A kitten that survived a 300-mile journey inside the bumper of a naval helicopter pilot's car has become the star of a Royal Navy and Marines Charity (RNRMC) calendar.
The cat was discovered by Lieutenant Nick Grimmer shortly after he had driven from Birmingham to Cornwall via Bristol and Bath. The pilot, who flies submarine-seeking Merlin helicopters with 814 Naval Air Squadron, known as the Flying Tigers, said he heard a "very quiet meowing" coming from his car.
"I am never late for work and was left with no option but to take my new friend in with me. The place he has felt most comfortable is in my flying helmet, which is the only place he is able to sleep."
After efforts to locate the cat's owners failed, Lt Grimmer adopted it and named it Tigger.
And the pair have now landed a spot on the cover of the Royal Navy and Marines Charity calendar, which features a kitten and member of the Squadron in every picture. All proceeds from the sale of the calendar, available to buy at http://www.royalmarinesbands.co.uk/shop/ go towards putting smiles on the faces of the remarkable men and women of our Naval Service spending Christmas away from their loved ones this year.
Organised and shot in their own personal time, around a busy schedule with half having just returned from sea and half about to deploy to the Middle East. This calendar would not have been possible without the dedication of the service personnel from RNAS Culdrose and the support of a group of talented students from Falmouth University who took the pictures.
Rebecca Saunders, Events and Community Fundraising Manager said “We are delighted that 814 Naval Air Squadron chose to support the RNRMC in this way with such a fun calendar. It is a fantastic opportunity to share more of the story of Tigger as well as raise the profile of the work that the Royal Navy and Royal Marines are doing at a time of year where so many of the service men and women, and their families, are affected by separation due to deployment around the world.”
The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity is the charity of the Naval Service. Over 700,000 men, women and children belong to the United Kingdom’s naval family. Whether serving, veterans or loved ones, all benefit from the support of The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, which has distributed over £45 million since its formation to make a real difference, not just to the lives of individuals, but also to the welfare and morale of Royal Navy and Royal Marines units and sister charities.
