MVS Events Diary

East Sussex 1 (ES1) Programme for 2019
East Sussex 1 is based at our Sovereign Harbour Unit in Eastbourne.
During weekday evenings ES1 will be taking out youth groups for either sea experience or (in the case of maritime-orientated groups) training.
ES1 expects to work with local Sea Cadets most Friday evenings and will be taking school parties out during weekday afternoons plus also possibly groups of adults. ES1 will try to get in a good number of weekend trips for MVS members, some to Boulogne, also to Brighton and Littlehampton.

April
In April ES1 is due to make possible trips to Brighton or Littlehampton plus local trips for youth groups during the Easter Holiday.

May
May 4: Spring Festival Yarmouth Harbour.
A very popular event around the Harbourside.
Marine Safety is main aspect of the event.  The MVS Isle of Wight (IOW) will be attending using their Mobile Command & Control Unit as our display and recruiting stand.

May 18: Riverfest. Newport Harbour.
Riverfest is a free family event that attracts some 4,000 local people.
This annual event celebrates the heritage, community, businesses and wildlife associated with the historic River Medina.
The MVS IOW will attending using their Mobile Command & Control Unit as our display and recruiting stand.

May 11: MVS 25th Anniversary cocktail party at Scunthorpe.
To be held at the Wortley Hotel, Scunthorpe.

End of May – Christchurch and Bournemouth (CB) unit have marshalling duties for Christchurch Rowing Club Annual Regatta.

June
June 9: Christchurch and Bournemouth unit stall at Burton Armed Forces & Veterans Day.
March past, Drum Head Ceremony, Spitfire Flypast, Military vehicles, Live Music, food & drink.

Mid-June – CB unit have their safety boat at Dorset Dinghy Day, between Iford & Tuckton bridges – a Facebook ‘event’ when 1,500 people drift down the river in every kind of inflatable: rings, inflatable dinghies, ducks, swans, crocodiles, rafts – from the Iford Bridge pub to the Riverside pub at Tuckton.

June 22: Rushden Armed Forces Day
MVS Rushden will again be attending the event which is based at the historic Rushden Railway Station.

June 22: IoW Armed Forces Day (AFD) Newport Town Centre & Newport Harbour
This is the major AFD event on the IoW.
There will be parades of service personnel, veterans, RBL standard bearers and cadets being led through Newport Town Centre by both local and military bands to Newport Quay where the salute will be taken  by the Lord Lieutenant.

July
July 13: Rescue Day at the 7 Lakes Country Park, Crowle, Lincolnshire.
The event involves Police, Ambulance and Fire Services.
MVS provides safety boat cover and general help during event.
MVS also has its own stand.

August
ES1 Programme
The plan is to deploy ES1 to Littlehampton to act during the week as an accommodation vessel for MVS members who will be running weekday harbour and river patrols for the harbour master.
For at least some of the weekends MVS plan to deploy ES1 to the Solent for MVS training, probably berthing overnight at Gosport marina.

August 10-17:  Cowes Week
One of the premier events in the yachting calendar around the world.
MVS will provide afternoon and evening patrols working with Cowes Harbour Commission (CHC) on their Jet Drive Harbour RIBs.

September
18-19 September Birmingham NEC – Emergency Services Show:
The MVS has again secured a position at the show (W54) which will be manned by MVS members from various units.
This is the major event and show place in the country for those organisations involved in resilience and working within the community.
The MVS is a “Support/Additional Facility” to assist Cat 1&2 Responders and other Voluntary Sector Organisation (Cat 3) in emergencies/Incidents affecting their Communities.

2020
ES1 is expected to be part of the escort to the Little Ships for their return to Dunkirk for their 80th anniversary commemoration.