Celebrating 20 years of supporting RN and RM families!
Moving forward to support ever-changing needs
Our latest animation shows how, as a charity, we have evolved to the needs of the families we support. We understand all families are different and as a result have different needs.
From financial support to relationship advice, housing, specialist immigration and visa advice, to spousal employment, overseas assignments, health and wellbeing and education advice, we have information and resources to help you to navigate life in your community of choice.
Homeport Magazine: Then and Now
As we look back on the years, the collage shows some of the first ever Homeport Magazines… how our style and brand has changed!
Whilst the look and feel of the magazine has changed a lot, the information we make available to you remains current, relevant and most importantly relatable. Many of the dedicated and proud NFF team members have featured in Homeport throughout the years too!
A note from our Chair of Trustees, Captain Paul Quinn OBE MSc BA Royal Navy (Rtd).
What is the main role of an NFF Trustee?
Hi there! I am Paul Quinn, the Chair of the Naval Families Federation (NFF) trustees and in this brief article would like to reflect on 20 years of the NFF and the role of Trustees in running the organisation.
Our job is to tell truth to power – that means telling the Royal Navy and Royal Marines high-ups (Command to use the jargon) when their policies are falling short or when families have a legitimate collective gripe. It also means telling them when they get it right! We leave welfare to the RNFPS who do a great job.
I would say that everyone we encounter is doing their best and do want to do right by families, but available money, changing defence needs, breakdowns and emergencies all get in the way.
The NFF was set up 20 years ago to plug the gap the RN command had in understanding how families are affected by the policy they make, with Kim Richardson appointed as the first CEO. I had the great joy of being her first port of call in the Fleet Personnel Division (where I was the Pers Captain). Direct access to Ministers and senior RN Officers by the NFF CEO is a key way in which we work to be your champions when reporting to those in positions of power.
Anna Wright was the second CEO and took the NFF on the journey to be a standalone Charity, moving offices onto Whale Island to be near the Naval Command HQ and establish NFF as a completely independent organisation.
We currently have 5 trustees whose job it is to ensure the NFF does what it is supposed to do, spends its money wisely and keeps within the Law and always puts families first.
As Chair I work closely with Sarah Clewes who was appointed as CEO in January 2022, providing guidance and advice and keeping an eye on the proper running of the charity. I served for 38 years as a Logistics Officer, retiring in 2008 and running charities after that (including the Royal Naval Association)
David Evans is the Vice Chair and as an ex-Reserves loves the RN, he works for Portsmouth City Council at a high level and is a great link; he really knows his stuff when it comes to the Armed Forces Covenant.
Professor Jan Walker is one of the leading researchers on family issues in the UK and advises us on the use of evidence. She is on some very senior MoD committees and co-wrote the ‘Living in our Shoes’ report that drives MoD Family Strategy.
Steve Cass is a serving Air Engineer, who was the Warrant Officer to the Naval Service, so knows everybody and has sat on the Navy Board. He has been a single parent in SLA so knows all about how hard that is!
Bryony Johnson is married to a serving officer, living in SLA and is a lawyer so keeps us on the straight and narrow and is a very influential voice on behalf of families issues today.
We are funded by Grant-in-Aid by the Royal Navy and have just agreed funding for the next 5 years. As you can imagine the negotiations are tough and if we are not doing our job well – will certainly hear about it! Our latest round has seen a huge improvement in our relationship with RN and we now have a serving Captain from the People Team sitting-in on meetings to ensure we are all aligned.
Have you considered becoming a Trustee?
If you would like to be part of this let us know – with an updated CV and your reasons for wanting to be part of this small and influential team, we are looking for those who have the ‘lived experience’ themselves of being in a naval family – folk with marketing, social media or comms experience would be particularly helpful. For further information on this voluntary role or to share your CV please email contactus@nff.org.uk
Here’s to the next 20 years!!
Paul Quinn OBE
Chair NFF
Page created: 14th November, 2023
