I served with the Fleet Air Arm during the 1950s and 60s. Over Easter 1961 I attended the Naval Christian Fellowship’s (NCF) Norfolk Broads houseparty.
This one was at Deerfoot in Horning with 48 attending, including 2nd Officer WRNS Mary Shearmur (who later became my wife).
Together we were asked to find a larger and more suitable site for the following year. I asked the Lord’s help knowing how important this would be for NCF.
Mary and I looked at a number of sites. We found one at Fleet House, South Walsham which we thought would be ideal. It was owned by Mr Tom Thackery, who was most helpful.
On the site was Tom’s house which had some spare rooms which we could use, a garage we could use for meetings, a Flat Afloat (houseboat) and ample mooring for the yachts and cruisers we would hire.
We thanked the Lord for leading us to this place which the Fellowship used for the next 20 years.
During Easter leave 1962, 53 members attended including again a large number from Lossiemouth.
Over the next 20 years over 300 members attended, a number were converted, and others helped to grow in their faith. In my loft I still have a model yacht used in one of our meetings.
*Photo Credit: https://www.pexels.com/@bingqian-li-230971044