Sailing into healthcare – Sarah’s story

To mark Remembrance Day (Tuesday 11 November 2025), we’re shining a light on our Armed Forces Network which supports our staff who are members of the UK armed forces community.

Pathway Coordinator Sarah Bingham began her career at the age of 19 in the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) in September 1988 shortly after leaving the Air Cadets.

First based at HMS Wildfire, near Chatham Brompton Barracks, Chatham, Sarah joined as a Radio Operator but within a year she became a writer, a role more aligned with her interests and skills.

Sarah said: “I initially did my training in unit, and then went to HMS Raleigh in Torpoint, Cornwall. In May 1989 I completed two weeks of basic training and then passed out and continued my service. When I left the RNR in 2003, I was a leading writer based at the Medway Division of HMS President.”

Her commitment went far beyond the regular Tuesday and Thursday evening drills. Sarah also dedicated numerous weekends to additional training across various naval establishments. One highlight was her time working in the Royal Navy Communications Centre, handling and routing signals and messages.

“As I was a writer, my job was based in a unit personnel office and would involve handling payroll matters, providing administrative support to personnel and issuing travel warrants. I went to various locations such as HMS Nelson in Portsmouth, HMS Drake in Plymouth and HMS Heron in Somerset.”

Her fondest memories include standing in the Guard of Honour at the November Remembrance Service at the Great Lines in Gillingham, attending the commissioning ceremony of HMS Chatham in 1990, and receiving her Volunteer Reserves Service Medal in 1998 in recognition of 10 years of dedicated service.

Reflecting on her time in the RNR, Sarah said: “The skills I learnt in the RNR have stayed with me throughout my career, such as teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and communication. They’re all essential in my current role as a Pathway Coordinator at Medway Maritime Hospital.”

Sarah joined Medway in 2008 as a Reporting Secretary in our Imaging Department, and in 2011 became a Pathway Coordinator in our Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) Department.

Here at Medway we have an Armed Forces Network which Sarah is a member of. Established in 2019, it is for staff who are members of the UK Armed Forces community (for example members of the reserve forces, or veterans, and their spouses/partners and dependants). It provides support and recognises the additional challenges faced by armed forces personnel now working in civilian settings and the additional skills and perspectives they bring to the workplace.

She added: “Our shared experience of serving, or having served, is something special and the network provides members with the opportunity to share their stories and experiences with others who truly understand what you have been through.”

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