Leeds United Football Club has celebrated enduring affiliations with the British military for many years including a longstanding relationship with the Royal Navy that dates back to when the City of Leeds adopted HMS ARK ROYAL in 1942. The public raised £9m to fund a replacement for its predecessor which was lost to a submarine attack in the Mediterranean in 1941. The relationship continued with next ship to bear the name, which was launched at Wallsend on the River Tyne in 1981 until her decommissioning in 2011. HMS CERES, a Royal Navy Reserve training centre based in the centre of Leeds continues the tradition as the Royal Navy’s presence in Yorkshire. That relationship has been nurtured by Peter “Stix” Lockwood. As the Recruitment and Engagement Co-ordinator of HMS CERES and an avid LUFC fan you can imagine my elation upon receiving the email from Stix expressing the clubs desire to maintain their relationship with the Royal Navy through HMS CERES. Since that initial approach, Stix has ensured that HMS CERES is made to feel part of the Leeds United family. The effort made and hospitality shown towards the Ship’s company has always been so warm and generous and the relationship continues to thrive.
Thanks to Stix’s largesse, HMS CERES have been able to participate in many events at Elland Road, from ceremonial duties on Remembrance Day to recruitment opportunities around the stadium. At Stix’s invitation, members of our Ship’s Company were privileged to provide a Guard of Honour for the players and even presented Norman Hunter with his cake on his 80th birthday.
HMS Ceres has also been generously presented with two match worn “poppy shirts” signed by players to auction for our chosen military charities, raising over £2,000 for the Soldiers, Sailors and Air Forces Association. It is a pleasure to see our club firmly back at the centre of the city’s community spirit and for HMS CERES to be linked with it and this is largely a result of the hard work and dedication shown by Stix.
HMS CERES are grateful to Stix and wish him well.
PO Rob Kendrick
H.M.S. Ceres
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/organisation/units-and-squadrons/royal-naval-reserve/ceres