Meet The RNBT Grants Team: Supporting the Naval Community with Heart and Experience
Behind every grant award by The RNBT is a team of dedicated individuals who bring not only expertise but lived experience to their roles. The RNBT Grants Team provides financial and wellbeing support to those currently serving or who have served as Royal Navy Ratings or Royal Marines Other Ranks and their dependants.
In 2024/25, the team received and administered 1,905 applications, with 11% coming from serving personnel and their families. That’s a lot of lives touched, and a lot of stories heard.
One of the founding principles of the Trust is that grants are awarded by those who have served. That’s why five of our current team members have served themselves – four in the Royal Navy and one in the Royal Marines. Between them, they’ve clocked up around 120 years of service!
Let’s introduce the team:
- Sam and Simon both served in the Royal Navy.
- Tracy and Chrissie joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service and transitioned into the RN when the WRNS was subsumed.
- Phil served in the Royal Marines for over 30 years.
Fun fact: Chrissie and Simon served together back in 1991 – and were reunited at The RNBT 34 years later.
After hanging up their uniforms, the team brough a wealth of experience to their civilian roles:
- Tracy become a qualified Midwife and Health Visitor.
- Simon worked with Two Saints, supporting people experiencing homelessness and substance misuse.
- Phil joined Combat Stress, helping veterans with mental health challenges.
- Sam worked with the Naval Families Federation.
- Chrissie worked in education as well as the Royal Naval Association, WRNS Association, and Gosport Voluntary Action.
And behind the scenes, Lisa and Sue keep everything running smoothly. They process every application with care and precision. Sue has been with The RNBT for 36 years, and there’s very little she doesn’t know about how things work. Together, they’re the welcoming faces of Castaway House.
Sam, as Director of Grants & Engagement, keeps all the plates spinning. Tracy and Simon, our Grant Executives, review and award grants based on detailed caseworker reports from beneficiaries across 19 countries, including Cambodia, Zimbabwe, Canada, and New Zealand. It’s not just about giving money away; it’s about making informed and compassionate decisions. And yes, a bit of team banter helps keep spirits high after dealing with tough cases.
Chrissie and Phil take a more holistic approach – calling beneficiaries, signposting to services, attending outreach events, and responding to helpline enquiries. As Phil puts it, it’s like “peeling back the layers of an onion” to understand what’s really going on. Often, the support goes far beyond a new washing machine or carpet.
Here’s a snapshort of what we have awarded in 2024/25:
- £952k in individual grants
- £1.3 million in quarterly Regular Charitable Payments
- £131k toward brown goods
- £109k for house repairs
- £84k for white goods
- £72k for rent payments
With the rising cost of living, increasing mental health challenges, and changes to statutory benefits, the need for support continues to grow. The RNBT Grants Team is proud to stand by our serving personnel and veterans, offering not just financial help, but understanding, empathy, and real-world experience.