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Our People

President & Patron

President – Philip McCormack

The Revd Professor Philip McCormack is the Principal of Spurgeon’s College, London. Previously, Prof McCormack was an Assistant Chaplain General in the British Army and its academic lead on ethics. An accredited BUGB Baptist minister, Prof McCormack holds PhDs from The Queen’s University of Belfast in New Testament and Cranfield University in Philosophy and Strategic Studies. He is the Chair of an International Prize Committee for Military Ethics and is an Honorary Professor of Practical Ethics, in the Institute of Health and Society, the University of Worcester. Additionally, he is the Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Patron – Sir David Suchet CBE

Sir David Suchet has graciously accepted our request to become a patron of the Naval & Military Bible Society. He is well known for his acting prowess, indeed his biography runs to 13-pages of film, television, radio, theatre, audiobook and voice-over credits. His audio Bible activities are a particularly significant connection to our Society.
David first acting role was playing Macbeth in a school play from where he joined the National Youth Theatre and then attended the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art, leaving as a prize-winning student and after getting into the Chester Repertory Company he never looked back.
David is married with two children and three grandchildren. He became a Christian in 1986 and he completed a foundation course at the London Bible College as a distance Learning Student that lead to an Open Theological University BA degree. David has read every Agatha Christie Poirot book and he counts the Queen as one of his Poirot fans! For recreation he engages in photography, the clarinet, ornithology, theology and narrow boating. His knighthood in 2020 followed a CBE, for services to drama, in 2011 and an OBE in 2002.

Trustees

Karen Bassett – Trustee (appointed 30/06/2017)

Karen is the Senior Pastor at Hayling Christian Centre (Elim) and an RN CIS Project Officer. She began with the RN Reserve at HMS Forward in 2000 whilst completing a Theology (Hons) Degree. Following her confirmation course at HMS Raleigh she gained Comms qualifications and soon after she volunteered for deployment as part of Op Telic 2. She then took up Full Time Reserves Service as PA to ACOS CIS/DNCIS. In the civilian world she worked as a PA for an HR Director in London, then Operations Manager for a Christian Charity in Chichester. Karen was accepted into the Reserves as a Junior Officer in 2010, and served as a Sub-Lieutenant working in the Logistics arena and COORD to ACOS Info Superiority. Following this she became the CEO of the Naval Christian Fellowship. Karen has a long established Christian faith, working for YWAM in Denver and Tuapse (Russia) between 1993 and 1996. She has been part of Elim since 2003 serving, primarily serving at Hayling Island but also a church plant in Meon Valley and she was ordained in 2006. Karen was a trustee with the Armed Forces Christian Union and Portsmouth Sea Cadets. In 2015 she became Area Chaplain to the Sea Cadets and part of the CORP chaplaincy leadership team until recently. She also served as a chaplain for the Air Cadets.        (No other charitable interests)

Stuart Rivers – Trustee (appointed 10/02/2017) 

Stuart Rivers became a trustee in 2017, bringing a wealth of charity and commercial experience. In 2021, Stuart became the Chief Executive Officer of the Merchant Navy Welfare Board. Prior to this he was the CEO of the Sailors Society, an international charity providing pastoral care and support to seafarers and their families and previously he was Executive Director of Enterprise at the Bible Society. This all followed successful career in both the non-profit and corporate sectors. Stuart’s business career started in the technology sector where he worked in senior roles at Ericsson in Sweden before deciding to pursue his vocation in full time ministry with the Salvation Army. (No other charitable interests)

James Pitkin – Trustee (appointed 11/07/2014)

James served as an Engineering Officer in the RAF before being ordained into the Church of England. Now an ATC Chaplain, his attention is shared between the rural parishes in Hampshire, where he works, and the RAF Air Cadets’ 45,000 cadets and staff. James has long been aware of the valuable work of the NMBS and was delighted to become a Trustee in 2014. (No other charitable interests) 

 

Dennis Vincent – Trustee (appointed 26/02/2016)

 Dennis has been a Trustee since with the Society since 2015.  He is the Deputy Head of the Communication and Behavioural Science academic department at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he is a leader in the education of leadership and ethics to the Officer Cadets and other students.  Prior to this appointment, he had a career in the Infantry, which culminated with attendance at the Joint Staff College and Command of the 3rd Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment. (Other charitable interests – Trustee The Essex Regiment Museum) 

Simon Springett – Chairman of Trustees

The Revd Simon Springett’s background is in parish ministry, Naval chaplaincy and a spell as CEO of the Naval Christian charity Aggie Weston’s. From his time on commando course (accompanied throughout by his waterproofed NMBS New Testament), and later ministering to Royal Marines in Afghanistan, Simon knows first-hand the importance of the Bible in helping Christians, especially when isolated or under pressure, in their ongoing journey of faith. (Other charitable interests – Trustee The Boleh Trust; Trustee Naval Frontline Chaplains)

Christopher Huckstep DFC FRAeS FRGS MA – Trustee (appointed 15/07/2022)

