David Dickens
Trustee
David was born in Grantham Lincs in 1957 and after a nomadic first 3 years, landed in rural Shropshire where he grew up with his two sisters.
Despite a childhood living among farming communities, David had a passion for all things nautical and joined the Royal Navy (RN) in 1975. His 37 years in the RN saw at-sea service as a Warfare Officer spanning 6 submarines, 5 frigates and the aircraft carrier HMS ILLUSTRIOUS. He commanded HMS Boxer from 1992-1994 and was the first Captain Surface Ships to the Portsmouth Flotilla in the early 2000s. After a period in Naval Intelligence, David completed several shore jobs in the people domain including manpower planning, terms and conditions of service and career management. His penultimate posting was as Captain of the Base at Faslane where he had broad responsibilities for family services in the local area.
Leaving the RN in 2012, David then spent the next 10 years as Chief Executive Officer to the charity the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen (The ‘Fish Mish’). This role provided him with a unique insight into the joys and tribulations of family life with a seafarer.
With deep personal and professional experience of service life and the particular challenges facing RN/RM families, David believes avidly in the importance of giving them a voice through advocating on their behalf.