. ↑ MVS Lower Thames
  6. ↑ MVS Ardrossan
  7. ↑ MVS Bangor (NI)
  8. ↑ MVS Bristol
  9. ↑ MVS Christchurch & Bournemouth
  10. ↑ MVS East Sussex Sovereign Harbour
  11. ↑ MVS Gosport
  12. ↑ MVS Great Yarmouth
  13. ↑ MVS Humber
  14. ↑ MVS Port of Manchester
  15. ↑ MVS Menai Bridge
  16. ↑ MVS Mersey Valley
  17. ↑ MVS Milford Haven
  18. ↑ MVS Morecambe Bay
  19. ↑ MVS Northumbria
  20. ↑ MVS Poole
  21. ↑ MVS Plymouth
  22. ↑ MVS Portsmouth
  23. ↑ MVS Rushden
  24. ↑ MVS Severn
  25. ↑ MVS Shoreham
  26. ↑ MVS Swansea
  27. ↑ MVS Thanet
  28. ↑ MVS Weymouth & Portland
  29. ↑ Maritime Volunteer Services recognised at St. James Palace
  30. ↑ MCA Chief Executive guest of honour at MVS 20th Anniversary Dinner
  31. ↑ Formal Recognition, publications.parliament.uk
  32. ↑ http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gb~mvs.html
  33. ↑ Maritime Volunteer Service, mvs.org.uk

External links