Born 1958, educated at Collyer’s Grammar school and Cambridge University, where he read Geography. Joined the RAF as a pilot in 1980 and completed three front line tours as a Harrier pilot. He graduated as a qualified test pilot in 1993 and test flew the Harrier, Sea Harrier and Jaguar until 1997. After attending the USAF Advanced Staff College in 2002 he completed a number of MoD tours, and saw operations in Iraq as part of the forward HQ of US Central Command in Baghdad. His last tour in the RAF was as the Chief Test Pilot for UK MoD. After leaving the RAF, he worked in the aerospace industry and currently holds the post of Head of Air T&E at Thales UK Ltd. In his spare time he flies as a display pilot for the vintage aircraft of the Shuttleworth Collection, based at Old Warden airfield in Bedfordshire.
In 1986 he married Gill, they raised six children and they now have two grandchildren. Both Chris and Gill were raised in Christian homes, and they became committed Christians in 1984. An active faith remains the central pillar of their life together and they are currently members of St Michael’s church in Aberystwyth, part of the Church in Wales. Chris was a member of the Officers’ Christian Union, which became the Armed Forces Christian Union, serving both as a Trustee and a Vice-President for a number of years. Chris has been involved in church youth work and continues to support the work of the AFCU and a number of other ministries. Chris and Gill currently live In an ‘restoration project’ farmhouse in the foothills of the Cambrian Mountains. (No other charitable interests)

Andrew Rawson – Trustee (appointed 15/07/2022)

Andrew “Drew” Rawson qualified as a Chief Mate in the Merchant Navy in 2017 and was serving on board the Logos Hope (run by OM Ships) until September 2020. Before that Drew worked with Mercy Ships in West Africa, and Condor Ferries in the English Channel, before receiving his Officer of the Watch (Deck) certification through Warsash Maritime Academy in the UK. Before he went to sea, Drew received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Exeter, and spent some years working in that field. Drew is married to Laura, and has three children (Reuben, Evangeline and Aaron). In his spare time Drew likes to read thriller novels, watch and play  sports, and play the drums and guitar. (No other charitable interests)

Toby Humphreys – Trustee (appointed 15/07/2022)

Current role precludes the provision of personal details. (No other charitable interests)

John Lewis – Trustee (appointed 24/02/2016)

Current role precludes the provision of personal details. (Other charitable interests – Trustee Thomas Harris Fund; Chairman of Trustees SASRA)

Philip Lucas – Trustee (appointed 06/10/2016)

Current role precludes the provision of personal details. (No other charitable interests)

Operations Team

Carey Rivers – Advocacy Officer

Carey is a Salvation Army Officer who, after ordination, served for 5 years with the Aldershot Corps. She joined NMBS in April 2018 from a stint driving buses for the Salisbury Reds. Previously, she enjoyed three very happy years at the Soldiers’ and Airman’s Scripture Reading Association. Carey is married to Stuart and has three children, in her spare time she enjoys dressmaking, patchwork quilting and her newly acquired hobby of canoeing and kayaking.

Andrew Dakin – Executive Director

NMBS’s work has resonance with Andy, it was whilst preparing to fly with the USMC in the 1st Gulf War, with time to reflect and reading a donated Bible, that he accepted Jesus into his life. He hopes to enable the same opportunity for as many military and seafaring personnel as possible. Andy’s time in the RAF also included command of an operational test squadron. After the RAF, Andy worked with BAESYSTEMS as the new technology projects manager within the Harrier programme. In his spare time, he works with Cranfield University on air research programmes and with The Natural Path managing ancient woodland.

James Kirby – Graphic Designer at Get Creative Design

Following some time as a commercial artist, James pursued a career in graphics starting as a junior designer in 2001, going on to launch his own business ‘Get Creative’ in 2007. James has been crucial to the development of this website and he is now engaged with the NMBS on the design of our new projects. As well as design, James enjoys other creative pursuits, including photography, video, music and art. Aside from his design business, James also serves on the leadership team and music team at his local church. 

For more Get Creative information click here.

Ambassadors

‘Paddy’ Gallaugher

Paddy remembers his 36 year career in the RAF with great affection, through membership of the Armed Forces Christian Union and the Soldiers & Airmen’s Scripture Readers Association he met many fellow believers both at home and overseas. He is absolutely certain that it was these links that sustained him both in good times and when the road was rough. He joined NMBS in 1992 and he relished the role of trustee for 20 years, “I never leave a meeting without sensing that I still belong to a wonderful family of believers, from HM Forces or amongst the valiant corps of seafarers serving in the Merchant Marine. I love the work the Society seeks to achieve amongst both these communities. I know it’s life-saving in every sense”.  Paddy has now stepped down from being a trustee and is now one of our two Ambassadors.

Derek Donald

Derek joined the Royal Navy in 1961, serving as a Marine Engineer for 37 years. Since his childhood he had a passion for photography, being a member of a local camera club from 9 years old and in the latter part of his career he became a member of the Royal Photographic Society and, on retirement, it was a natural progression to see him enjoying self-employment as a Social Photographer. Following 14 years as our Administrative Secretary he now applies his enthusiasm to being an NMBS Ambassador.