Our regular series looking at life behind the fence of one of Europe's largest naval bases meets a woman who’s at home “on board” – and not just on a ship.
When this RNAS Culdrose sailor is not working on essential lifesaving equipment, she’s representing the UK’s armed forces as an elite snowboarder.
Aaby Aldridge is a leading survival equipment technician and is part of the team which looks after all the aircrews’ kit.
Whether it’s lifejackets or survival rafts – essential if you’re flying over the sea – to the sophisticated helmets and breathing gear, it all gets tested and issued by Aaby’s team.
The 29-year-old is also a gifted snowboarder and has previously represented the Royal Navy at championships at Tignes in the French Alps.
Now she has been selected as part of a three-strong team to represent the UK’s armed forces, one from each branch: Royal Navy, Army and RAF. They will take to the slopes in August in the mountains of New South Wales in Australia.
She said: “I am really excited as I’ve never been to Australia before.
“I am also proud to be representing UK Armed Forces. I love snowboarding - I started skiing when I was aged just three years old, but then I started snowboarding when I was a teenager.”
Aaby has raised money for the trip herself and benefited from donations from armed forces charities.
She is also serving at the cutting edge of the Royal Navy, having just recently been deployed on the new carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth - the navy’s largest ever warship.
Later this year she will join the next aircraft carrier to put to sea, HMS Prince Of Wales.
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