HERO HAMPERS
Supercarrier No2 is afloat for first time Former Marine Ian dishes out food packages, clothing and presents to needy veterans
THE Navy’s second supercarrier yesterday passed a major milestone – taking to the water for the first time.
The HMS Prince of Wales rose up overnight as water was gradually let into her dry dock at Rosyth on the Firth of Forth.
The 65,000-ton ship floated for the first time as it emerged her £3.1billion sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth has sprung an embarrassing leak.
The Prince of Wales, which has been taking shape at Rosyth over the past three years and is due to be handed over to the Navy in 2019, was moved to a berth where the Queen Elizabeth was fitted out.
The now Portsmouth-based Queen Elizabeth is the largest, most powerful and most expensive ship to be built for the Royal Navy.
The Government have insisted the contractors will meet the cost of her repairs. A FORMER Marine has launched a special Christmas mission to feed and help needy veterans.
Big-hearted bootneck – the nickname for Marines – Ian Hopkins has been dishing out the festive cheer by giving away a mountain of £60 grub hampers to fellow war heroes.
Ian is operations manager at the Coming Home Centre in Govan, Glasgow, opened in 2015 by Veterans Minister Keith Brown.
And he says they have been delighted with the response to their appeal for donations of food and other items.
Ian said: “It has been a huge success. It was great to be able to give the guys something to make Christmas a bit special.
“It has been really rewarding to see people getting involved.”
Ian made a special appeal for wellwishers to donate any unwanted electronic items. He added: “As we approach Christmas, I am sure Santa’s little helpers will be loading his sleigh with lots of new stuff.
“If you are lucky enough to receive a nice new TV, mobile phone or laptop, and you have an older one that you don’t need and is in good working order, we have a list of people who would benefit hugely.
“Just give us a call and we would be more than happy to relieve you of said items.”
Ian added: “The guys helping to make up the hampers and receiving them come from a variety of backgrounds.
“Some of them have served in the Falklands, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans. We hope we can make Christmas a special time for these guys.”
The Coming Home Centre is based at the Pearce Institute in Govan and Ian and his team offer veterans support as they adapt to civilian life.