Strictly star gives talk at Naval Base Clyde
STAFF at HM Naval Base Clyde welcomed a television presenter and former Royal Marine to the facility to kick off a new series of lectures.
JJ Chalmers visited the HMS Neptune Supermess on Wednesday, January 31, where he delivered the first in a series Human Performance Lectures.
JJ is a former Royal Marine Reservist, Invictus Games medallist and trustee, television presenter, and contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.
A spokesperson for the naval base said: “He began with his motivation for joining the Royal Marines Reserves and the challenges he encountered early on in his career.
“It was while deployed in Afghanistan with 42 Commando during Operation
Herrick 14 that JJ’s life was profoundly changed by a Taliban Improvised Explosive Device.
“With vivid, and often uncomfortable detail, he took the audience through his harrowing journey of recovery, illustrating how his, and his comrades’ training came into play.
“JJ talked about physical and mental resilience, particularly its inherent vulnerabilities and this resonated deeply with the audience.
“Their reactions and the feedback given to JJ emphasised the impact of his words.
“The term ‘inspiring’ was frequently used, reflecting JJ’s ability to emerge from the darkest of times.
“His story provided a profound insight into human performance under extreme conditions, highlighting the significance of training, well-being, and the importance of supporting each other and ourselves.”
After the lecture, attendees had the opportunity to treat themselves to lunch at the ‘pop up’ street food event hosted by catering staff.
The chefs will be creating themed menus for future events linked to the Human Performance Talks.
In addition to sharing his inspiring story with Naval Base staff, JJ was also treated to a tour of an Astute-class submarine to find out about the life of a submariner.
HMS Neptune staff plan to hold more sessions which aim to explore all aspects of human performance through talks by experts and inspiring individuals in various fields.