RFA Wave Knight has been participating in numerous charity events of the past few months.
During a recent visit to Panama the ship’s company, assisted by embarked US Coast Guard (USCG) team, volunteered to renovate a local orphanage and play centre for the children living there.
This was done in collaboration with the local King’s College school in Panama City and after the event, the ship’s company visited the school for lunch, a game of football, and also a careers fair, where students were able to ask the crew about life on board.
3/O (X) Jed Bower commented “Everyone rolled their sleeves up and worked hard at the orphanage. It was brilliant to see the difference made in just one day, and to meet the children at the end of it all was one of the positive memories I will take from this deployment”
Inspired by the enthusiasm of the children, RFA Wave Knight ship’s company and USCG team then decided to raise money for the orphanage for further maintenance work.
The challenge was to row the Panama Canal, and back in under the time it takes for a ship of RFA Wave Knight’s size to transit through (around 8 hours). The combined teams completed the task, on two static rowers, in 6 hours, 41 minutes, 35 seconds and raised around £400 in the process.
Ships Communications Officer 2/O (C) Steve Jobling added “It gave us an added incentive when rowing the canal and back whilst at sea, as we knew how much any money raised would benefit the orphanage.
"Thankfully many hands made light work and we completed the challenge in good time”.
This charity work continued during RFA Wave Knight next few port visits, where the ship’s company firstly assisted renovating RFA War Graves in Bermuda, and then helped at a local charity day assisting in repairing and repainting a local football pitch and play area in Curacao.
