YEOVILTON LIFE: Triumphant homecoming for Return to Base team

FOUR members of the 815 Naval Air Squadron returned to RNAS Yeovilton on Friday (March 27, 2015) having raised more than £5,000 for charity.

The Return to Base team of Lieutenant Danielle Welch, Petty Officer Stuart McAllister, Leading Aircraft Engineering Technician Billy Evans and Aircraft Engineering Technician Kelly Turner flew off on Monday (March 23, 2015) by helicopter to an unknown location and then had to make their way back to Somerset.

But they were not allowed to use any money to get home to RNAS Yeovilton and were set a number of challenges along the way by colleagues and family and friends in return for donations to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity.

PHOTO - TOP:  All smiles with, from left, Lt Danielle Welch, PO Stuart McAllister, AET Kelly Turner and LAET Billy Evans.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Here they come - returning in style!

They also collected donations along the way from the people they met and others were able to donate via the RNRMC “Virgin Giving” webpage or texting Navy to 70500 to give £5.

The four were overwhelmed by the generosity of people from as soon as they were dropped by helicopter at Newcastle and then moved onto York before heading south to London and then back towards Yeovilton.

Their final night accommodation on Thursday (March 26, 2015) was back in Somerset where they stayed the night in a barn at a farm in the Sparkford area.

After making their way to Taunton on Friday morning for a spot on the BBC Somerset breakfast show, they finally returned to base where the farmer who had given them accommodation for the Thursday night, Liam Matthews, saw them transported home in style – on a digger.

They were greeted by their personnel colleagues and 815 NAS Commanding Officer, Commander Al Haigh, and the Commanding Officer of RNAS Yeovilton, Commodore Jock Alexander. Family and friends of the Return to Base team were also there.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Commanding Officer of RNAS Yeovilton, Commodore Jock Alexander.

They were given a rousing reception – even more so when it had been announced that their efforts had raised £5,200 for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity.

The four were then able to present everyone a Cornish pasty – they had managed to get their hands on 200 during their trip as one of the challenges they had been set.

PHOTO - ABOVE LEFT: Returning to RNAS Yeovilton.

PHOTO - ABOVE RIGHT: PO Stuart McAllister back home with family.

PHOTO - ABOVE: LAET Billy Evans films the homecoming.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Farmer Liam Matthews who gave the Return to Base team accommodation in a farm barn on Thursday (March 26, 2015) night and then drove them back to RNAS Yeovilton in style.

PHOTO - ABOVE: The Return to Base team with 815 Naval Air Squadron's Commanding Officer, Commander Al Haigh.

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