Working Weekends
The working weekend of 17/18 October 2025 is over and many thanks to those of you who were able to help. Tony Cox has kindly provided some photos of you hard at work and these are on the website.
The April 2026 working weekend had to be cancelled so the next one will be from 9 – 11 October 2026 and our Secretary John Munro munrothirwall@aol.com will be your contact for this.
It was brought up at the 2026 AGM that it might benefit prospective volunteers if they had some idea what the Working Weekends involved and our illustrious Secretary has provided this handy guide.
All you really need for the weekend is:
- A sleeping bag
- Washing gear
- A few shekels for a run ashore
- and most importantly a good sense of humour.
For those who only fancy a day away you are more than welcome to simply “pitch up” on the Saturday morning before turn-to.
Friday
Most lads arrive Friday afternoon. Once onboard, head down to the after mess, claim your bunk, then wander into the workshop for the usual meet, greet and brew.
Friday evening normally involves a run ashore, with a meal organised by our esteemed Secretary, followed by the usual dits, laughs and accusations about who swung the lead most effectively during their Service years.
Saturday
Saturday morning we amble over to the Dockyard Restaurant for breakfast before returning onboard for turn-to.
Work parties will then be detailed by the Buffer (James & Dave) – our long suffering shipkeepers.
Stand easy will be piped for tea in the workshop before returning once more to the job in hand.
Lunch usually consists of sarnies and sweeties in the workshop, accompanied by Rowdy spinning dits from the Indian Ocean – some of which may even be true.
Sadly there will be no make and mends and we’ll return to work until the next Stand Easy.
Once the day’s work is complete, we clean up, head back down the mess decks for showers and a quick “make yourself look respectable” before crossing over to the Dockyard Restaurant for dinner.
After that the WAFU’s will no doubt once again lead the unsuspecting astray on another run ashore.
Being proper fish heads, most of us tend to have a bottle or two tucked away in the kitbag for when we return onboard.
Sunday
Sunday morning after breakfast in the restaurant, WAFU’s will have a lie in, while we generally have a tidy up onboard, say our farewells and make our way home after another cracking weekend onboard the old girl.
The Dockyard supplies all food, overalls, gloves and safety gear.
Showers, heads and washroom facilities are fully operational onboard.
A weekend living onboard again stirs the grey matter, brings back many happy memories and serves as a sharp reminder of just how bloody old we all are now.
Hope to see some old and new faces onboard soon.
Any questions please get in touch.
John Munro munrothirwall@aol.com