Celebrating Excellence and Camaraderie at the Royal Navy Winter Sports Association Annual Reception.

Event, Serving Personnel, Sports

Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) was delighted to attend the Royal Navy Winter Sports Association (RNWSA) Annual Reception held at HMS President in London.

The event brought together serving personnel from across the Naval Service for an evening of celebration, reflection, and recognition. From awards for outstanding achievement to the ceremonial presentation of Colours, the reception highlighted the invaluable contribution winter sports make to morale, teamwork, and wellbeing within the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

Winter sports offer serving personnel the opportunity to test themselves in physically and mentally demanding environments outside of their core duties. Through disciplines such as Nordic skiing, luge, skeleton and snowboarding, participants develop resilience, leadership, and mutual respect – attributes that are carried back into their professional roles.

This year’s D Lawrence Award was presented to PO Brendan McKenna, and the Debra Vout Award for Outstanding Contribution to the RNWSA was awarded to Susan Wallace Perriton, recognising her long-standing dedication and service.

Colours were also awarded to athletes who attended the Combined Training Package (CTP), acknowledging their performances across multiple disciplines:

  • Nordic – L/Cpl Dylan Joseph, Mne Oskar Bandrowski
  • Snowboard – L/Cpl Elizabeth Painter, AB Sean Grogan, AB Cara Jones
  • Luge – Lt Dan Wrigglesworth, WO2 Tony Galacki, LCpl Caitlyn Meynell, AB Rhiannon Phillips
  • Skeleton – AET Emily Clack, AB Kayla Haskell
  • Bobsleigh – LH Daniel Spencer
  • Cresta – Surg Lt Cdr Alex Ward, Lt Sarah Belcher, Lt Cormac Oliver

Many more participants earned their Colours this season but were unable to  Attend the event.

We are incredibly grateful to Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity for their steadfast support of the Royal Navy Winter Sports Association. Their commitment not only enables our sailors and marines to challenge themselves, build resilience, and represent the Service with pride on the slopes and ice, but also plays a vital role in fostering grassroots participation – giving those new to winter sports the opportunity to get involved, develop skills, and grow in confidence.

Lt Rachel Cox RN 

The RNWSA is funded through a blend of support from RNRMC and the RN & RM Sports Lottery. Earlier this year, RNRMC Committees unanimously agreed to back a funding bid from the RNWSA, recognising the role winter sports play in supporting operational effectiveness, team building and family engagement.

Feedback from participants remains overwhelmingly positive, with many citing the programme as a vital outlet for personal growth and connection across ranks.

To learn more about how RNRMC supports sport, wellbeing and community life across the Naval family, visit: https://www.rnrmc.org.uk/serving-personnel

stage with screen showcasing winter games, plus a RNRMC banner in the foregroud men smiling and networking in forces uniform person speaking on stage presenting to a naval audience Small barrell with the words 'The King God Bless Him' in brass Peopel watching speaker on stage, engaged back of heads of naval personnel facing stage where there is a person speaking men in suits and naval dress talking Commanding Officer HMS President lifering woman in naval dress talking to a man in a blue suit gathering of naval personal in a well lit room Three women siling to camer ain naval dress, holding glasses people networking and talking, wearing naval uniform people networking and talking, wearing naval uniform people networking and talking, wearing naval uniform Small barrell with the words 'The Queen God Bless Her' in brass London bridge on a gloomy day Shoulder patch saying 'Royal Band' Naval personnel networking three naval personnel, two men, one oman, smiling at the camera and holdng drinks