South Shields volunteers join Parade of Sail on the River Tyne as part of Remembrance Sunday commemorations 2022

Members of Northumbria unit of the Maritime Volunteer Service (MVS) were joined by Red Seal Rescue, the Tyne and Wear Fire Service, Port of Tyne and the South Shields-based North East Maritime Trust at a Remembrance Sunday parade of sail in Newcastle.

The vessels set off from Ouseburn at 10.35am and headed up river to lay wreaths at 10.59am, with people gathering on the Quayside and Millennium Bridge to see the flotilla.

Angela Carrington, regional officer for the MVS, said: “I’d like to thank all the boat owners who took part in this fitting way to remember the fallen on the River Tyne."

It is the 10th year the parade of sail has taken place as part of Remembrance commemorations. However, the event was much scaled back during the worst of the covid pandemic, with simple wreath layings taking place on the Tyne in 2020 instead.

The Maritime Volunteer Service is a recognised national maritime training organisation and a UK registered charity with more than 25 units around the country providing training to nationally and internationally recognised standards, serving local communities especially in times of need or emergency and taking part in resilience exercises ashore and afloat.

The Northumbria MVS unit was formed in 2012 and operates predominantly on the Tyne, but also supports Port Authorities at Port of Sunderland and Port of Blyth.

Based at St Peter’s Marina in the Ouseburn area near Newcastle, the unit carries out patrol duties for the Port of Tyne when requested and also supports events on North East rivers, including at Tall Ships Blyth and Tall Ships Sunderland.

They are also on hand to assist with any planned activities or civil contingency matters on our waterways.