THE First Sea Lord, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins KCB OBE ADC RM, has visited China Fleet Country Club to highlight the growing importance of welfare, wellbeing and family support across the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

Sir Gwyn and his team stayed at the Saltash-based club ahead of a visit that brought together senior naval leadership and the China Fleet Trust, the charity behind the Country Club. During the visit, he met the Trust’s chair of trustees, Rear Admiral John Weale CB OBE, and chief executive Gordon Hannah, receiving a detailed briefing on the Trust’s heritage, impact and future plans.

The China Fleet Trust is rooted in the legacy of the original China Fleet Club in Hong Kong, established more than a century ago using funds raised by sailors and marines themselves. That spirit of mutual support remains central to the Trust’s mission today, as it delivers welfare, respite and recovery opportunities for serving personnel, veterans, reservists and their families.

In 2025 alone, the Trust supported more than 55,000 beneficiary visits through discounted breaks, wellbeing services, family support programmes and respite initiatives. Sir Gwyn heard how this support plays a critical role in helping families cope with the pressures of service life, including separation, deployment and recovery from demanding operations.

Rear Admiral John Weale said the First Sea Lord’s visit was a significant endorsement of the Trust’s work.

“It was a privilege to welcome the First Sea Lord to Saltash,” he said. “His visit underlines the importance of the China Fleet Trust’s role within the Royal Navy family, and we were delighted to share how our work continues to evolve to meet the needs of today’s serving personnel and their loved ones.”

The Trust also updated Sir Gwyn on a newly-launched fundraising initiative aimed at expanding the level of support available to the Naval community. Future funds will enable broader assistance to Royal Navy and Royal Marines units and help strengthen the welfare network available across the Fleet.

In addition, Sir Gwyn was briefed on recent investments in renewable energy and sustainability improvements at the Country Club. These developments reflect the Trust’s commitment to responsible stewardship of assets entrusted to it by generations of sailors and marines, while ensuring the long-term sustainability of its facilities.

Gordon Hannah, chief executive of the China Fleet Trust, said the visit was an opportunity to demonstrate the real-world impact of the charity’s work.

“We were proud to show Sir Gwyn how the Trust and the Club support wellbeing, recovery and family resilience – services that make a meaningful difference every day,” he said. “We remain committed to honouring our heritage while strengthening the support we provide to the Naval community.”

The visit also highlighted the Trust’s close collaboration with other Royal Navy and Armed Forces charities, reinforcing a joined-up approach to welfare and support.

This marked only the second time a serving First Sea Lord has visited China Fleet Country Club, following a visit by Admiral Sir Philip Jones KCB ADC in 2018 – underlining the Trust’s enduring significance within the Royal Navy family.