Royal Navy makes history in Portsmouth as sailors qualify as physical trainers straight from civilian life for the first time

Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Martin Connell presented coveted branch badges to the eight successful candidates during a ceremony at HMS Temeraire.

They were joined by nine other colleagues who passed out via the traditional route for joining the navy’s team of fitness experts, having started their careers in other naval branches like engineering.

That route remains open to sailors who fancy switching branches, but now people can join the Senior Service directly as a physical training instructor straight from civvy street, just as they would becoming a diver, seaman specialist, or chef.

Once they’ve completed their basic military training to convert them into sailors at HMS Raleigh in Torpoint, they head to the School of Physical Training at HMS Temeraire in Portsmouth.

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To mark completing the demanding 26-week physical training qualifying course, the 17 successful candidates laid on a dazzling afternoon of acrobatics, club swinging, vaulting, rope climbing and even a short comedy sketch.

Around 100 family, friends and Royal Navy VIPs attended the passing-out parade at the home of NAVYfit in Portsmouth to watch the thrilling display, showcasing all the skills picked up by the new fitness gurus during their course.

‘The display is a great way of showing families what they have been up to over the last 26 weeks,’ said course leader Petty Officer Physical Trainer Adrian Barker.

‘It’s been a privilege to watch the 17 qualifiers passing out grow over the past 26 weeks and I look forward to hearing about the great work they will no doubt get up to in the fleet.’

The newly-qualified ‘clubz’ as they are affectionately known will now be assigned to bases, units and establishments throughout the UK.

As well as keeping naval personnel fit, the PTIs also play a key role in boosting morale while sailors and Marines are deployed overseas.

Those to pass out include: LPTs Solomon, Makepeace, Benson, Everitt, Shannon, Neale, Molloy, French, Davis, Ryan, Blacklock, Utton-Smith, Hussell, Munden, Donaldson, Hutchin and Clark.