Annual Dinner

Please see the Centenary tab for details of the Centenary Dinner.

The 102nd Annual Dinner was held at HMS EAGLET on 24 November 2023, with Lt Cdr Toni Cioma presiding.

Guests were Rear Admiral Steve Dainton CBE, Deputy Commandant, Royal College of Defence Studies and his wife and Commander Judith Barnes, Commanding Officer, HMS EAGLET.

Admiral Steve has connections with Merseyside, having been brought up in Liverpool. He was a Sea Cadet and his Commanding Officer was Lt Cdr (SCC) RNR Paul Rycroft, a stalwart of the SCC in Merseyside. Paul was also at the dinner.

He gave a very amusing and inciteful speech which was extremely well received by all the diners.

Ellesmere Port Sea Cadet unit provided the music and drummers led guests in to dine.

We are very grateful to ARNO, who generously sponsored the Port.

L to R : Cdr Charlie Bagot-Jewitt, Mr Terry Robinson, Cdr Judith Barnes, t Cdr Toni Cioma (Pres), Rear Admiral Steve Dainton, Mrs Cal Dainton, Lt Cdr Paul Rycroft, Mrs Mary Cioma.

The 101st Annual Dinner was held at  HMS EAGLET on 31 March 2023 having been postponed from November 2022, with Lt Cdr Frank Hogan presiding.

Guests were Mr Mark Blundell, Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside, Councillor Roy Gladden, Lord Mayor of Liverpool and Commander Simon Cox OBE Royal Navy, Commander, HMS PRINCE OF WALES, Commander Judith Barnes RNR, Commanding Officer, HMS EAGLET.

Commander Cox gave an excellent speech which was well received by all members and we look forward to meeting him again next time HMS PRINCE OF WALES visits her affiliated City of Liverpool.

101st Dinner Menu

  L to R Cdr Barnes, Cllr Gladden and Mrs Gladden, Mr Blundell and Mrs Blundell, Cdr Cox, Mrs Hogan and Lt Cdr Hogan

          

The 99th Annual Dinner was held at the Racquet Club, Liverpool during a lull in the Covid restrictions with Lt Cdr Frank Hogan presiding over a select band of guests!

The 98th Annual Dinner was held on 22 November 2019 at HMS EAGLET with Lt Cdr Richard Lovegrove presiding.

Guests were Mr Mark Blundell, Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside;  The Right Worshipful Councillor Anna Rothery, Lord Mayor of Liverpool; Vice Admiral Sir Clive Johnstone KBE CB; Commodore Philip Waterhouse ADC Royal Navy; Surgeon Commander Kevin Rourke RNR.

An excellent evening was had by all with a splendid talk by Admiral Johnstone – even including his admittance that he cannot tell jokes – but they got a laugh anyway!

Martins again provided an excellent meal.

      

From left :
1st picture : Vice Admiral Sir Clive Johnstone and Lt Cdr Richard Lovegrove
2nd picture : Commodore Waterhouse, Mark Blundell, Vice Admiral Sir Clive Johnstone, Anna Rothery, Lt Cdr Richard Lovegrove; Surg Cdr Kevin Rourke
3rd Picture: Commodore Waterhouse, Ms Colleen Martin; Mrs Suzanne Blundell,  Mark Blundell, Vice Admiral Sir Clive Johnstone, Anna Rothery, Lt Cdr Richard Lovegrove;  Mrs Jennie Lovegrove,   Surg Cdr Kevin Rourke, Dr Laura Smith

The 97th Annual Dinner was held on 23 November 2018 at the Royal Naval Headquarters, Brunswick Dock, Liverpool, with Lt Cdr Richard Lovegrove RN presiding.

Guests were Peter D Woods Esq, the High Sheriff of Merseyside; Commodore Paul Branscombe CBE RN; Captain Patrick Walker CBE RN and Lt Cdr Ian King RNR representing Commander Rourke RNR, CO HMS EAGLET.

Commodore Branscombe gave an informative talk about some of his naval career and also about the work of SSAFA.

An excellent meal provided by our long standing caterers – Martins.

The port was sponsored by ARNO for which we were extremely grateful.

97th Dinner Menu

    

From left :

1st picture : Commodore Branscombe, Peter Woods Esq the High Sheriff and Captain Walker

2nd picture : Commodore Branscombe and Captain Walker

3rd Picture: Lt Cdr King, Commodore Branscombe, Lt Cdr Lovegrove, the High Sheriff and Captain Walker.

The 96th Annual Dinner was held on 24 November 2017 at the Royal Naval Headquarters, Brunswick Dock, Liverpool.
Guests were Mr Mark Blundell, Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside; Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, Lord Mayor of Liverpool;  Captain Patrick Walker CBE RN; Patron of the Sea Urchins: Commodore Martin Quinn ADC RNR. Commander Maritime Reserves; Commodore Phil Waterhouse RN, Naval Regional Commander Northern England and the Isle of Man and the Commanding Officer of HMS EAGLET, Commander Steve Hoyle RNR.

The “Return of Thanks” was very special this year being the 100th Anniversary of the WRNS and the Reverend David Gamble read the Wrens’ Prayer.

Commodore Quinn gave a very entertaining and informative speech about his long term links to Liverpool, meeting up with old friends and details of his current role and an update on the Royal Navy. A moments silence and reflection was held in respect of the loss of the Argentinian submarine ARA San Juan, the sailors onboard and their families.

The President responded with a  final toast to “The Royal Navy and the Reserve”, the diners withdrew to the Wardroom Bar!

A most enjoyable evening for all the diners.

2017 Annual Dinner Menu 004

Annual Dinner 2017

Commodore Martin Quinn and Captain Patrick Walker